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THE POE MUSEUM

Richmond, Va
Edgar Allen Poe Portrait - The Poe Museum's Collections

Who Is Edgar Allan Poe?

Edgar Poe was born on January 19th, 1809 to traveling actors Eliza and David Poe. When Edgar was a baby, David abandoned the family, leaving Eliza to support three young children. In a devastating turn, Eliza contracted tuberculosis and spent the last few months of her life in Richmond. She died on December 8th, 1811 at the age of 24, leaving behind her three children.  Two-year-old Edgar was taken in by Richmond couple John and Frances Allan. Edgar was never officially adopted, a cause and result of constant tensions between him and his foster father. He did not take their last name, but instead he became Edgar Allan Poe.

Our Collection

Our Events

Student Writing Contest

The Poe Museum 1914 E Main Street, Richmond, Virginia, United States

SUBMISSION DUE DATE: October 31st, 2025 at 11:59pm. PROMPT: Edgar Allan Poe, while most well-known for his gothic short stories, was also a founder of the science fiction and detective genres. Not […]

Witold Krull & Edgar Allan Poe Writing Contest

The Poe Museum 1914 E Main Street, Richmond, Virginia, United States

THE KEY TO ONE'S DEATH, OR RATHER AN ABSURD EXPLORATION OF A WRITER'S LIFE A Resolute Literary Contest on the Unearthed Connection Between Two Desperate Writers: Edgar Allan Poe and […]

September 2025 UnHappy Hour: Fairy-Land

Poe Museum's Enchanted Garden 1914 E Main St, Richmond VA, Virginia, United States

Live unhappily ever after... Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem "Fairy-Land," join us for an evening of (dis)enchantment on Thursday, September 25 from 6–9pm at the Poe Museum's Fairy-Land UnHappy Hour! Let the chimes of Tiara […]

$5 – $15

Short Story Club

October readings: "The Oval Portrait" by Edgar Allan Poe and "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne Join the Poe Museum for our virtual Short Story Club, a low-commitment literary gathering designed for busy reader who may […]

Free

Tell-Tale Talks featuring: Stephen Smith

Poe Museum's Enchanted Garden 1914 E Main St, Richmond VA, Virginia, United States

About Stephen Smith: Stephen Smith is an actor and theatre producer from Watford, UK. He trained at the National Youth Theatre and LIPA (Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts). He is […]

$10

Edgar’s Enchanted Garden Family Day

The Poe Museum 1914 E Main Street, Richmond, Virginia, United States

Join us on Saturday, October 11th from 10:00am-2:00pm for an enchanted free family day! Enjoy spooky arts, crafts, and programming brought to you by The Poe Museum, Richmond Public Library, […]

Free

The Poe Sewciety 4th Annual Frocktails

Basic City Beer Co. Southside RVA 212 W 6th St, Richmond, Virginia, United States

Join us for an unforgettable evening of fashion, fabric, and a touch of the macabre at The Poe Sewciety Frocktails 2025, proudly presented by Richmond Really Sews through partnership with Nonprofit Connection. This […]

$45 – $70

October 2025 UnHappy Hour: Halloween

Poe Museum's Enchanted Garden 1914 E Main St, Richmond VA, Virginia, United States

Check back soon for more details!

$5 – $15

Know Your Poe: Private Perry/Private Poe

Join the Poe Museum for our "Know Your Poe” series, an evening program hosted quarterly that explores Edgar Allan Poe’s life through various thematic lenses. This series offers Poe-enthusiasts across […]

Free

Short Story Club

November readings: TBA Join the Poe Museum for our virtual Short Story Club, a low-commitment literary gathering designed for busy reader who may not be able to commit to reading a new book every month. Our […]

Free

Our Blog

2025 Student Poetry Contest Winners

The Poe Museum celebrated National Poetry Month this spring by hosting its annual student poetry contest. Middle and high school students across the U.S. were encouraged to write poems based

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