Brighton Asylum Cranks Up The Pressure
On Brighton Ave. in Passaic, NJ, there’s a big row of very old industrial buildings. They go back a hundred years or more. It’s a mix of warehouses, studio spaces, commercial buildings, and empty shells now. The usual kind of thing you’d expect from aging brick in the old part of a town like Passaic.
One large facility in the back of #2, however, is different. This place was once used to house the mentally infirm according to legend. Keep them away from the prying eyes of the public from the 1940’s until 1952, when the screams and other disturbances reached the surrounding citizenry and complaints forced the state to shut the facility down.
This is what was called Brighton Asylum. It sat empty for decades until being reopened in 2011 as a haunted attraction. Now, almost 15 years later, it’s become quite the complex. Within its walls, there are three distinct attractions: the main Brighton Asylum, the infamous 2nd floor area where staff resided that became known as The Bleeding Grounds, and the tunnels under the facility used to travel between buildings, now called SubCULTure.
Outside the primary facility, there waits an entire midway of games, DJs, glow-in-the-dark axe throwing, food, and so much more. Waiting to get into the haunts is no longer a boring slog, it’s a party!
New this year, they’ve added Fear Pressure: 5-minute mini-escape rooms with 6 all new, intense experiences. These are designed to be just what they sound like: high pressure situations where you have a very short amount of time to figure out how to defuse the situation. This isn’t a standard escape room where you can take your time and collect your thoughts. The clock is ticking, bad things are coming, think fast or time will run out on your and your crew! This is an extra ticket on top of entrance to the attractions, but totally worth it. Buy one, or buy a 6 pack for a half-hour trip through all of them!
They’ve also added a Horror Museum with real props from horror films! You can tour this on the midway as part of your standard entry ticket. Pay an extra fee and play a game of Skele-Ball, Burial Ring Toss, or Zombie Brain Smash.
Brighton Asylum has become a one-stop Halloween party on top of being one of the best haunted attractions in the country. New Jersey is the place to be this Halloween. Check into Brighton Asylum and see what therapy they have to offer!
For a look at all the pressure Brighton Asylum has for you, click here to look at their website!
