“Hocus Pocus” Filming Locations In Salem, MA

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“Hocus Pocus” Filming Locations in Salem, MA

Please check with individual businesses to confirm hours before visiting, and note that Max and Dani’s house is not accessible. 

It might be difficult to believe that Hocus Pocus, the famed cult classic starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy debuted over 25 years ago, on July 16, 1993. You are probably familiar with the film’s story, which focuses on the Sanderson Sisters, who are executed as witches after casting a spell on young Thackery Binx, dooming him to roam the streets of Salem as an immortal black cat. 300 years later, a teenager named Max finds himself in the home of the Sanderson Sisters, where his lighting of the infamous black flame candle brings the trio back to life on Halloween night. Max, along with his sister Dani, and crush Allison, and Binx the cat, of course, must then work together to put an end to the Sanderson Sisters once and for all. Follow along with this list to visit sites from the film in Salem:

Pioneer Village / Salem Village

310 West Ave | PioneerVillageSalem.org

The opening scenes of the film, featuring Binx as a human prior to his cursing as a cat, were filmed in Pioneer Village, a living history museum located at Salem’s Forest River Park. Pioneer Village was built in 1930, and is America’s first living history museum. Tours of the village are offered seasonally June through September, and today the park is home to different events and festivals throughout the year.

Phillips Elementary School on Salem Common / Max & Allison’s School

The Phillips Elementary School building conveniently ended its run as a functioning school in 1992, making it the perfect location for a movie filming in Salem that required some exterior high school footage. While the building is not open to the public today the exterior can still be viewed from the Common.

The Ropes Mansion / Allison’s House

318 Essex Street | PEM.org

One of the most memorable scenes in the film was when Max attends the Halloween party at Allison’s house, the exterior of which was actually filmed using one of the most prominent 18th-century homes in Salem. The Mansion is owned by the Peabody Essex Museum, and the gardens located in the rear of the property are free to visit and open to the public.

Old Town Hall / Halloween Party

161 Essex Street | Salemma.gov

The other classic party scene in the film was actually filmed just a few blocks away at Old Town Hall in Derby Square. Famous in the film for Bette Midler’s rendition of “Put a Spell on You,” the building today is open to the public, and hosts the Salem Museum and performances of Cry Innocent.

Salem Common

Many of the outdoor scenes in the movie were filmed at Salem Common, where ironically enough the film is shown each year during Haunted Happenings. View the events calendar at HauntedHappenings.org to check dates for this year’s Haunted Movie Series.

Old Burial Hill / Cemetery

Orne Street, Marblehead, MA | OldBurialHill.org

The day-time cemetery scenes showing Max interacting with his new, not-so-welcoming classmates actually were not filmed in Salem at all. This footage was shot in nearby Marblehead at Old Burial Hill, one of the oldest graveyards in New England.

Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery

217 Essex Street | NightmareGallery.com

While this museum was not featured in the filming for Hocus Pocus, it is home to an impressive figure of Winifred Sanderson, portrayed in the film by Bette Midler. Count Orlok’s is located at 217 Essex Street and is open as a museum and haunted house throughout the summer and October.

Do have a good time visiting some of the locations from this classic film, but please don’t “run amok!”

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