Basement of the Dead Haunted House
Aurora, IL 60506
- Nominee - 2023 Haunt of the Year
- Winner - 2019 Haunt of the Year
- ...and 3 more awards
Basement of the Dead:
In the late 1920’s, Walker Laundry opened at 42 West New York St. and became Aurora’s largest laundry Company. Around 1945 Imus Kilya was working there as maintenance engineer. His son Al came to work as his assistant in 1960.
Heat for the building and steam for the presses was supplied by a coal fired boiler installed when the building was built. Al and Imus continually complained that it needed to be replaced, but management wouldn’t spend the money. In 1964 the boiler exploded maiming and scalding Al and Imus. They never returned to work and rumor was they had vowed to get even.
Under the streets and building were sewer lines and tunnels well known to Al and Imus. A year or so after the explosion people from the laundry started to disappear and body parts were found in the river near the drainage pipes. Al and Imus were suspected but never found. The laundry eventually closed and the basement was never used again. Businesses have come and gone but nobody stays. Basement Of The Dead is proof that Al & Imus still exist and have made this basement their home.. The mutilation and horror you will witness is so shocking, you'll wish you never entered.
Shattered, the smashing clown, lost all sense of being human the day his famous sledgehammer trick malfunctioned, killing his wife and partner. He knew it had to have been the roadies fault for setting up the trick incorrectly or the pressure he felt from the crowd to do one more stupid trick! The hate and pain devoured his soul. Evil was all that remained. He went through the crowd like a hammer goes through a skull. When his rampage was over, 30 audience members and 15 workers found their final resting places in a puddle of their own blood. That was the last night Shattered the smashing clown was ever seen.
Rumor has it that the clown took refuge down in the darkest depths of an old building at 42 W. New York St. The locals call the building the Basement of the Dead. The story goes on to say that Shattered spent his time in exile praying to demons and learning to spread his evil across dimensions. His vivid nightmares are now becoming part of his resurrected circus. The rumor also says that all the souls he took that night followed him down there. They are keeping the smashing clown company.
Now, the circus tent is reopened! Can you hear the pipe organ in the distance? Shattered the smashing clown is longing to make you scream again. The show must go on! Come see SHATTERED Circus, The World’s Best 3D Nightmare.”
SO COME WALK THE BASEMENT OF AL & IMUS KILYA. IF YOU’VE GOT THE GUTS!
2026 Schedule
September 2026
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October 2026
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November 2026
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| Hours of Operation | 7 pm - 10 pm: Sept 18, 19, 25, 26 Oct: 2-4, 8, 11, 12, 15, 18, 21,22,25, 27-29 Nov 1, 6, 7 7 pm - 11 pm Oct 9, 10, 16, 23, 30 6 pm - 11 pm 17, 24, 31 |
| Admission Cost | Instant Admission: $69.99 VIP Ticket (Best Value): $29.99 General Admission: $18.49 |
| Payment Accepted | Cash , Credit Cards |
Videos
Photo Gallery
Nearby Attractions
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Basement of the Dead Legendary Escape Rooms
0.0 miles away
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Pumpkin Daze at Abbey Farms
4.0 miles away
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Cane Garden Cemetery
4.3 miles away
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Oswegoland Park After Dark
4.4 miles away
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Amber Fields of Brain
4.7 miles away
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Whitethorn Cemetery
4.8 miles away
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Reviews
I saw the video on their site and wasn't sure what to think - really good commercial or was it actually scary? Happy to report it lives up to the hype. The sets are really well done but the actors are the heros here. They knew exactly what buttons to press and seemed to really take pride in what they were doing. Fun time for sure/.
October 2026
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I've been steadily working through the list of haunted houses in Illinois and Indiana for the past few years and this is definitely top 5 material. The actors are the real difference here. Most places rely too much on props and noise. Basement of the Dead has both but the people inside are what actually get you. And I hadn't seen anything like Shattered before. Reminded me of My Bloody Valentine 3D. Really fun.
October 2026
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The wait time was REALLY long. I get it, it's almost Halloween, but it really seemed excessive and felt like they probably shouldn't be selling this many tickets if they can't handle the crowds. It was cool enough inside but wasn't worth waiting.
October 2025
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Basement of the Dead has pretty much become a tradition for me and my wife at this point. Kind of unsurprising considering we had a Halloween themed wedding. But all that's to say that we've been to a lot of haunted houses and this may be the best. It feels different every year and the vibe is always amazing. They just seem to care. I can't imagine how much work goes into this but it shows. Can't wait for #5
October 2025
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We are from Europe, on a month-long US trip. Our friend here took us to The Basement of the Dead, and it was amazing. The haunted house had lots of robots and cool special effects. Great customer service as well. We would certainly recommend this place to all.
October 2019
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Would totally recommend going!!! There were lots of scares and cool special effects. It keeps you guessing so that you can't anticipate what is waiting for you ahead. A few times I really had my heart in my mouth lol
October 2019
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1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Scared me to death! A bit expensive but the houses are huge and very detailed. The attractions were elaborate and intense scary. Definitely going again and bringing more friends.
October 2019
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Terrific haunt. An intense scary experience for adults and teens. Definitely not for young children.Truly worthy of 5 stars!
September 2019
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Got spooked so many times!!! Always someone waiting around the corner to scare you! It was scary and was fun enough to make me want to return.
September 2019
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
This is one of my favorite haunt houses. The waiting area was like a party hub. Enjoyed the evening with a lot of photo ops and can also shake a leg with the zombies. Had time to visit all the haunts and entertainment kiosks and we tried out everything inside the house, including the laser tag. The staff was friendly and polite. The actors were thorough with how to scare people and were quite energetic. No regrets in repeating their horrible cruel act to how many ever people. It was an evening well spent.
April 2019
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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