The evening will begin as any other elegant night out on the town. Cars will arrive at Tampa's imposing historic Exchange National Bank to be whisked off by complimentary valet service. Well-dressed guests will step through the opulent, imposing entrance into a glittering cocktail party to enjoy drinks and light hors d’oeuvres.
Enjoy the party while you can because, after this, everything will go deliciously and horribly wrong.
The spirits of 1920s Tampa have been trapped in the building’s maze of underground vaults, and they won’t let you go until you have learned their secrets.
Tampa's Exchange National Bank is the spooky venue for Vault of Souls. Enter only if you dare . . . — Photo courtesy of Vault of Souls
It will be your job to navigate this non-linear labyrinth – with no path or instructions to guide you – and hunt for clues to find your way out.
Be prepared to enter a nightmarish experience, where hallways whisper, rooms rumble and spirits relive ghastly scenes of terror and death.
The Vault of Souls is a Halloween attraction like no other, where the building is a main character and guests are completely immersed in performance art complete with an original script and soundtrack brought to life by professional actors.
Actual events in Tampa’s history are carefully blended with paranormal story lines that blur the lines between reality and fiction.
Created by Scott Swenson, former producer of Busch Gardens' Howl O Scream events, Vault of Souls is a unique exploration into fear.
Without startle scares and gory tableaus, this one-of-a-kind haunt is less about creating an initial reaction and more about creating a deep and unsettling sense of terror. Performances are interactive and customized to respond to the circumstances and fears of the guests.
The evening consists of four acts. Act 1 is The Arrival, where guests enter the venue to relax and socialize in a richly appointed cocktail lounge.
Soon, however, the evening gets serious and guests are provided masks and assigned numbers to take their journey through the Vault of Souls for Act 2, The Ritual.
Guests are led to the vaults, where they must navigate their own way out — Photo courtesy of Vault of Souls
Guests who are able to successfully navigate through the Vault emerge into Act 3: The Gin Joint. Magically transported to the heyday of Tampa’s Roaring '20s, guests are treated to an authentic speakeasy atmosphere complete with jazz music and dancing girls.
After you celebrate surviving the Vault of Souls, the evening ends with the Epilogue, The Readers’ Clearing, where guests are invited to wind down their evening by enjoying coffee and dessert while receiving psychic or Tarot card readings.
The unique venue, and main character, for this ghostly exploration is the beautifully renovated and restored Exchange National Bank building, now known as The Vault, which is quickly gaining a reputation as an elegant special event and performance space.
Performances take place on each Friday and Saturday in October, when the veil between worlds is the thinnest. Due to the intimate nature of the evening, tickets are limited, with prices starting at $100 per person. Reservations are required.
Out-of-town visitors are invited to take advantage of a partnership with Tampa’s most luxurious hotel, Le Meridien, to purchase specially priced overnight packages.
For further information about this event and to make reservations, visit the Vault of Souls website.
