Demonic-looking dolls are confined by glass cages, and old medical equipment encased in glass line the walls. This is the Museum of Shadows. A recording of children’s laughter echoes throughout the building, adding to the chilling aura of the establishment. It’s completely dark inside, besides the glow of an eerie red light and hand-held flashlights. Taking a trip to the Museum of Shadows isn’t your average Halloween season pastime, and it’s certainly not for the easily spooked. It offers visitors a sort of charming kitsch, a hybrid between walking through a haunted house and a museum.
The Museum of Shadows was opened in 2016 by Nate and Kaleigh Raterman, and was originally located in Elmwood, Nebraska. However, it has since moved to Plattsmouth. The museum is flooded with mysterious items, all donated by people who claim the objects have spirits attached to them.
“We house over 1000 verified haunted artifacts, from all over the world,” Nate said. “Every Wednesday we bring more in out of our quarantine building and after everything is researched they come in so that way we can keep adding to our collection so [visitors] can see new items and read their stories and their history.”
The museum property has its own creepy backstory as well.
“The building itself is extremely, extremely haunted,” Nate said.
According to Nate and the museum’s website, there’s been three murders that happened in the building. It was built in 1885 and housed a saloon, a doctor’s office, tailor, dentist office, drug store, and cigar factory. The Plattsmouth Journal was also printed in the basement at one point.
The Museum of Shadows has been featured on Destination America’s blog The Hauntist, and the museum’s owners have been featured on paranormal activity shows on A&E. Nate’s interest in the paranormal was sparked when he had an other-worldly experience.
“I was actually 50/50 part skeptic part believer until 2006,” Nate said. “That’s when everything changed for me. I had an experience. I had actually seen a full-figure apparition in a house I purchased, and I wanted to find out more.”
Nate went into detail about his experience.
“Doors would open and close, I saw the full-figure apparition, different sounds, like disembodied voices, things getting moved, and that sort of thing,” Nate said.
Visitors of the Museum of Shadows can hope to witness some paranormal activity themselves on one of the Ghost Hunts and sit-ins the museum offers.
“You can come in and actually do what we do, go lights out, use top-of-the-line equipment and investigate, and experience for yourself first hand,” Nate said.
An encounter with the unknown would be likely here, for the museum is home to allegedly the most haunted doll in the world, Ayda. After being discovered in a family’s home, Ayda was reportedly discarded to a dump 20 miles away, only to reappear in the family’s home two years later. But when Ayda returned to the family home something was different; she was missing her eyes.
If you don’t mind the thirty-minute drive out to Plattsmouth, the Museum of Shadows is a great place to get into the Halloween spirit. Whether you’re a true believer or a skeptic in the paranormal, the museum’s eerie atmosphere is sure to send a chill up anyone’s spine.
Address: 502 Main St Plattsmouth NE 6804
Admission: $15/person
story and photo by julia steiner
