Tim Burton’s ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Exhibition Helps Kick Off the Holiday Season at Upcountry History Museum

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Dedicated to Tim Burton’s 1993 film “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” this exhibition highlights the creative scope of animated movie production before the era of computer-generated imagery.

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.

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 Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sunday, 1:00-5:00 p.m.; closed Monday.