Arkham Sanitarium appears in H.P. Lovecraft's short story, "The Thing on the Doorstep." The creation of Arkham Asylum in the Batman comic book series pays homage to H.P. Lovecraft's Arkham and the Arkham Sanitarium.

Historic inspiration is from the Danvers State Insane Asylum, located in Danvers, Massachusetts and built in 1878. It was officially known as the State Lunatic Hospital at Danvers.