From gothic manors to eerie film sets, Frankenstein’s story has left its mark across Britain. Whether you’re a fan of the novel, the movies, or simply love spooky travel, there are plenty of places where you can see the monster’s legacy come to life. Here’s where you can step into the story for yourself and explore Frankenstein filming locations across the UK.
Frankenstein is having a real moment right now. With Guillermo del Toro’s new adaptation landing on Netflix and a growing fascination with gothic horror and dark romance, the story of Mary Shelley’s monster feels more alive than ever.
After exploring Frankenstein: Crafting a Tale Eternal at Selfridges London, I was reminded just how much Frankenstein has influenced popular culture – from museum displays and gothic bars to filming locations and tourist attractions.
Whether you’re a lover of gothic literature, horror films, or just a fan of spooky travel, it’s clear that Frankenstein’s shadow still looms large – even centuries after the novel’s release.
Follow in Frankenstein’s Footsteps Across the UK
From Mary Shelley’s time in Bath to gothic bars and filming sets in Scotland, Frankenstein’s legacy runs right through the UK. Here are some of the places where you can experience it for yourself year-round.
Frankenstein: Crafting a Tale Eternal Exhibition, London
Though this fascinating exhibition is only running until Sunday, it’s well worth finding the time to visit before it ends – not least because it’s free!
Frankenstein: Crafting a Tale Eternal is a pop-up exhibition inside The Old Selfridges Hotel in London, showcasing props, costumes and jewellery from the film. It also includes rare editions of Mary Shelley’s novels and offers a real deep dive into how Guillermo del Toro and his team built the gloriously gothic world of Frankenstein for the 2025 adaptation.
I absolutely loved this exhibition – I couldn’t believe it was free given how much there was to see! My favourite part was learning about the colour theory behind the new film and seeing the incredibly detailed, life-like sets up close.
It was especially interesting discovering some of the major themes throughout not just the film but Mary Shelley’s work in general (such as how she grew up in the Romantic period that prized individualism and rebelling against the norm) and how that was represented in her work. In fact, the exhibition even had some of her novels on display!
Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein, Bath
Based in Bath – the city where Mary Shelley completed Frankenstein and where the story truly began to take shape – Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein is a riveting museum-meets-immersive attraction dedicated to the world of Frankenstein.
Spread across four floors, the museum explores everything from Shelley’s time in Bath to the 200-year legacy of her creation, right through to the monster’s many reinventions in modern media.
Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein feels part museum, part haunted house – with immersive sets, pop-culture artefacts, a frightening basement experience and even spooky escape rooms.
If the Selfridges showcase gave you a glimpse into the monster’s creative origins, Bath’s House of Frankenstein lets you step inside his world.
And as a fun connection between the two, I loved that the London exhibition – and the actual 2025 movie – portrayed Frankenstein’s creature as Shelley originally imagined him – human-like yet grotesque, not the square-headed green monster we see in pop culture. You’ll find a similar interpretation inside the Bath attraction, which is where I first learned how Shelley’s vision truly differed from Hollywood’s.
Mary Shelley’s Bath – Literary & Historic Connections
If you have time after visiting Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein, I’d definitely recommend sticking around to explore more of the author’s connections to the city.
Bath is often considered the official birthplace of Frankenstein. While the idea for the monster was born on a stormy night in Geneva, Mary’s story truly took shape here. She wasn’t technically born in Bath either (she was born in London in 1797), but she lived here between 1816 and 1817 – the period when she finished writing Frankenstein.
You can find a blue plaque dedicated to her at 5 Abbey Churchyard, where she stayed while completing the novel. It doesn’t take much imagination to wander around The Pump Room and Bath Abbey, surrounded by the city’s grand Georgian and Gothic architecture, and see how it might have inspired her.
For those wanting to dig a little deeper, you can even take the Frankenstein in Bath walking tour, which follows Mary Shelley’s footsteps around the city as she wrote her iconic novel.
Frankenstein Bar, Edinburgh
From Bath to Scotland, Edinburgh was not only a Frankenstein filming location for the 2025 movie but is also home to the iconic Frankenstein Bar! Though this bar isn’t directly connected to Mary Shelley’s novel, it’s still heaps of fun.
Housed inside an old church, the bar is filled with gothic décor inspired by the classic films – and even features an animatronic Frankenstein’s monster that slowly descends from the ceiling – making it a must-visit for spooky photo opportunities.
It’s a brilliant stop for horror fans, but I’d recommend watching at least one of the movies or reading the novel to get the full effect of the theme. After all, where else can you sip a cocktail beneath a stained-glass window while lightning crackles and the Creature makes an appearance overhead?
Dundee, Scotland – Mary Shelley’s Early Inspiration
Elsewhere in Scotland, you can find some of Mary’s early inspiration from the novel in and around Dundee. The famed author spent part of her youth in Dundee with the Baxter family, overlooking the River Tay.
