I think that Carbondale, Illinois, the home of Southern Illinois University, must have just about the most options for celebrating Halloween of any college town in the United States.

If you want the full list of events related to the holiday, go to the events page on the website maintained by CarbondaleRocks.com: http://www.carbondalerocks.com/taxonomy/term/191.

Even if you don’t live anywhere near Carbondale, the list of events should be somewhat fascinating, if not inspiring.

But what attracted my curiosity the most is the following item related to an event at SIU’s museum:

“The Spooktacular Costume Party elevates costuming to an art Friday, October 30 at 4 p.m. at the University Museum, in the north wing of Faner Hall. The museum invites the public to come dressed as their favorite works of art.

“The museum will also open the Scary Gallery exhibit. ‘It will feature some of our stranger pieces, the kinds of things museums accumulate, especially one which is 140-plus years old,’ museum director Dona Bachman tells Nightlife. For example? SIU alumnus Frederick J. Brown’s painting of a clown, C.C. Rider; Thomas Seward’s creepy Winter Evening at Devil’s Kitchen; or Gregory Pelizzari’s Manifestation of a Young Ghost by Count Volnikoff. Strange and sinister tools and items from the science collection will be on display as well.

“’There may also be a wall of upper-administration types reimagined into famous works of art,’ Bachman says. Look for University-system president Randy Dunn and campus provost Susan Ford as the American Gothic brother and sister.

“Those who attend can also look forward to some ghoulish food and Halloween activities. Admission is free but the museum is asking for a $10 donation.”