Zak Bagans expanding his Las Vegas haunted museum

Zak Bagans is expanding the creepy.

The host of the Travel Channel hit “Ghost Adventures” is adding to his Zak Bagans The Haunted Museum at 600 E. Charleston Blvd. Bagans said Sunday that he is adding a two-story structure for additional displays (including a couple of vehicles), and also a larger gift-shop space.

Bagans said he plans to open the new building this spring. He opened the original museum, which sits just east of Las Vegas Boulevard on Charleston Boulevard, in October 2017. The addition will be paired with the 11,000-square-foot home built in 1938, originally owned by prominent Las Vegas banker Cyril Wengert and his family.

“Our expansion reflects the Haunted Museum’s tremendous growth since opening over two years ago,” Bagans said in a text Sunday. “We are proud to have become a unique landmark in Vegas and will continue to deliver an experience worthy of being named ‘Best Attraction’ in town.”

Bagans has needed to create a display platform for the jet-black, 1968 Chevy Camaro once owned by Branch Davidian cult founder David Koresh. Bagans purchased the car in August 2018.

A popular tourist destination, Bagans’ spirited estate features such artifacts as the Dybbuk Box, billed by the museum as the world’s most haunted object (the antique wine cabinet inspired the movie “The Possession” and is said to house a malicious spirit). The VW bus used by Dr. Jack Kevorkian in his assisted suicides, and the so-called “Propofol Chair” from the room in which Michael Jackson died are also on the multi-room tour.

Bagans’ collection of Charles Manson-connected artifacts (including a portrait of Manson with the cult leader’s ashes as eyes) has gained national attention.

In December, Bagans released “Ghost-Hunting for Dummies,” a blueprint of how to actually track spirits. He directed the documentary “Demon House,” centered on a house in Gary, Indiana, that was said to be home to 200 demons. The film was released in 2018, as Bagans tapped into his film degree from Motion Picture Institute of Troy, Michigan.

Passionate about all of his creepy items, Bagans says the Koresh car is among his favorites. He’s even mulling an unbilled cruise on the Strip. Consider it a mobile billboard, sharing the same lane as the museum’s spirit.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.