There’s no doubt that the wild Scottish landscapes and sense of isolation show up in Frankenstein’s tone.
For more gothic vibes, add The Howff Cemetery or the McManus Art Gallery & Museum to your list – again, these spots aren’t directly related to the novel, but certainly offer that eerie and Gothic aesthetic.
Frankenstein 2025 Filming Locations in the UK
The Creature has been reborn on screen more times than anyone can count – and many of those cinematic moments were filmed right here in Britain. The newest version, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025), was no exception, with production taking full advantage of the UK’s dramatic Gothic backdrops. The film’s stunning scenery and Gothic cinematography were actually some of my favourite parts – and I loved trying to spot which locations I recognised from around the UK.
Del Toro’s adaptation was filmed primarily across Scotland and England (as well as Toronto), with several historic and atmospheric sites standing in for 19th-century Europe.
Filming Locations in England
In England, many grand manor houses served as filming locations – which is great, because you can easily visit them yourself after watching the movie! Both Burghley House in Lincolnshire and Wilton House in Wiltshire appear as Victor’s childhood home in Frankenstein (2025) – the latter already well-known from period dramas like Bridgerton and The Crown. Much of Wilton House’s surrounding grounds also appear throughout the film.
Filming Locations in Scotland
Unsurprisingly, both Edinburgh and Glasgow served as major filming hubs for the 2025 movie. Edinburgh’s Gothic Old Town and cobbled Royal Mile were used to recreate moody European cityscapes – the short gallows scene was filmed at Makars’ Court, while Parliament Square became the bustling market scene.
Guillermo del Toro reportedly loved filming in Edinburgh so much that he joked he might move there, calling it “the single most gratifying experience” he’s had shooting outside of the US!
In Glasgow, the grand Victorian architecture of Glasgow Cathedral featured in key moments, including its crypt – where Victor listens to Elizabeth’s confession.
Elsewhere in Scotland, you’ll find filming locations such as Dunecht House in Aberdeenshire (transformed into the library in the movie) and Gosford House – a neo-classical mansion in East Lothian used for the exterior of the Frankenstein estate. And though it wasn’t used as an actual filming location, the striking National Wallace Monument in Stirling inspired the design of Victor’s gothic and haunting laboratory.
From grand Scottish estates to haunting English manors, these filming locations bring Guillermo del Toro’s vision of Frankenstein to life – and make the perfect stops for any dark movie buff’s travel list.
Frankenstein on Screen – Watch List
If you’re planning to visit some of these real-life Frankenstein locations, why not rewatch (or discover) the films that brought them to life?
– Frankenstein (1931)
– The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
– Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
– Victor Frankenstein (2015)
– Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025)
From classic horror to modern reimaginings, each version shows how Frankenstein continues to capture our imagination.
Classic Hammer Horror Era Frankenstein Filming Locations (1950s–1970s)
Before del Toro brought the Creature back to life, Hammer Studios defined what Gothic horror looked like on screen.
- Bray Studios, Berkshire – The heart of Hammer Horror. Most of the studio’s Frankenstein series (including The Curse of Frankenstein in 1957 and The Revenge of Frankenstein in 1958) was filmed here.
Black Park, Buckinghamshire – Just next to Bray and Pinewood Studios, its eerie woodland was used repeatedly for exterior scenes, graveyards, and castle grounds. - Oakley Court, Windsor – The mansion used as Baron Frankenstein’s castle in multiple Hammer films. Its gothic façade also appeared in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Kenneth Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) – Where It Was Filmed
Branagh’s lush, theatrical adaptation made heavy use of stately homes and dramatic British landscapes.
- Shepperton Studios, Surrey – Interior sets were filmed here, including laboratory scenes.
- Inverness-shire, Scottish Highlands – Used for landscape shots representing the icy northern wilderness.
Frankenstein on Screen – Universal and Later Adaptations
Some earlier and later adaptations (and inspired films) also drew from the UK’s Gothic scenery:
- Manchester and Liverpool Docks – Confirmed filming locations for Victor Frankenstein (2015), starring James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe, where the historic docklands and city streets doubled for 19th-century London.
- Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent – Also used in Victor Frankenstein (2015) for its authentic Victorian architecture, as well as other period horror productions.
From grand Scottish estates to haunting English manors, these filming locations bring Frankenstein’s world to life – and make the perfect stops for any dark movie buff’s travel list.
Would you dare to visit any of these real-life Frankenstein locations yourself?
Frankenstein might have been born from Mary Shelley’s imagination, but his world is still very real – scattered through museums, filming locations, and eerie corners of Britain. Whether you’re drawn to Bath’s literary streets or Edinburgh’s gothic bars, there’s no shortage of places to walk in the monster’s footsteps.
And if you’re in the mood for more gothic storytelling, Whitby is another must-visit – a seaside town forever linked with Dracula.
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