Edgar Allan Poe Museum

The museum dedicated to America's master of gothic horror occupies Richmond's oldest surviving building, a plain stone house from the 1730s in the Shockoe area. The collection includes Poe memorabilia, manuscripts, and first editions, along with the reconstructed study where Poe wrote. Poe grew up in Richmond and the city has a genuine claim on him — he spent most of his formative years here before his erratic adult life took him to Philadelphia, New York, and Baltimore.

The enchanted garden behind the museum, with its moody plantings and stone walls, is the perfect complement to the exhibits inside. Small but well-curated; allow about an hour.

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A story
Poe grew up in Richmond after his mother died and he was taken in by the Allan family (hence his middle name). He lived in the city at various periods throughout his life, working as a journalist and writing his early poems. The museum occupies the Old Stone House, built around 1737 — the oldest surviving building in Richmond — which was standing when Poe walked these streets.

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