Poe’s engagement ring is evidence of the tragic love story of Poe and his first and last fiancée Elmira Royster Shelton.
Engaged as teenagers only to have their engagement broken by her father, Poe and Shelton became engaged a second time in the last months of his life.
The mahogany fragment came from the original coffin in which Poe was buried on October 8, 1849.
In 1875, Poe’s body was moved across the cemetery from his unmarked grave to a better location where a large monument could be placed over his grave
The gold watch is engraved “Edgar A. Poe.” In 1843, Poe gave the watch to one of his creditors to pay off a debt. Although the watch has remained in private hands ever since, its existence has been known through newspaper articles about it dating from the 1880s until it appeared at auction at Christies in 2019.
Edgar Allan Poe’s waistcoat, kept by his mother-in-law Maria Poe Clemm after his death in 1849.
It was kept in a trunk of Poe’s clothing by Maria Poe Clemm, who left it to her niece Elizabeth Rebecca Herring Smith in 1871.
Celebrate Edgar Allan Poe's 177th death day anniversary at the Poe Museum! Join us Wednesday, October 7th from 10:00am-2:00pm to celebrate Poe's last day. Our Education Coordinator, Meg Luffman, will […]
Join us this fall on Saturday, October 10th from 10:00am-1:00pm for an enchanted morning of spooky crafts, story time, sweets & more! We will be joined by our community partners, […]
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 […]
Presented by the James River Film Society: join us at the Poe Museum on Sunday, October 18th at 7:00 PM for The Fall of the House of Usher (1928) with Silent Music Revival, Richmond’s […]
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 […]
Join The Poe Museum for a guided focus tour on the history of the gothic genre and how it came to influence Edgar Allan Poe. During this tour, guests will explore Poe's gothic works while also delving into other author's who shaped the genre, such as Horace Walpole, Mary Shelley, and Washington Irving. Guests will […]
Presented by Triple Crossing: Crawl, fly, and slither your way to the Poe Museum on Thursday, October 22nd for a Halloween UnHappy Hour! Dance like a Jersey Devil to live […]
Join The Poe Museum for a guided focus tour on the history of the gothic genre and how it came to influence Edgar Allan Poe. During this tour, guests will explore Poe's gothic works while also delving into other author's who shaped the genre, such as Horace Walpole, Mary Shelley, and Washington Irving. Guests will […]
Join The Poe Museum for an afterhours Lantern Led Tour! During this tour, guests will explore the Poe Museum's vast collection of Edgar Allan Poe's person artifacts while developing a deeper understanding Poe's life, literature, and legacy. This tour will have a limited capacity. Registration is required. Please plan to arrive no later than 5:45pm. […]
Join The Poe Museum for an afterhours Lantern Led Tour! During this tour, guests will explore the Poe Museum's vast collection of Edgar Allan Poe's person artifacts while developing a deeper understanding Poe's life, literature, and legacy. This tour will have a limited capacity. Registration is required. Please plan to arrive no later than 5:45pm. […]
Join the Poe Museum on Thursday, October 29th for a special focus guided tour on Poe and Cats! This tour highlights Edgar Allan Poe’s connection cats and provides guests with a deeper understanding of Poe’s life, literature, and legacy. While you’re here, get to know our two resident cats, Edgar and Tib! This tour has […]
Join The Poe Museum for a guided focus tour on the history of the gothic genre and how it came to influence Edgar Allan Poe. During this tour, guests will explore Poe's gothic works while also delving into other author's who shaped the genre, such as Horace Walpole, Mary Shelley, and Washington Irving. Guests will […]
Written by Kelly White Most people see death as the final act in the story; once you shuffle off this mortal coil, there is nothing left to tell. This isn’t
Elizabeth Ellet and Highlights of 19th-Century Culture
Written by Kelly Keener In the fall of 2016, I acquired Elizabeth Fries Ellet’s autograph album. Ellet, who was a contemporary of Poe’s, was known publicly for her prolific writing.
You Fancy Me Mad: Poe, Madness, and “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Written by Victoria Meader “Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded
