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Boney Island

An interactive Halloween light-up experience
Sept 28–Oct 31

Visitors standing by an installation of dinosaur skeletons by a small pond, with pink, purple, and green lighting and visitors walking on a dirt path on the right-hand side of the picture frame

General Info

- $25 per person; $20 for Members
Thursday–Sunday, plus October 30 and 31
Entry Times: 6–8 pm and 8–10 pm
Doors open at 6 pm. All guests are welcome to stay until 10 pm.
Event hours may vary by date
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Get ready for a bone-chilling adventure like no other! This Halloween season, join us for Boney Island, an interactive light-up experience at the Natural History Museum.

On select dates beginning September 28 through Halloween, NHM’s Nature Gardens transform into an illuminated wonderland of fun and frights. 

Explore ghoulishly glowing exhibits, fascinating creatures of the night and prehistoric past, and lots of thrilling surprises! 

Nature Gardens Transformed

  • Festively fiendish animals celebrating Halloween in the Deadwood Forest
  • Talking and singing plants in the Hauntington Gardens
  • Prehistoric creatures in the Prime Evil Pass
  • Haunted Hallowe’en Light Trail
  • Skeleton orchestra 
  • Haunted-mansion cauldron water show
  • *Magic Theater performances, surprise demonstrations from NHM’s Live Animals team, Museum Collection showcases, and more! 

Plus,

  • Food options by Neighborhood Grill by Post & Beam and local food trucks and vendors -- Tonight's line up includes: 5 Elementos, My Daddy's Recipes,  and All Chill, Inc.
  • Family-friendly photo ops 
  • Boney Island and NHM-branded merchandise and light up toys

* Schedule of performances, demonstrations, and showcases, as well as food vendors, vary by night and are subject to change. 

A nighttime scene with pink, blue, purple and green lighting, with a replica white dinosaur skeleton seen from behind on the left side of the frame, with a tree and gray wood bridge in the middle of the frame, and a small pond on the right side of the frame
Visitors looking at an installation with a sign that says "THE SKELETON WHO KNOWS" above a seated replica skeleton with its hand on a crystal ball
Boney Island 3
A visitor from behind looking at dinosaur skeletons installed next to a small pond, with pink, purple, blue, and green lighting
Replica dinosaur skeleton next to a small pond, surrounded by foliage at a night
Two stage sets with skeletons at night
Green water spraying up in front of houses with jack-o-lanterns in the windows
Blue and purple lit replica dinosaur and egg skeletons
Gray and white spider sculpture seen from above, on top of green foliage

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Parking 

Parking for Boney Island is available in the Blue Lot in Exposition Park. Please be advised that concurrent events taking place in Exposition Park may lead to an increase in traffic and reduced parking in the area. Please check our website prior to your visit for more information. Public transportation is encouraged. 

COstume Guidelines

We encourage costume-wearing! Please follow these basic guidelines for a safe, inclusive, and family-friendly experience for everyone: 

  • No functional props or weapons allowed 
  • No masks that cover the entire head and face
  • Costumes of realistic depictions of American law enforcement, current American military uniforms, first responders, emergency medical personnel, or any official government agent are prohibited
  • Costumes must not obstruct or impede the flow of traffic or entryways 

Boney Island at NHM is an All Ages/Family Friendly event and all costumes must be respectful of all guests.

ABOUt boney Island

Boney Island was created by The Simpsons producer, Rick Polizzi, for his family more than 20 years ago. A play on Brooklyn’s iconic Coney Island, it grew from a front yard display to a huge affair in Griffith Park with a cult-like following of Halloween lovers of all ages. The attraction closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, after a three-year hiatus, NHM is excited to partner with Boney Island to bring back the crowd-pleasing event.