When you reflect on the iconic geography of the 1990s supernatural powerhouse The X-Files, your thoughts likely drift toward the bureaucratic corridors of Washington, D.C., or perhaps the production hubs of Vancouver and Los Angeles. Even the arid expanses of Roswell and the fabled grounds of Area 51—the legendary pillars of UFO folklore—usually claim the top spots. Curiously, one would rarely associate the refined, resort-town atmosphere of Saratoga Springs, New York, with the show’s legacy. Yet, hidden within this Capital Region enclave lies the most dense gathering of X-Files history on the planet.
Saratoga Springs is traditionally celebrated for its healing mineral springs and historic equestrian racing, but since 2022, it has served as the permanent home to The X-Files Preservation Collection. It stands as the world’s sole museum dedicated entirely to the curation of props and artifacts from this quintessential sci-fi series.
This institution began as the impassioned endeavor of lifelong devotee Jim Thornton, who has been profoundly shaped by the series since its initial debut.
“I was completely captivated by it,” Thornton shares with Polygon. “The show fundamentally altered the trajectory of my life. I navigated away from substance abuse, pushed through those personal battles, and dedicated my entire existence to preserving this universe.”
His journey started with modest acquisitions—trading cards late in the first season—before ballooning into a vast array of retail merchandise and production-used documentation, such as screenplays. As the show cemented its status, Thornton leveraged connections with fellow collectors and industry insiders to acquire authentic screen-used props. After showcasing his archives as a traveling exhibit at regional horror conventions, the collection found a permanent foundation in 2022 with the support of his wife.
The grand opening was graced by series creator Chris Carter, and the museum has since become a pilgrimage site for talent associated with the show, including producer Frank Spotnitz and actor William B. Davis, famously known as the Cigarette Smoking Man. Visitors have even traveled from as far as Australia to bear witness to the archive.
While Thornton offers virtual tours, the tactile reality of the collection is best experienced firsthand. Here are 10 extraordinary highlights from the archives that demand your attention.
10
Chris Carter’s Laptop
Image: Jim Thornton“It all began right here,” Thornton remarks, pointing to the 1989 Toshiba 1600 used by Carter to draft the original pilot. The acquisition remains a cornerstone of the museum, born from a startling and emotional email exchange initiated by Carter himself years before the museum’s doors opened.
9
The Mammalian Corpse
Image: Jim ThorntonIn the pilot episode, Mulder and Scully exhume a body initially mistaken for extraterrestrial, only to be revealed as an ape. “Writer Benjamin Van Allen offered us ‘The Little Monster,’ the actual corpse from that pilot casket,” Thornton recounts. “I couldn’t believe it—it was a surreal, ‘must-have’ moment for the collection.”
8
The X-Files “Pilot” on Film
The archives house thousands of original film negatives covering the entire first nine-year run of the series. This vault of cinema history includes rare original film reels from the trailer for The X-Files: Fight the Future, available to collectors in the museum shop.
7
Chinga
The season 5 episode “Chinga,” co-written by Stephen King, is famous for its haunting doll. Thornton owns King’s first draft, which featured scenes deemed too extreme—such as reanimated cheerleaders—even for the show’s dark sensibilities. The museum displays both that original manuscript and two versions of the Chinga doll, representing its pristine and post-fire states.
6
Mr. Chuckle Teeth Mold
Many treasures were secured from the late makeup effects legend Bill Terezakis. Among the most unsettling is the production mold for Mr. Chuckle Teeth, the demonic mascot from season 11, serving as a testament to the intricate artistry required to bring the show’s monsters to life.
5
Dr. Sanjay’s Body
Also sourced from Terezakis is the disturbingly lifelike body of Dr. Sanjay from the revival season’s “Founder’s Mutation.” As one of the more recent props, the preservation of the foam provides a rare look at how advanced materials hold up over time compared to the series’ earlier, more fragile effects.
4
Scully’s Shell Casings
A gift from a veteran boom operator, these shell casings originate from the intense “Wetwired” episode. They were used during the sequence where a hallucinating Scully, suspecting a conspiracy involving Mulder and the Cigarette Smoking Man, opens fire on a motel door.
3
The Fishing Lounge Painting
In the haunting season 2 episode “Død Kalm,” Mulder and Scully find themselves in a remote Norwegian fishing lounge. The massive, atmospheric painting that adorned the set of that location now looms over the museum space, offering a striking piece of set-dressing history.
2
Theme Park Blueprints
Perhaps the most shocking discovery is a set of blueprints from the mid-90s for a proposed X-Files theme park, envisioned for Dubai. The plans detail an alien-themed metropolis complete with a bee sanctuary. When Thornton showed these forgotten documents to Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, both were visibly stunned, as the project had been scrapped by the studio long before it ever reached the show’s creative team.
1
The Alien Pod
Standing over seven feet tall, the alien pod from the 1998 feature film Fight the Future is the collection’s crown jewel. Constructed from fiberglass, steel, and resin, it remains the museum’s primary visual anchor—and an irresistible backdrop for visitors capturing photos of their own brush with the paranormal.
Source: Polygon
