If you’re looking for a little extra adrenaline this fall, you might want to make the drive to Sheboygan Falls. 👻
Housed inside a former county hospital dating back to 1939, Sheboygan Haunted Asylum has turned a historic property into one of Wisconsin’s most unique haunted attractions.
What started with the idea of using the building’s existing history and character has grown into a full fall experience featuring scare actors, elaborate scenes, a haunted corn maze and more.
We talked with co-owner Tanner Root about how the attraction got its start, what makes the historic building so creepy, and what guests can expect from the 2026 season.
How did Sheboygan Haunted Asylum get its start? What is your background?
Sheboygan Haunted Asylum started with the opportunity to create a haunted attraction inside a building that already had so much history and character. We knew right away we had the chance to create something very different from a traditional haunted house.
My background is in entertainment and producing events. I really enjoy the entire process — coming up with ideas, figuring out how to make them happen, and then seeing people’s reactions when everything finally comes together.
Since we started Sheboygan Haunted Asylum, we’ve tried to build on it every year. We’re constantly looking at what we can change, what we can add, and how we can make the overall experience better.
How long have you been in business? Have you faced any major challenges with growing your business or any triumph stories?
One of the biggest challenges has simply been keeping up with how quickly the event has grown. There’s a lot that goes into putting something like this together that most guests never see.
Between construction, maintenance, staffing, training, safety, makeup, costumes, parking, ticketing, marketing and everything else behind the scenes, it takes a lot of people and preparation to make each season happen.
At the same time, that growth has been one of the most rewarding parts. We’ve been able to continue improving the attraction and adding new things each year. Seeing guests come back every season and bring new people with them is probably one of the best compliments we can get.
We’ve also had incredible support from businesses and organizations throughout the community. It’s been really rewarding watching Sheboygan Haunted Asylum grow into something people look forward to every fall.
What is Sheboygan Haunted Asylum?
Sheboygan Haunted Asylum is an immersive haunted attraction located inside the historic former Sheboygan County Hospital in Sheboygan Falls.
What really separates us from a traditional haunted attraction is the building itself. You’re walking through an actual historic facility, which gives us an atmosphere that’s impossible to completely recreate somewhere else.
We combine that setting with live scare actors, detailed scenes, lighting, sound, special effects and characters to create the experience.
We’ve also continued expanding beyond the main haunted attraction. New for 2026 is The Asylum Fields, our haunted corn maze, along with other activities and entertainment throughout the property.
Can you talk a little bit about its history and what makes it unique?
The building dates back to 1939 and was originally operated as the Sheboygan County Hospital. It remained in operation for decades before eventually closing in 2002.
That history is a huge part of what makes the attraction unique. The hallways, rooms, architecture and overall atmosphere are already here. We’re able to build our show around a real historic property rather than trying to recreate that environment from scratch.
There’s also a lot of the building guests don’t normally see when going through the haunted attraction. Our VIP Behind-the-Scenes History Tour gives people an opportunity to see areas such as the tunnels, morgue and boiler rooms while learning more about the history of the property.
We think the real history of the building is interesting enough on its own, and we enjoy having the opportunity to share some of it with our guests.
What’s the mission behind Sheboygan Haunted Asylum?
Our goal is to give people an experience they’ll remember and give them a reason to come back every year.
We don’t want to simply open the doors and put on the exact same show season after season. We’re constantly changing things, rebuilding scenes, adding new ideas and looking for ways to improve.
We also want Sheboygan Haunted Asylum to be something positive for the community. We work with local businesses, organizations and charities throughout the season, and the attraction brings people into Sheboygan County from outside the immediate area.
We want to keep growing it into an event that people make plans around every fall.
What’s your favorite part about what you’re doing?
Opening night is probably my favorite part.
You spend months working on everything while the property is mostly quiet. You’re building, planning, fixing things and constantly looking at what still needs to get done.
Then opening night comes and suddenly the entire place is alive. The actors are in character, makeup is going, guests are arriving, the midway is busy, and you finally get to watch people experience everything the team has been working on.
I also love hearing a scream from somewhere else in the building. You might have no idea what got them, but you know something worked.
That’s a pretty good feeling.
What can people expect when going through Sheboygan Haunted Asylum?
Expect a very actor-driven experience.
Our scare actors are a huge part of what we do. We want them interacting with guests and becoming part of the experience rather than relying entirely on props or effects.
Throughout the attraction, guests will experience different environments, characters, detailed scenes, dark areas and plenty of surprises.
We also change things every year. Even if you’ve been through Sheboygan Haunted Asylum before, that doesn’t mean you’re going to know what’s around the next corner this season.
There’s also a lot more happening on the property now than just the main haunted attraction. We want people to come out, spend some time here and enjoy the entire experience.
Anything else we should know about your business or anything you’d like to mention? Any favorite stories?
One thing I don’t think people always realize is just how many people it takes to make Sheboygan Haunted Asylum happen.
Guests see the finished product when they arrive, but they don’t see the months of work leading up to opening night. There are people building, painting, working on costumes and props, training actors, doing makeup, preparing the property and handling everything else that has to happen before we can open the doors.
Then during the season, it takes a large team every night to keep everything running.
Seeing that team come together is probably one of my favorite parts of the entire business. There are a lot of people who take pride in what we’re building here, and the attraction wouldn’t be what it is without them.
We’ve also been fortunate to build some great relationships with local businesses, sponsors, charities and organizations. As we’ve grown, we’ve been able to involve more of the community, and that’s something we want to continue.
For 2026, we’ve expanded again with The Asylum Fields, new additions throughout the attraction, themed weekends, special guests and more happening around the property.
We open September 19 and run select nights through November 7.
We’re proud of how far Sheboygan Haunted Asylum has come, but we’re definitely not finished growing.