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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

  • Tell-Tale Talks Featuring: Joshua Barton

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

    Join us at The Poe Museum on Wednesday, April 8th for a Tell-Tale Talk featuring Professor Joshua Barton on "How beautiful it is and how easily it can be broken": […]

    $5 – $15
  • Stavna Ballet Performance

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

    Join us for a special performance from Stavna Ballet, inspired by Poe's poem "To One In Paradise." This event is included with admission, but we hope you’ll consider making a […]

  • Cat Adoption Event 2026

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

    In partnership with RAL, the Richmond SPCA, and RACC, join us from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM on Saturday, April 18th for the third annual Cat Adoption Event at The Poe Museum! On […]

    Free
  • Historic Garden Tour

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

    Join us for a guided tour of The Poe Museum's historic Enchanted Garden led by our Executive Director and Curator. Registration required.

    $12
  • Historic Garden Tour

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

    Join us for a guided tour of The Poe Museum's historic Enchanted Garden led by our Executive Director and Curator. Registration required.

    $12
  • April 2026 Space Age UnHappy Hour

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

    Presented by Stone Brewing, join us on Thursday, April 23rd for a Space Age UnHappy Hour at The Poe Museum. WELCOME, EARTHLINGS... For the first UnHappy Hour of 2026, we're leaving the stratosphere for a SPACE AGE themed dance party, presented by Stone Brewing. Out of this world drinks and eats from Stone Brewing and […]

    $8 – $18
  • Short Story Club

    Short Story Club

    Join the Poe Museum for our virtual Short Story Club, a low-commitment literary gathering designed for the busy reader who may not be able to commit to reading a new book every month. Our Short Story Club meets once a month on Tuesdays on Zoom from 6:00pm-6:45pm--a perfect chance to unwind midweek, connect with fellow literature lovers, and enjoy new reads—all […]

    Free
  • Tell-Tale Talks Featuring: Emily Carpenter

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

    Join us at The Poe Museum on Thursday, May 14th for a Tell-Tale Talk with author Emily Carpenter, who will discuss her newest novel, A Spell For Saints And Sinners. […]

    $5 – $15
  • May 2026 Poe-Stock UnHappy Hour

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

    Join us for the May UnHappy Hour on Thursday, May 28th. Please check back in early May for more details and to reserve tickets.

    $8 – $18
  • June 2026 Pride UnHappy Hour

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

    Join us for a special Pride UnHappy Hour on Thursday, June 25th. Please check back in early June for more details and to reserve tickets.

    $8 – $18
  • Know Your Poe: Poe and the Presidents

    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 the world to connect with the Poe Museum, literary scholars, and each other in hopes of gaining a deeper understanding of one of America's most […]

    Free – $5

Our Blog

Poe’s Irish Ancestry

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Did you know Edgar Allan Poe had Irish ancestry? Edgar’s great-great grandfather, David Poe, is the namesake for Poe’s grandfather and father. David Poe of Dring, in the Parish

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“Haunt me, then!” From Brontë to Poe

The release of Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights (2026), though not a literal adaptation of Emily Brontë’s masterpiece, has reignited public fascination with her gothic novel. Whether you’ve recently watched the film or read Wuthering Heights (1847), you may find yourself searching for more literature that dwells in themes present in Brontë’s only novel. Edgar Allan Poe,

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200th Anniversary of Poe’s Enrollment at UVA

“Quoth the Raven, ‘Wahoowa!’”  Today, February 14th, marks the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s enrollment at the University of Virginia. Poe entered the University in 1826 as a part of its second class, appearing 136th  out of 177 students on UVA’s matriculation list.i  Construction

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