The Poe Museum - Richmond, VA

The Poe Museum was created in the oldest house still standing in Richmond, VA, which was built in 1740.  This house was gifted in 1912, from Mr. and Mrs. Granville G. Valentine to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.  It was restored by Mr. and Mrs. Archer G. Jones in 1924 and placed i n the custody of Edgar Allan Poe Shrine (now the Edgar Allan Poe Foundation, Inc.).

The Edgar Allan Poe Museum opened in 1922, and located in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia, dedicated to American writer Edgar Allan Poe. Though Poe never lived in the building, it serves to commemorate his time living in Richmond. The museum holds one of the world’s largest collections of Poe’s original manuscripts, letters, first editions, memorabilia and personal belongings. The museum also provides an overview of early 19th century Richmond, where Poe lived and worked. The museum features the life and career of Poe by documenting his accomplishments with pictures, relics, and verse, and focusing on his many years in Richmond.

The Poe Museum opened to the public in 1922, featuring the Old Stone House and Enchanted Garden. The Museum’s Founders were inspired by Poe’s poem “To One in Paradise.”

Thou wast that all to me, love,
For which my soul did pine—
A green isle in the sea, love,
A fountain and a shrine,
All wreathed with fairy fruits and flowers,
And all the flowers were mine.

Along with the imagery from the first stanza of “To One in Paradise” there are many pieces of the garden with connections to Poe’s life. The stone benches sitting along the edges of the garden were taken from the Yarrington Boarding house, which was located near the Capitol along Bank Street (the site where Poe married his wife Virginia). The ivy that lines the green isle was taken from Edgar Allan Poe’s mother’s grave in St. John’s Church. Eliza Poe was not only Edgar’s mother, but also a renowned actress.

This is a great museum to visit.  They allow self-guided tours and they have free audio tours accessible with any smartphone.  The free audio tour allows you to walk up to an area, and when you see a black raven sticker with a number on it, you just look at the list of audio plays, and click the one with that number.  You will then hear the full history and information about the items you are in front of.

Learn more at https://poemuseum.org