Ryan Murphy’s Monster anthology has turned some of America’s most well-known criminal cases into global television phenomena, from Jeffrey Dahmer to the Menendez brothers and Ed Gein.
Now, the recently premiered Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story brings the infamous case to the screen, revisiting one of the most enduring murder cases in American history. The series has become a global hit, drawing 12.2 million views in its first four days, as Variety reports, with standout performances from Ella Beatty, Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall and Vicky Krieps, plus a special appearance by Sarah Paulson.
For fans of the franchise and true crime, the best part is that you don’t have to travel all the way to Fall River to step into this world, as L.A. served as a prime filming location for the series, with Heritage Square Museum standing in for the very home of axe murderer Lizzie Borden.
Step into the Victorian era without leaving Los Angeles
Located at 3800 Homer Street, Heritage Square Museum is an open-air living-history museum dedicated to the development of SoCal between 1850 and 1950. Since 1969, the museum has rescued and restored eight historic buildings from around L.A. that, otherwise, would have faced demolition.
The grounds include the Hale House, Valley Knudsen House, Ford House, Carriage Barn, Palms Depot, Lincoln Avenue Methodist Church, Perry Mansion, and Octagon House, along with a 1909 railroad boxcar, period landscaping, a school garden, and a recreation of a 1918 drugstore.
The site also served as a filming location for numerous productions, including Saving Mr. Banks, Legally Blonde, Wild Nights With Emily, Lessons in Chemistry, The Great, Another Period, and Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story and The Lizzie Borden Story, of course.
How to visit the Heritage Square Museum
You can explore the museum grounds for just $7 for adults, while children ages 6–12 pay $5 and kids under 6 enter free. General admission includes the outdoor grounds but not the interiors.
The museum is open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with guided interior tours at noon, 1, 2, and 3 p.m. Tour tickets cost $16 per person, meaning even the full experience stays under $20.
And if you’re visiting next month, the historic setting gets even spookier, with a packed lineup of events throughout the month:
- 🎭 October 1–4, Little Women Ballet: Step into the world of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy as their story unfolds inside Heritage Square’s historic homes.
- 🔮 October 9, Heritage Square Museum: After Dark: Explore historic buildings after dark during a hands-on paranormal investigation with professional investigators.
- 🌙 October 10–11, Magic Market’s Bewitched: Celebrate Samhain with a witchy market featuring tarot readings, live music, workshops, spooky vendors, and historic home tours.
- 👻 October 16–17 & 23–24, Bo-oze, Bites and Frights: Wander haunted pathways, explore Victorian mansions, sip spooky cocktails, trick-or-treat, and catch Halloween double features.
- 🎃 October 31, A Hallowe’en Faire at Heritage Square: Travel through Halloween history with vintage displays, penny dreadful storytelling, trick-or-treating, and more.
