Museum News

On October 25 from 6 to 9 P.M. the Poe Museum will celebrate Poe’s horror masterpiece “The Masque of the Red Death” with an Unhappy Hour featuring live music by Little Black Rain Clouds and Robert Andrew Scott, paranormal investigation demonstrations by Spirited History, psychic readings by Miss Emma, a performance, a costume contest, the ever popular cash bar, and a new exhibit of artwork inspired by the story. Be sure not to miss the only Halloween party in Richmond with real ghosts. Wear your weirdest costumes for the costume contest. Admission is by an optional $5 donation. Overflow parking is available at the Holocaust Museum parking lot at 21st and Canal Street.

For more information, call 888-21-EAPOE or write info@poemuseum.org.

(Artwork above by Abigail Larson)

Legends abound of otherworldly manifestations experienced at Richmond’s Edgar Allan Poe Museum. Books including The Ghosts of Virginia, Ghost Hunting Virginia, and The Shadows of Shockoe have recorded a few of these sightings, and a number of paranormal investigators have explored the Museum’s 258-year-old house, Enchanted Garden, and the rest of the complex in search of evidence of unexplained activity. Now the Poe Museum may finally put the legends to rest by opening the museum to public ghost hunts on August 11 and 18, 2012 from 9 P.M. to Midnight. The participants will be trained in investigative techniques by paranormal investigators from Spirited History, who will guide them through the investigation using the latest audio and video equipment. Because of limited space, all participants must reserve a spot and must be members of the Poe Museum in order to take part. Not a member? Learn about membership and sign up here. New and renewing members even get a tote bag with their membership. For more information on the ghost hunt, call 888-21-EAPOE or write info@poemuseum.org.

The Museum will be open from 10am – Midnight with events starting at NOON. Admission is $5 for the whole day, and you may come and go as you please so you can check out all the events you want to see!!! Events are still being added to the schedule, but see the current line-up below:

POE BIRTHDAY BASH SCHEDULE:

10:00am- 1:00pm: Gift shop sale! ( Take 15% off your entire purchase of $10 or more!)

12:00pm: Exhibit Opening (Stormier, Wilder and More Weird: James Carling and “The Raven” | and Curator talk.) *A MUST SEE*

1:00pm -1:15pm: Lucretia and Lavinia (belly dance duo )

1:15pm – 1:30pm: Aeon Yahweh (musician)

4:00pm – 5:00pm: Lucretia and Lavinia (belly dance duo)/ Sadira (dancer) and DragonSong (band)

5:00pm- on: Mulled Wine, Butter Beer and non-alcoholic beverage cash bar with free snacks.

5:30pm: Poe Birthday Cake

7:00pm – 8:00pm: Lucretia and Lavinia (belly dance duo)/ The Muse (dancer)/ Madame Onça (dancer)

8:00pm: Theatrical Victorian Seance. (See a Victorian Seance combining 19th century tricks and modern day effects)

9:00pm: Theatrical Victorian Seance. (See a Victorian Seance combining 19th century tricks and modern day effects)

11:30pm: Champagne Toast to Poe

*Additional events are still being finalized. Call the Museum at 804-648-5523 for more information (or) e-mail: info@poemuseum.org

Lucretia and Lavinia

Aeon Yahweh

Madame Onça

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!

Legends abound of otherworldly manifestations experienced at Richmond’s Edgar Allan Poe Museum. Books including The Ghosts of Virginia, Ghost Hunting Virginia, and The Shadows of Shockoe have recorded a few of these sightings, and a number of paranormal investigators have explored the Museum’s 257-year-old house, Enchanted Garden, and the rest of the complex in search of evidence of unexplained activity. Now the Poe Museum may finally put the legends to rest by opening the museum to public ghost hunts on August 6 and 13, 2011 from 9 P.M. to Midnight. The participants will be trained in investigative techniques by paranormal investigators from Spirited History, who will guide them through the investigation using the latest audio and video equipment. Because of limited space, all participants must reserve a spot and must be members of the Poe Museum in order to take part. Not a member? Learn about membership at http://www.poemuseum.org/membership.php. For more information on the ghost hunt, call 888-21-EAPOE or visit http://www.poemuseum.org/events.php