Akshat Kumar
Google
We were visiting Richmond briefly and decided to pay The Poe Museum a visit. I knew about Poe from the many popular references but the visit allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of Poe as the person behind his works, his tormented personal life and how he wrote so many masterpieces in his short life.
It’s interesting that Poe’s formative years were spent in Richmond, and the museum does a wonderful job of chronicling his time in Richmond, and how the place shaped his thoughts and in turn his work. The museum is neatly organized with separate sections for Poe’s family, relatives, his work, relationships, personal items, manuscripts and so much more.
The museum is housed in the Old Stone House, believed to be the oldest remaining original residential structure in Richmond (built mid-1700s). Even though Poe never lived in the Old Stone house, I couldn’t help but feel the presence of Poe in there, and not just because of the two cats(who are quite social and approachable).
The Poe Museum seeks to preserve and present the life, writings, and enduring mystique of Edgar Allan Poe—especially his connection to Richmond—and to contextualize them within early 19th-century Richmond life, and it does it quite brilliantly.
I was intrigued to see the personal items of Poe such as a lock of his hair, waistcoat, walking stick(and other items) preserved, doing an honor to his memory. I didn’t know that there were many theories surrounding Poe’s death. The museum explains those theories wonderfully, which is a treasure if you’re a nerd like me.
The museum’s layout spans multiple connected buildings, each with thematic focus (life, death, legacy) and supplemented by changing exhibits. The gift store has a sizeable collection of symbolic “Poe-y”things(ranging from T-shirts to cups and much more). The museum offers self-guided tours, audio guides, and occasional guided tours.
I highly recommend visiting this great Virginia landmark and educating yourself on the wonderfully tormented soul that Poe was. Allow yourself 1-2 hours to explore the museum.
A dedicated parking lot is available here, and you can also park on the street. Entry charges were 12 dollars per person when we visited in September 2025.