The Basement is not a traditional linear walk through haunted attraction, rather it is an interactive and immersive R-rated experience that involves the actors speaking to and challenging guests.

[15] The Basement has received national attention due to the boundary pushing nature of the experience and utilization of social and psychological principles.

[16] The research protocol was a result of investigations into the science of fear by sociologist Margee Kerr, a former ScareHouse consultant [17][18] The Hall of Nightmares was an assortment of highly detailed scenes and characters that was primarily influenced by EC comics such as Tales From The Crypt, Italian horror movies such as Suspiria, the Haunted mansion at Disney and traditional haunted house situations and scenarios.

This attraction was set inside an abandoned research facility dating back to the early 1900s, which was filled with mutated creatures and their helpless victims.

The design team took heavy influence from films such as Silent Hill to create a series of medically themed labs, offices, and holding cells lit by flickering incandescent bulbs.

was heavily influenced by steampunk, a subgenre of fantasy and science-fiction that attracted a growing fan base of alternative artists.

The term denotes works set in an alternative Victorian era of culture and technology where steam power is still the predominant form of energy.

The ScareHouse designers studied reference photos and technical drawings to find inspiration for new costumes, sets, and other production elements.

Other notable sets include a highly detailed and realistic 'game' room and 'butcher' shop complete with stuffed prey and animal carcasses.

This character proved so popular that the ScareHouse developed a new haunt, Creepo's Christmas in 3-D, around him as a clown turned Santa Claus.

An experienced team of set designers and scenic artists worked to create a real-life version of the zombie apocalypse that has been so memorably and frighteningly portrayed by the series of Night of the Living Dead films shot in and around the Pittsburgh area over the last forty years.

Notable Pittsburgh Zombies sets include a crashed incline cable car, a recreation of Primanti's Brothers restaurant, and a lab where the outbreak started named 'UPEC'.

[26] According to Scott Simmons, owner and creative director of The ScareHouse, part of the inspiration for this genre came from the ever earlier appearance of Christmas wares in retail stores.

Simmons states: "Once the retail stores started displaying Christmas decorations in October, Creepo the Clown decided it was time to take a stand for Halloween.

Guests walk through series of rooms themed around rules of halloween including: 1) always wear a costume 2) pass out treats 3) never blow out a jack-o-lantern and 4) always check your candy.

This highly artistic attraction utilizes visible luminescent paints which are black light reactive, further creating a realistic feeling pop-up book.

ScareHouse's team of scenic and special effects artists collaborated with Michael Dougherty and Legendary Entertainment to bring many of Krampus' characters to life inside the attraction.

To further promote the film in advance of release, and to give guests a behind the scene look into the characters, Legendary commissioned a small gallery inside the attraction which featured the actual props, costumes, and practical creatures from the special effects company Weta Workshop[31] The attraction also served as the location for film promotion interviews between Michael Dougherty, Krampus actor David Koechner, a variety of press outlets.

The attraction is set in the 1930s and based on a secret society called "the Arcana" which is an inspired reimagining of the Elk's fraternal order that occupied the building for 70 years.

[37] The ScareHouse has also partnered with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Etna Economic Development Corporation, Haitian Families First, and the Delta Foundation.

[41] The ScareHouse has brought the members of the Ghost Hunters team Amy Bruni, Steve Gonsalves, Kris Williams, Dave Tango, and Adam Berry to Pittsburgh five times, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, 2011.