Home / Explore / Time / 20th century (1900–1999) / 1990s
The 1990s: 1990–1999
1990–1999 · worldwide, all places
Moving through time
The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 into fifteen states, apartheid ended with Mandela's election in 1994, and the web went public mid-decade. Cable news turned trials and wars into shared national events, from Mogadishu to Sarajevo to the O.J. Simpson trial.
1991 ended the Cold War and the web reorganized everything after. Tarantino's Pulp Fiction braids Los Angeles hitmen into the decade's signature film, and The Truman Show traps its hero in a television life in 1998. Open the 1990s on the StoryTerra map and explore its stories by place.
9 famous stories set in the 1990s
Live snapshot of the top 9 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-05). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.
Browse 2,928 books, 5,773 movies, 193 TV shows and 392 games set in the 1990s (1990–1999).
Pulp Fiction
A burger-loving hit man his philosophical partner a drug-addled gangster's moll and a washed-up boxer converge in this sprawling comedic crime caper. Their adventures unfurl in three stories that ingeniously trip back…
Fight Club
A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town until an…
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday he learns he's a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and…
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Year three at Hogwarts means new fun and challenges as Harry learns the delicate art of approaching a Hippogriff transforming shape-shifting Boggarts into hilarity and even turning back time. But the term also brings…
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Harry Ron and Hermione continue their quest to vanquish the evil Voldemort once and for all. Just as things begin to look hopeless for the young wizards Harry discovers a trio of magical objects that endow him with…
Se7en
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the "seven deadly sins" in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the…
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
When Harry Potter's name emerges from the Goblet of Fire he becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools—the Triwizard Tournament. But since Harry never submitted his name for the…
The Truman Show
Every second of every day from the moment he was born for the last thirty years Truman Burbank has been the unwitting star of the longest running most popular documentary-soap opera in history. The picture-perfect town…
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Cars fly trees fight back and a mysterious house-elf comes to warn Harry Potter at the start of his second year at Hogwarts. Adventure and danger await when bloody writing on a wall announces: The Chamber Of Secrets Has…
The 9 stories above are just a sample of the 9,286 in the catalogue for this entry. For the live 1990–1999 catalogue, use the button above — or browse the whole 20th century. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.
Relevant picks from this decade
The Troubles in Belfast: 1958–2000 — Explore the complex and turbulent history of Belfast — from the civil rights movements of the late 1950s through the ethno-nationalist conflict known… Explore The Troubles in Belfast: 1958–2000
Modern Hollywood: 1980–2025 — Contemporary LA as the center of the film industry — known for stories about fame, glamour, and Hollywood's underbelly, from studio satires to… Explore Modern Hollywood: 1980–2025
Apartheid South Africa: 1948–1994 — A dark but pivotal era defined by segregation, resistance, and the fight for freedom, depicted in many powerful stories. The button below opens… Explore Apartheid South Africa: 1948–1994
Gothic Transylvania — Journey into the misty Carpathians where history and myth intertwine — medieval fortresses, blood-soaked battles, and the legend of Vlad the Impaler… Explore Gothic Transylvania
Keep exploring
1980s · 20th century · Time hub · All places · 2000s