Submitted Photo A holiday set featuring Santa’s chair, oversized candy canes and decorated Christmas trees is shown inside the Taube Museum of Art’s “Mini House of Horrors,” opening Friday, Dec.12.

The Taube Museum of Art in Minot is introducing a new twist to the holiday season with its first Christmas-themed “Mini House of Horrors,” set for Friday, Dec. 12 to Saturday, Dec. 13, in the basement of the museum.

The haunted attraction runs from 8 p.m.-midnight both evenings. A no-scare, family-friendly version will be offered Saturday from 1-3 p.m.

Wendy Kimble, gallery coordinator, said visitors will enter through Magic City Alley behind the Taube and Urban Winery.

The fundraiser will support the museum while collecting toys and food donations for local families. Participants are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item for food pantry donation. Toys for Tots also will be collecting.

Kimble said her family’s involvement in haunted attractions began in 2017 when she and her husband, Dale, built a themed space for a Minot parking garage Halloween party. She said they were asked to create a full-size version the following year. In 2019, she said they were approached by a store in the mall about developing a larger haunted house in a former warehouse.

Kimble said their work paused during the COVID-19 pandemic but later resumed when they assisted with a haunted project in Burlington. She said they also completed a haunted attraction in October for the Minot Area Council of the Arts.

Kimble said she serves as the idea generator for their projects, while her husband handles the construction and technical elements. She said she develops themes by researching industry trends, studying new concepts and drawing inspiration from her involvement with Monster-con, a horror convention. She said Christmas-themed horror is already common in film, which made adapting the concept into a seasonal haunted house feel like a natural choice.

Kimble said she is a lead investigator and cofounder of the Paranormal Investigators of North Dakota, a background she said influences how she approaches design, atmosphere and detail.

Kimble said the couple wanted this year’s project to support the Taube and offer Minot something different for the season. She said large themed builds often come with unexpected challenges, but she approaches them with a practical problem-solving mindset.

She said the group hopes to continue growing the event in future years if community support remains strong.