With the arrival of autumn and the thinning of the veil between worlds, the vaults beneath London's Waterloo Station have transformed into a gateway to the unknown. Since October 11, "Dark Secrets: The Occult Exhibition" Dark Secrets: The Esoteric Exhibition, curated by the Italian producer Italmostre, has invited adventurous visitors to explore 27 rooms filled with over a thousand objects from the realms of magic, folklore, and the supernatural.
Exhibition highlights
- An imposing statue of Baphomet: the legendary hermetic symbol in Gnostic and occult philosophies.
- An ancient Egyptian mummy wrapped in historic bandages.
- Miniature shrunken heads from the Shuar tribe (Shuar) of the Amazon, created as war trophies and ritual objects.
- The largest collection of cursed dolls in Europe, featuring over a hundred dolls rumored to whisper tales of possession and misfortune. Among them is the "Crying Doll," said to change the direction of its gaze.
The exhibition also showcases artifacts related to the controversial figure Aleister Crowley dubbed “the Beast” by his mother, and considered one of the most prominent figures in Western occult history. On display are his ceremonial staff and relics from the infamous Abbey of Thelema.
A copy of the "Malleus Maleficarum," also known as the "Witch Hunter's Bible," which played a major role in fueling persecution during the Middle Ages, is included as well.
Additionally, the exhibition features a faithful reproduction of the "Codex Gigas" manuscript, famously known as the Devil's Bible" as part of its rare book collection.
Other rare and unusual collectibles
At a time when websites like eBay are flooded with so-called boxes Dybbuk allegedly containing evil spirits invented to attract buyers, this exhibition features the original Dybbuk box believed to have inspired the horror movie "Possession" The Possession, displayed alongside a Tibetan "Kapala" skull (Kapala), traditionally used in symbolic rituals about the cycle of life and death.
The exhibition also includes modern-era collectibles, such as Jimi Hendrix’s jacket associated with the “27 Club,” and an array of infamous sports memorabilia—for example, the England national team’s jersey from the 1966 World Cup, rumored to carry a unique curse.
Atmosphere and scope of the exhibition
This event follows the tremendous success of the "Serial Killers" exhibition, which attracted over 120,000 fans of mystery and the supernatural. Reports describe the Waterloo Vaults as deeply atmospheric and enigmatic—a setting that immerses visitors in a world of magic and shadow, where the walls themselves seem to pulse with the uncanny energy of the artifacts.
With visitor curiosity running high and renewed interest in the occult, it’s clear that the allure of mystery and magic is alive and well in 2025. The exhibition will run through the end of May 2026, expected to spark fresh debates—and perhaps a few nervous glances into the darkness.
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