Museum News

Interested in taking part in the Poe Museum’s work? Want to help inspire future generations of readers and writers? In honor of all the members, past and present, who have supported the Poe Museum during its first ninety years, we are kicking off a new membership drive with the goal of 500 new or renewing members by the end of this summer. Poe Museum members help support the Poe Museum with annual membership dues that help defray the cost of the museum’s educational programs like its student group tours, teachers’ workshops, and young writers’ conference. Funds are also used to care for the Poe Museum’s world renowned collection.

Poe Museum members get a 10% discount on all gift shop purchases, free admission to the Poe Museum, the Poe Museum’s newsletter Evermore, and special invitations to members-only events. As if those were not enough great reasons to become a Poe Museum member, this summer we will give a special members-only Poe Museum tote bag with every new or renewing membership. This tote will not be available in the gift shop or anywhere else. Members will also be eligible to sign up for a members-only tour of Shockoe Hill Cemetery and a members-only paranormal investigation of the Poe Museum on August 11 and August 18. Become a member of the Poe Museum today.

The totes pictured above are available in blue, red, and natural canvas. When you sign up for your membership, please note in the Special Instructions section which color you would like.

Poe Museum members were treated to an extra special experience on August 6th and 13th – they participated in a private paranormal investigation with help from the nice folks from Spirited History.

Spirited History is a locally-based group of investigators that aspires “to bring attention to historic sites with a spirited past from around the United States.”

Spirited History shared tips about paranormal investigation techniques and Museum members had an opportunity to work with equipment used by professional ghost hunters in a setting that is reportedly rife with spirit activity. (The Poe Museum plays host to about half a dozen paranormal investigator groups each year.)

Items used in ghost hunts can be as simple as something like a ball or a tin cup (intended to trigger a response from any spirits that may be present) or as high tech as an EMF reader or a digital recording device. Personal experiences of ghost hunters while on site can also be taken into account. All of the data collected on a given ghost hunt is then examined for anomalies that might indicate spirit activity.

Spirited History even shared some EVPs (electronic voice phenomena) that they have collected at the Poe Museum and other haunted sites in the area with our members.

This event proved very popular, so I would not be at all surprised if we do more guided ghost hunts in the future. Hopefully we can make them available to the general public as well as to members.

The Poe Museum has several members-only events during the course of each year so if you are not yet a Poe Museum Member, why not consider joining today? You can do so in just a few clicks of your mouse: http://www.poemuseum.org/membership.php. Not only will you get advance notice of cool events like our guided ghost hunt, but you’ll be helping to support the Poe Museum so that it can be around for future generations to enjoy!