The doors of the Upcountry History Museum have now opened to the enchanting world of animation with “Beyond Halloween Land: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas,” an exhibition dedicated to the iconic 1993 stop-action film now deemed an “annual must-see Christmas classic.”
Featuring a carefully curated collection of original artwork and maquettes crafted for Burton’s film, this exhibition invites visitors into the creative scope of animated movie production before the era of computer-generated imagery. On display are some conceptual drawings related to the labor-intensive stop animation process used to produce this extraordinary example of turning words into visuals.
Released on October 29, 1993, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” earned praise not only for its animation, but also for its characters, songs, and musical score. In the 32 years since its debut on the big screen, this film’s telling of Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween Land, Sally, Santa, and all the quirky characters such as Oogie Boogie, Bone Crusher, and Dr. Finkelstein, continues to lend itself to a unique example of holiday magic.
As an added bonus, the Upcountry History Museum is showcasing its 1890s-era horse-drawn hearse from Oct. 28 through Nov. 9. Complementing this piece of Greater Greenville history will be some related mourning items from our Collection to help add to the “spirit” of the Halloween holiday.
Organized by the Upcountry History Museum in partnership with private collectors and Walt Disney Archives, this distinctive exhibition is on display through March 1, 2026.
The Upcountry History Museum is located at 540 Buncombe St., in Greenville, S.C. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sunday from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.; closed Monday.