Admittedly this was my favorite place to visit. While this is not a library in a traditional sense, this is my special archives choice. As you probably remember from 9th grade English, Edgar Allen Poe was one of the most interesting writers of all time. I live less than three blocks from the museum in Richmond, so I knew this had to be my special archives choice.

Edgar Allan Poe’s stature as a major figure in world literature is primarily based on his ingenious and profound short stories, poems, and critical theories, which established a highly influential rationale for the short form in both poetry and fiction. Regarded in literary histories and handbooks as the architect of the modern short story, Poe was also the principal forerunner of the “art for art’s sake” movement in 19th-century European literature. Whereas earlier critics predominantly concerned themselves with moral or ideological generalities, Poe focused his criticism on the specifics of style and construction that contributed to a work’s effectiveness or failure. In his own work, he demonstrated a brilliant command of language and technique as well as an inspired and original imagination. (Poetry Foundation, 2022)

The museum does have on site parking of about six spots. Most parking would be done on the neighboring streets around the museum. According to their website they do have ADA options, and can accommodate requests but you have to call ahead and speak with someone. This was one of my focus questions going into the space as everything is still set to the narrow corridors of the 1800’s. Every inch of this archive is covered wall to wall, ceiling to floor with elements of Poe’s life. You may also view their small library that has copies of almost every book and story Poe has written. While I am a fan of Poe’s literary works and completely agree with how talented he was. The most interesting part of this special archive for me were all the writings and artifacts from his personal life. The whole experience was very immersive. You instantly get wrapped up into Poe’s world while you are there. The venue also host multiple events every year for different historical societies and you can even rent the space for a wedding.

Upon entering the museum you can either do an unguided walking tour or you can do a guided audio version of the tour. I went with a group so we opted out of the audio version but I would have loved to have listened. You will see from the photos at the end of the post that the museum buildings themselves are apart of the archives as well. The three old stone homes that you tour through are actual houses that existed in the 1800’s. The main building is actually the oldest home in Richmond and was built in 1737. While much of Edgar Allen Poe’s life is a mystery, many facts and archives from his life remain. My favorite piece of history in this archive were the steps from his childhood home. Yes, the staircase from his childhood home had been restored and placed inside one of the buildings! 

Overall this was an extremely educational experience and I plan to take so many more people there. I would 10/10 recommend this special archives museum to anyone visiting the area. 

References:

The Poe Museum. (2022). https://poemuseum.org/visit/

Poetry Foundation (2022). Edgar Allen Poe. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/edgar-allan-poe