.png)
Bronx Curator Tours Offer a Closer Look at the George A. Romero Exhibit
- Damian Ali
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Two tours at two iconic homes link historic Bainbridge Ave to the Grand Concourse
Keith Wayne, Duane Jones, and Russell Streiner on the set of Night of the Living Dead (1967) with George A. Romero: Image Courtesy of Image Ten, Inc.
If you have been curious about the George A. Romero: Stay Scared! Exhibit, two upcoming curator tours offer a relaxed and informative way to see it. Curators Edwin Pagán and Dr. Steven Payne will lead behind-the-scenes evening tours on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage and on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at the Museum of Bronx History.
Both tours start at 6:00 p.m. and are designed for visitors who want to hear directly from the people who helped shape the exhibition.
The January 7 tour at the Poe Cottage focuses on Romero’s creative range. Along with familiar titles like Night of the Living Dead and Creepshow, the curators will talk about lesser-known and unproduced projects that show how wide his interests were, both inside and outside of horror. It gives visitors a chance to see Romero as more than just the name behind zombies.
The January 21 tour at the Museum of Bronx History takes a different angle. This walkthrough highlights the part of the exhibit that looks at Romero’s childhood in the Bronx and his early steps toward filmmaking. Together, the two tours help connect the creative work on display with the person behind it.
--
It’s a brief scene in Balance of Terror involving Uhura and Captain Kirk. But to this day, it's still one of my favorite moments in all of Star Trek: The Original Series. Star Trek Balance of Terror: A Favorite Moment Explained
--
(L to R): Dr. Steven Payne and Edwin Pagán, curators of George A. Romero: Stay Scared! exhibition-Image Courtesy of The Bronx County Historical Society
“The story of George A. Romero is really a Bronx story. George became interested in filmmaking at an early age growing up in Parkchester, and he started pursuing that interest purely out of love for the medium,” said Payne, director of the Bronx County Historical Society.
Pagán, co-curator of the exhibit and founder-in-chief of LATIN HORROR, shared why Romero still matters to fans today. “To many George A. Romero is the undisputed ‘Father of the Zombies,’ but to me as a lifelong horror fan and filmmaker working in genre production, he was also a tangible inspiration with whom I could easily identify,” he said. Pagán first saw Romero’s work at a Bronx drive-in in 1978 while watching Dawn of the Dead.
(L to R): Image of Edgar Allan Poe's house- Photo courtesy of Zoirusha and Museum of Bronx History/Valentine–Varian House Courtesy of Dmadeo- CC BY-SA 3.0
The setting adds to the experience. The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage is located at Poe Park, an area long linked to dark and creative ideas. Decades after Poe lived there, Bill Finger and Bob Kane met in the park to sketch out early Batman stories. It makes the neighborhood a natural fit for honoring another creator known for shaping genre storytelling.
The second tour takes place at the Museum of Bronx History, housed inside a colonial-era fieldstone farmhouse built around 1758. The building later served as a Revolutionary War headquarters used by George Washington. The house is the Bronx’s second-oldest and has been home to the museum since it opened in 1968. Today, the space regularly hosts exhibits and programs that connect local history, culture, and creativity, making it a fitting setting for the part of the Romero exhibit focused on his early life and roots.
Long before his films reached audiences worldwide, Romero was a Bronx teenager experimenting with a camera and bold ideas. He later recalled being arrested in Parkchester while filming a homemade sci-fi short after tossing a flaming dummy from a rooftop for effect. The story often gets a laugh and hints at the creative drive that stayed with him.
Together, the tours offer a chance to learn more about Romero’s work while moving through two historic Bronx spaces that have long fueled creative ideas.
Follow:
Register for
BCHS Instagram
BCHS YouTube
Latin Horror Instagram-
Latin Horror YouTube
Learn More about
For More Upcoming Events
Stay Tuned — Subscribe below for more updates and sneak peeks! From TV shows and movie premieres to stories from the vibrant culture of The Bronx, TalkTeaV has you covered. Don't forget to join the conversation on social media — links below!
