Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum — Attraction in Baltimore

This was an interesting visit that was very revealing about Poe's life. Visiting this house along with the Carroll Mansion (you can get a combo ticket) gives a fairly complete look at a rather interesting character. A visit to Poe's grave further completes the experience. If you are really into it, you can take a Poe walking tour to see the Saloon that was one of his last stops...and more.

The Poe House offers period furnishings and a few authentic Poe artifacts. There are some informative and descriptive placards that offer a picture of the brilliance and poignancy that is Poe's legacy. It especially gives you a good feeling for his life during his residence there. It's a must for Poe fans and for literary aficianados.

There are a couple of things to note about the Poe House. Visits are based on timed entries. They start by meeting outside the house. Tickets need to be purchased in advance to be sure you get a time slot. The house is very small (620 square ft on three floors). Quarters are tight. I personally think they allow too many people on a single visit given the space constraints. We had abiut 10 or 12 people visiting in our time slot and we were tripping over each other. I will look forward to their eventual expansion to include the original duplex in the tour. But if you simply expect this and adjust to it, it's still a nice experience. Keeping your focus on learning about the man is key. In spite of tight spaces, the architectural aspects of this nearly 200-year-old house are also interesting. It's also worth noting that it is located on a street that is not busy despite its urban location. Street parking is generally not a problem.

A visit to this house is definitely worth the $12 price tag. I personally thought the $22 combo ticket to include the Carroll Mansion (about a 20-minute walk) was particularly worth it. Our son and his family live nearby, so we'll almost certainly make a return visit, especially as they expand. We're also interested in visiting during the mid-Autumn Poe Festival. It's worth learning about the man whose legacy in large part is tied to this city, so much so that he inspired the nickname for the...

First things first, please remember that this is a historic building. It's very small-- for reference, I'm just over 5 foot tall and very thin, and I fit perfectly in the stairways and rooms without having to duck. You may not be so lucky, but you'll probably be alright if your group is small and you are very patient. It's also not fitted with central air, so when it's hot out you may want to avoid going in. They have fans and such scattered throughout, and I'm used to not having AC, so I was comfortable but another person there got a little ill, so be careful. There's no dedicated parking as it is in a residential area, but you can find on-street parking pretty close with low rates (I seriously have never seen parking rates that low) and the meters accept cards. The place is small, as mentioned before, and so there isn't a lot to explore inside-- but the people inside are so knowledgeable that it almost doesn't matter. There are signs on the wall with very detailed information about the area, what it probably looked like when Poe lived there, and neat insights about Poe and his relatives. The gift shop is so sweet, and it's definitely worth the time to visit if you're in the area or a big Poe fan. Best of all, Poe's grave is nearby. It's pretty much walking distance, and it's beautifully kept. Bring some pennies to leave at his tombstone, but be cautious when walking around because the graves aren't all obvious. The details on many of the other stones, particularly some of the farther back ones, are extremely interesting. Also there are some things in the site that are kind of hidden-- tucked under buildings or obscured by bushes and the like. Definitely a good way to follow up a visit to...

This will sound so ODD and will certainly date me! I have lived in Michigan my entire life. I am now 65 years old. When I was young girl, every year my parents took our family on a two week vacation/car trip to various places across the United States. My mother, a stay at home Mom, would spend months planning each trip. Once she chose what part of the country, what states we would drive through, she would find places of interest for us to visit. Often these were historical sites and museum. She loved history. I do not recall the year or how old I was, but for whatever the reason I have always remembered the Edgar Allan Poe House. During a conversation with my husband one evening, talking about what I recalled about E. A. Poe, I decided to Google.The pictures I found were like a trip back in time. It was exactly like I remembered it. I do have a question I would love to have the answered. The tour guide was a very sweet elderly lady that told use about Mr. Poe as we walked through the home. She showed us the shutters on the inside of the windows, the doors, back and front, and the fireplace had crosses built into them. She told me that Mr. Poe was very superstitious and the crosses kept ghost and spirits out of the home. I have never forgotten her telling me about that and I wonder if this is true. I'm thrilled and impressed that his home has been preserved and still is open to the public to this day. I have a memory of a flower garden that was very nice and well tended but I believe that memory was from visiting Mr. Poe's grave. It was so very long ago but most of my memories of the home were spot...