With orange leaves filling the Richmond streets, skeletons hanging from the trees and black cats sneaking around all over the city, spooky season is in full effect!
Richmond is home to some spectacular fun and history, especially the spine-chilling Poe Museum. Located in Shockoe Bottom, the Poe Museum houses an impressive collection of works by Edgar Allan Poe, many interesting artifacts from his life, special exhibits, a breathtaking garden and some adorable resident museum cats to keep you company.
Not only is the museum a place to learn about the fascinating life of Poe, but it is also one of the backbones of the Richmond community. Poe and his legacy have helped shape the quirky culture of Richmond.
The Man Behind the Museum
Born in 1809, Edgar Allan Poe was one of the most renowned writers of the 19th century.
Many of his works are considered early horror, and those haunting stories have characterized him today. Some of his most notable pieces include “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “Annabel Lee.”
Poe explored different themes in his writing, including love, loss and grief, which were often inspired by his own experiences in life. Complications and deaths in the family led him to be taken in by a wealthy family in Richmond, Virginia, in 1820.
Maeve Jones, executive director at the Poe Museum, says that people often don’t associate Poe with Richmond since he was born in Boston, but he actually considered himself a Virginian. Poe found himself coming back to Richmond during several periods of his life. The location of the museum held a special place in Poe’s heart.
The Past of the Poe Museum
In 1906, the Poe Memorial Association was formed, but did not recieve enough financial support to open up a physical monument. Ten years later, the members of the group reconvened to create the National Poe Museum inside the Southern Literary Messenger building.
In 1922, the Poe Association (renamed for simplicity) opened the doors of the Poe Shrine at the current museum property.
Today, the museum sits inside Old Stone House, the oldest residential building in Richmond. Edgar Allan Poe had connections to this home and the area that surrounds it. In his youth, he was a part of a junior honor color guard that escorted the Revolutionary War General Marquis de Lafayette around Richmond. Poe and the honor guard often took the general to Old Stone House and stood guard out front.
Outside of Old Stone House, the museum features a shrine dedicated to the man himself, as well as a beautiful “Enchanted Garden.” During the museum’s opening festivities in 1922, the Poe Shrine was visited by a number of significant people of the time, including Gertrude Stein, H.P. Lovecraft, Henry Miller and Salvador Dalí.
The Poe Museum has evolved into much more than a museum. It is now a popular event space, an educational destination and a helpful resource for the community.
The Modern Poe Museum
Since the museum’s opening, it has welcomed many new additions to its collection of Poe’s eccentric life. The museum is constantly bringing in new and fascinating relics of Poe’s life. The museum just recently celebrated an exhibit redesign, which is in honor of former Poe Museum board member, Susan Jaffe Tane.
“Tane used to be on our board, and she is a very keen collector,” Jones said. “She’s got a beautiful collection, and she’s lent the Poe Museum many things over the years.”
The recent redesign includes new displays and interpretations of Poe’s work, fresh design elements, interactive activities for young visitors and a brand-new exhibit in a newly opened room of the historic Old Stone House.
As the museum is a non-profit organization, it relies heavily on donations and help from private collectors.
“It’s really been thanks to people like Tane who are private collectors that want their collections to be for the public benefit,” Jones said. “That’s why we’ve been able to grow so much.”
A Tell-Tale Part of the Community
As the museum grows, so does its engagement with the Richmond community. The Poe Museum is constantly working to give back to the community through special events and education.
“Richmonders embrace the quirky, dark sense of humor,” Jones said. “Richmond is uniquely equipped to celebrate the weirder events we throw.”
The Poe Museum hosts “Unhappy Hours” nearly every month, which feature local musicians, food trucks, drinks and themed activities. For more family-oriented fun, there are the “Enchanted Garden Days,” that are free for anyone under 18 and their families. These events bring in local artists and libraries for a day full of educational entertainment.
Jones says that working with more community partners and educating the community have been some of the biggest goals for the Poe Museum in recent years.
It also remains a priority that the museum is affordable and accessible for everyone. Field trips to the museum are completely free for Title I schools, as the team hopes to bring in as many local students as possible — ensuring they grow into Richmond residents that appreciate and understand Poe and his significance to the city.
The number of Title I and Richmond Public School field trips coming into the museum has increased by about 300% since before the pandemic.
Fun for Everyone
Even if scary stories aren’t for you, the Poe Museum has something to offer. Whether you enjoy some of Poe’s lighter works, fancy yourself a history buff or simply want to wander the garden, you’re sure to find something interesting around each corner.
“Just the history of the buildings themselves has a story to tell about Richmond,” Jones said. “There really is something for everyone.”
The garden serves as a beautiful, multi-purpose event space, even known to host gothic-inspired weddings.
Make sure to visit the Poe Museum this spooky season for festive events, to see the new exhibits and hear the ticking of Poe’s pocket watch. You can learn more about the museum’s history, events and more at this link.
