Edgar Allan Poe, America’s Favorite Haunter from Virginia
“Once upon a midnight dreary,
while I pondered,
weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore…”
–Edgar Allan Poe
This quotation is among the best-known in US literature and characteristic of the legendary author. Born in 1809, Edgar Allan Poe’s complicated life ended mysteriously at the age of 40. His books sold better after his death than during his lifetime.
The Edgar Allan Poe Museum (https://poemuseum.org) in Richmond, Virginia, has major historic memorabilia connected to the writer, including furniture, original manuscripts, his clothing and even a lock of his hair! Read a biography of Poe here: https://poemuseum.org/poe-biography.
The gardens, in a small verdant courtyard in the midst of the museum grounds, are historically accurate to the plants and flowers of the era, some of which are mentioned in Poe’s poetry as well. The house and grounds allow visitors to easily imagine what it was like to live in the area in the early 19th century.
The Poe Museum is located centrally in downtown Richmond. We recommend allowing an hour or longer to visit and shop. Watch our video filmed on location: Edgar Allan Poe Museum Video.
Parking is available inside the Museum’s gated courtyard. Tickets and a wide range of Poe-themed gifts, including books, dolls, shirts, pins, etc., are available for purchase at the front office. You can tour the house with or without a guide. It is open during the day only and closed on Mondays.
Nearby
Richmond offers a blend of colonial and modern architecture, with quaint restaurants and contemporary outdoor sculptures in walking distance of the museum.
Read more about Edgar Allan Poe through our Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina pages.
Richmond’s Edgar Allan Poe Museum is the fifth stop on our Virginia Author Adventures Trail.
Patricia Smart
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