Happy 213th Birthday Edgar Allan Poe! We wouldn't live up to our blog name if we didn't celebrate the master of the macabre. In a normal – non-pandemic – year, I'd fly up to the Poe Museum in Richmond and attend the all-day birthday bash they hold for this special occasion. 12 hours on a Saturday of tours, lectures, bands, and performers, and even a giant birthday cake. It is a lot of fun and meaningful for a dedicated Poe fan or one who wants to learn more about him. Due to the ongoing health crisis in the world, the museums had to adapt and move to virtual activities. The kick-off to the celebrations is a live toast on the Poe Museum's Facebook page on Wednesday, January 19th, from 8 – 9:00 PM. Don't miss it! Below is the schedule of virtual tours for you to check out.
1,000 Ways to Die in Richmond hosted by Chris Semtner – Curator of the museum
$8 for tickets
Free for Poe Museum members
January 20 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm or January 22 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
This tour is a part of the Poe Museum Birthday Bash, celebrating Edgar Allan Poe’s 213th birthday!
While Edgar Allan Poe’s tales abound with mysterious, tragic, and gruesome deaths, sometimes truth can be stranger than fiction. On this tour of Richmond cemeteries and crime scenes, Poe Museum curator Chris Semtner will introduce you to some of the people from Poe’s Richmond who met unusual or enigmatic ends.
This tour is virtual, so Poe fans from around the world can visit Richmonds most gruesome spots without leaving the comfort of their home. The tour will be held over Zoom. Once tickets are purchased, you will receive a Zoom link to attend the tour.
Tour topics include Edgar Allan Poe, Richmond history, 19th century, gothic horror, duels, disease, disappearances, poisoning, murder, and much more….
Click here to purchase tickets.
The Scarab and the Conqueror Worm – Virtual Tour with Dean Knight – Programs Coordinator
$8 for tickets
Free for Poe Museum members
January 22 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm or January 23 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
This tour is a part of the Poe Museum Birthday Bash, celebrating Edgar Allan Poe’s 213th birthday!
Poe Museum Programs Coordinator Dean Knight will lead a virtual tour of two of Richmond’s most interesting buildings, both built during Poe’s lifetime: Monumental Church and the Egyptian Building. Come with us as we tour the ins and outs of these buildings and learn how Poe was connected with each of them–we’ll even get inside the Egyptian Building to see some gloriously colorful hieroglyphs!
This tour is virtual, so Poe fans from around the world can visit Richmonds most gruesome spots without leaving the comfort of their home. The tour will be held over Zoom. Once tickets are purchased, you will receive a Zoom link to attend the tour.
Tour topics include Richmond History, Edgar Allan Poe, Literature, Urban Disasters, Civil War History, Grave Robbing, Architecture, Egypt, Greece, Rome, The Richmond Theater Fire, and much more…
Click link here to purchase tickets.
Want to gather in the Enchanted Garden and hear spooky tales of terror? Then, this is the event for you.
The Ghosts in the Garden
January 22 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Tickets are free if you purchased museum admission during the day or tickets for the afterlife ghost tour. Otherwise $5.00.
This event is a part of the Poe Museum Birthday Bash, celebrating Edgar Allan Poe’s 213th birthday!
Spend an evening in the Poe Museum’s Enchanted Garden if you dare… Hear spooky stories from Haunts of Richmond and Poe Museum staff. Enjoy food, refreshments, and entertainment under the moonlight as we celebrate Poe’s 213th birthday. Try your luck at amateur ghost hunting and learn about the tools you need to encounter incorporeal beings.
This event is held outdoors, with a heated tent. The event is being held in conjunction with the “Into the Afterlife: Shadows of the Poe Museum” tour. If you purchase tickets to that tour, this event is free. This event is also included for free in regular Poe Museum admission for the daytime Birthday Bash celebration. You must show proof of purchase for the “Into the Afterlife: Shadows of the Poe Museum” tour or Poe Museum admission to gain free entry to this event. This event is free for Poe Museum Members.
Watch your back!
Click here to purchase tickets.
The birthday bash is fantastic, and if you'd like to read about my earlier visits and get a sense of what it's all about, you can find those posts here:
Time for Poe's Annual Birthday Bash in Richmond!
Poe's Birthday Party Guest
