Edgar Allan Poe Museum
Time Needed: half-day
Experience Type: American icon, museum
Founded in 1922, the Edgar Allan Poe Museum preserves the world’s largest public collection of Poe artifacts, manuscripts, and memorabilia. Enjoy complimentary audio tours, immersive exhibits, and enchanting gardens, all dedicated to “illuminating Poe for everyone, evermore.”
MUST-DO CHECKLIST
- See Poe’s Personal Artifacts – View rare possessions like his silk waistcoat, walking stick, pocket watch, and lock of hair, all connecting visitors directly to Poe’s legacy.
- Explore the Enchanted Garden – Step into a garden inspired by Poe’s poetry, designed from “To Helen” and “To One in Paradise,” and meet resident cats Edgar and Tib.
- Visit the Old Stone House – Explore Richmond’s oldest standing residence, home to an exhibit on Poe’s childhood years in Richmond and the influences that shaped his early life.
- Experience the Poe Shrine – Encounter a bust of Poe in the shrine. Scan a QR code and watch Poe eerily recite “The Raven” through augmented reality.
- Stay at the Linden Row Inn – Spend the night in a boutique hotel linked to Poe’s romance with Elmira Royster, whose garden inspired his iconic poem “To Helen.”
Recommended Reading: Explore Poe’s dark, mesmerizing world with Greatest Works of Edgar Allan Poe, featuring iconic poems and short stories like “The Raven” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” It’s an ideal primer before your visit or a deeper dive once you return.
Photo Credit: Kelly Verdeck/Flickr