The Poe Museum

The basics

Visitors can explore the Poe Museum on a self-guided tour, audio tour, or paid guided tours. Learn about Poe’s childhood in the Old Stone House, the oldest residential building still standing in Richmond; explore his career in the Memorial Building, which includes personal letters and several first editions of his work; investigate Poe’s mysterious death in the North Buildings; and admire the exhibits at the Shrine and Enchanted Garden. The museum also hosts talks and events from time to time. Some guided tours, including ghost tours, also stop outside the museum.

Things to know before you go

• There is an entrance fee for the Poe Museum, with discounts for seniors, youth aged 7–17, and military. Free admission is offered to children under 6 and EBT/SNAP recipients.

• You can access free audio tours using a smartphone. Paid guided and walking tours are also available.

• The Poe Museum is somewhat wheelchair accessible: Some of the historical buildings may not be completely accessible, but the staff will work with visitors on accommodations with advance notice.

• You can visit the museum library and reading room by appointment.

How to get there

The Poe Museum is located at 1914 E Main Street, in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood of Richmond. Free parking is available in a parking lot beside the museum. The Richmond E Main Street train station is located just a few blocks away, while several buses also stop nearby.

When to get there

The Poe Museum is typically open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and on Sundays from 11am to 5pm—last admission is 4.30pm. The museum is closed for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. The museum often hosts events, including book talks, which are listed on its website.

Edgar Allan Poe museums

In addition to the Poe Museum in Richmond, there are three other museums dedicated to Edgar Allan Poe in the US. There’s also the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum in Baltimore, in the house where he lived for two years; the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site in Philadelphia, in a house where he lived for a few months; and the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage in New York City. Poe’s grave can be found at Westminster Hall burial ground in Baltimore.