Where Was “Dead Poets Society” Filmed?

Love the Robin Williams drama and wondering: where was “Dead Poets Society” filmed? Then you’ve come to the right place since that’s what we at Peerspace share with you ahead! We’ll take a deep dive into all of the movie’s pertinent filming locations.

For the filmmaker who was inspired by the movie, stick around. We also share how you can find your own “Dead Poets Society”-inspired filming location to rent.

Go ahead and stand up on your desk and yell out: “O Captain! My Captain!” while we take you on a tour of the real Welton Academy!

What is “Dead Poets Society”?

Robin Williams performed quite a few memorable dramatic roles over the course of his career, but the one that started them all was 1989’s “Dead Poets Society”. Williams plays an English teacher at an all-male prep school in Vermont who inspires his students to be more and “seize the day”. The film was both a critical and financial success, inspiring teachers and students alike since its release.

The movie is an effective period piece and captures what a prep school would look like in the late 1950s. So much of the movie is spent at Welton Academy that at some point, you’re sure to ask yourself the question: where was “Dead Poets Society” filmed?

We’re here to take you to all of the most memorable locations from the movie next. We also share which ones you can actually see for yourself.

Love every Robin Williams movie? Then you’re going to want to see where they filmed “Jumanji,” too!

Was Welton Academy in “Dead Poets Society” A real place?

While the movie’s script says it takes place in Vermont, we first need to figure out whether there is a real Welton Academy in Vermont. A lot of times, big Hollywood movies will find a place that best suits the needs of the production. They, therefore, won’t necessarily shoot on-location where the story is set. This leaves us with the question: where was “Dead Poets Society” filmed?

As it turns out, there no school called Welton Academy in Vermont. In fact, they filmed the entire movie in Delaware, according to its IMDB page.

An article with Delaware Online actually says that the screenwriter, Tom Schulman, based Welton Academy on a prep school that he attended growing up in Nashville.

Delaware isn’t quite known for movies. However, the locals were pleased to host the production of “Dead Poets Society” and are proud of their legacy. The same Delaware Online article says that over 1,000 Delaware locals were used in the production of the movie and were partly paid in two-dollar bills.

Where did they film Welton Academy in “Dead Poets Society”?

Now that we know they filmed the movie in Delaware, we can move on to answering the question: where was “Dead Poets Society” filmed?

As it turns out, you can find the real-life Welton Academy in Middletown, Delaware. In an article with CBS Philadelphia, the school looks back fondly on the films’ legacy after 25 years – with one of the teachers having this to say about his experience during filming: “Fuel for inspiration as well as maybe critical examination at the same time.”

The school grounds were used for filming, but like most interior scenes in movies, many of the classroom shots were shot on a set. If you want to check out the school for yourself, it looks like you’ll need to be a prospective student or the parent of one.

Where did they film the cave in “Dead Poets Society”?

You can’t talk about the movie without talking about the clubhouse in a cave that the boys create. Watching them read poetry by candlelight is sure to inspire you to ask the question: where was “Dead Poets Society” filmed?

Like the classrooms, the cave was another piece of movie magic that was built on a set in a town called New Castle, according to Movie-Locations.com. They do mention that the cave is based on Delaware’s only cave, Beaver Valley Cave.

Unfortunately, the cave is on private property, so leave your poetry book at home before you go trying to recreate the movie.

Where did they film the Perry home in “Dead Poets Society”?

One of the few locations that we see outside of Welton Academy is Neil Perry’s home. Here, we spend a few scenes with Neil and his father, played by Kurtwood Smith.

According to Movie-Locations.com, this is a home located in a suburb of New Castle called Westover Hills. With that in mind, please do not do anything to disturb the owners if you decide to take a drive past the home yourself.

Where did they film the theater in “Dead Poets Society”?

Robert Sean Leonard played Neil Perry, who, against his fathers wishes, takes a role in a production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” as Puck. This culminates in him being taken from the opening-night performance by his domineering father and the biggest heartbreak of the film.

If you want to catch a show there that doesn’t include the sad family drama, the actual theater is also in Middletown, Delaware. According to Movie-locations.com, the theater fell into disrepair until being revitalized in the early 1980s by a non-profit formed by concerned citizens.

In an article with Delaware Today, the theater looked back on the 30th anniversary of the movie with a sense of pride. They mention that the theater is still a hub in the small town and that the movie has inspired residents to enter the film industry.

To this day, the theater also still has one black seat among all the red ones, to denote where Robin Williams sat while he was there.

Speaking of Shakespeare, check out where they filmed “10 Things I Hate About You” next!

Find your own “Dead Poets Society”-inspired filming location

Like the students in the movie and the residents of Middletown, we hope that you’re inspired to create your great work after watching “Dead Poets Society”. Whatever your creative project is, Peerspace has your back for filming locations. The platform has thousands of great filming locations and production studios that are sure to meet any need.

If you want to recreate the “O Captain! My Captain!” scene, give this retro 1950s classroom set in Wicker Park a try! This authentically designed space is a perfect spot to give you that “Dead Poets Society”-vibe. Check out one of the dozens of five-star reviews and see for yourself why Peerspace has what you need.

Find unique filming locations on Peerspace