Oddities Museum Near Me in LA: The Hollywood Museum's Dungeon of Doom

Hannibal Lecter's jail cell from The Silence of the Lambs stands in the basement of the Max Factor Building at 1660 N. Highland Ave, a few steps from Hollywood Boulevard. The Hollywood Museum charges adults $15 and opens Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Upstairs are the makeup rooms where the museum says Marilyn Monroe became a blonde. As an oddities museum near me in Los Angeles, its strangest floor is the one underground.

Max Factor bought the building in 1928, and it opened in 1935 after a redesign by S. Charles Lee in what the museum calls the Hollywood Regency art deco style. Procter and Gamble later owned it and sold it to the museum in 1994. Restoration took nine years, and the Hollywood Museum opened in 2003, at first only two days a week, according to its history page.

The ground floor keeps Factor's color-coded salons, where makeup was matched to hair color. The museum's line is that this is where Marilyn Monroe became a blonde and Lucille Ball a famous redhead. Note that sources differ on the details: Wikipedia credits Jean Harlow with dedicating the blonde room. Either way, the restored mirrors and powder colors are the most photographed corner of the building.

The basement is where the oddities live. The museum calls it the Dungeon of Doom and lists Hannibal Lecter's jail cell, Boris Karloff's mummy, Vampira, Frankenstein and his bride, and Elvira among its residents. The history page adds that the lower level was once a bowling alley and, during Prohibition, a speakeasy, which makes it the right floor for monsters.

Marilyn Monroe was born in 1926, and the museum marked her centennial with A Centennial Celebration: Marilyn the Exhibit, posted on May 27, 2026. It claims the world's largest collection of genuine Marilyn memorabilia. Even visitors who come for the horror props spend time here, because the costumes and personal items are displayed close enough to see stitching and wear.

Another 2026 addition is a Laurel and Hardy display, posted on April 11, 2026. It includes costumes from The Bull Fighter, Bonnie Scotland and Way Out West, along with Stan Laurel's makeup case. Placing a comedian's makeup case in Max Factor's old building is a neat fit, and the display shows how much of early screen comedy depended on greasepaint.

The museum says it fills more than 35,000 square feet and holds more than 10,000 authentic show business treasures. Highlights beyond the basement include Cary Grant's Rolls-Royce. Founder and president Donelle Dadigan runs it as a nonprofit 501(c)(3). With that much material, it pays to decide in advance whether you are there for costumes, makeup history or the horror props, and spend most of your time on one floor.

The museum's ticket store lists adults at $15, students at $12, seniors 65 and over at $12, and a child ticket for ages five and under at $5. Purchased tickets are good for 30 days, and there are no refunds. Bring your transaction receipt. Tickets are not timed, so ticket holders may enter as space allows, and the museum warns of a possible wait on busy days.

No-flash photography is allowed, but tripods, monopods, flash units and video cameras are prohibited. Sketching is permitted in pencil only. Food and beverages are not allowed, and only service animals may enter. The building is ADA accessible. If you plan to shoot the dungeon, raise your phone's exposure rather than reaching for a flash, since the low light is intentional.

The museum says parking is available in the lot adjacent to the building and that all visitors receive a reduced-rate parking validation. Keep your ticket receipt for that too. Visitors arriving by Metro can use the Hollywood and Highland station under the Ovation Hollywood complex, a short walk from the museum entrance on Highland Avenue at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard.

Classic film fans and anyone interested in makeup history will get the most from the ground floor. Horror fans will want to head straight for the basement. Families with younger children may find the dungeon's low light and monster figures a lot to take in, so preview it first. The museum also works well for visitors who want a calmer Hollywood stop than the crowded Walk of Fame attractions a block away.

Skip the visit on Monday or Tuesday, when it is closed. Do not expect interactive displays or screens; this is a collection of objects in cases and rooms, and its appeal depends on how much you care about who wore what. If your group only wants a quick scare, the dungeon alone may not justify $15 each, and the waxworks on the boulevard are the louder option.

Hollywood Toys and Costumes at 6600 Hollywood Blvd has been open since 1950. It opens Monday through Saturday from 10am to 7pm and Sunday from 10:30am to 7pm, with later hours as Halloween nears. After the Dungeon of Doom, it is the obvious place to buy a cape or a mask for October 31.

The shop describes itself as Hollywood Boulevard's last bookstore, which makes it a fitting companion to a museum built around preserving the industry's past.

Address: 1660 N. Highland Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028. Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm; closed Monday and Tuesday. Tickets: $15 adults, $12 students, $12 seniors 65 and up, $5 children five and under; valid 30 days, no refunds. Photos: no flash, no tripods or video cameras. Parking: adjacent lot with reduced-rate validation.