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I love visiting museums whether they’re haunted or not. However, check out what I’ve discovered: paranormal museums! Five of them, in fact.
- John Zaffis Museum of the Paranormal – I found out about this from a post on Ghost Lounge some time back. John Zaffis has collected all kinds of supposedly haunted artifacts during his 35 plus years as a paranormal researcher. Now he’s made his collection available for viewing. The really neat thing about his museum is you can visit it online! Just click the Items link and you’ll be taken to a page with an image carousel. Mouse over the images and read about their haunted properties.
- Northwest Museum of Legends and Lore (formerly known as the Seattle Museum of Mysteries) – This is a brick and mortar museum housed in the Inscape Building in Seattle. Artifacts in their exhibit include three Bigfoot casts, info about Washington state’s crop circles, and the Maury Island UFO mystery. The hours can vary since it is staffed by volunteers so make sure to call ahead before you go. Also, prices are very reasonable: $3 for adults, $2 ages 9-17, Free 8 and under, and Free on the first Thursday of the month, or Free anytime for Go Card holders.
- National Paranormal History Museum- The Haunted Cottage is located in Harpers Ferry, WV and is the first paranormal museum dedicated specifically to psychic phenomena, ghosts and hauntings. Vince Wilson opened it last year. It also serves as a paranormal research and training facility. (If it sounds at all familiar it may be because I’ve written about it before and named it as one of the three winners in the Best Place to Conduct Ghost Research category of the Haunt Jaunt Best of 2010 Awards.)
- Museum of the Macabre – This is another one where you can visit the collection online. They not only have an object database, but a book library, newspaper and magazine archive, and video repository. Their object collection isn’t super large at 81 items, but it’s interesting. However, my favorite section is the books. They have some really great titles. (Contemporary as well as treasures from the turn of the twentieth century!)
- The Haunted Museum – This museum is divided into halls: Spiritualist Hall, Spirit Photography Hall, Occult Happenings Hall, and Ghost Hunter’s Hall: The Beginnings of Ghost Research. To view any of the exhibits in any of the halls you simply need your computer. (It’s another online paranormal museum.) No flash photography is allowed (translation: no copying photos!). There’s even a Haunted Museum Gift Shop where you can pick up a souvenir of your visit (a copy of the book by Troy Taylor that the museum is based on).
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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Fascinating article! John Zaffis’ collection is remarkable, but left me wondering, why is it that a number of objects are clowns?
Cool post! The guy that runs Appalachian Ghost walks, in East Tennessee/West Virgina areas… they are accepting donations to build the A.R.C. — which is there plan for a paranormal museum. It was supposed to open this summer, but now… I think it’s scheduled to open next summer… http://www.appalachianghostwalks.com/
It will be interesting to see what happens. 🙂
LOL, Lewis! I saw a bunch of dolls, but didn’t put it together that a lot were clowns. I don’t know. I guess no matter how you do a clown they’re just creepy!
Sarah, that is very interesting! It’ll be neat if it opens too. I’ll keep my eye on it. Thanks for reminding me about AGW. (I always forget about them, but I shouldn’t. They have a bunch of great stuff on their site.)
It sounds like your have a few great haunt jaunts ahead of you. Post the details after your visits…
Wonderful post! I have never been to a haunted museum. These sound like a great idea for a haunt jaunt while tavelling. Thanks for the list.
Thanks Julie and Jessica! And, Jessica, I bet you might have been to a haunted museum before, but maybe not one dedicated to the paranormal. Is that what you were trying to say?? (Because I can’t believe you haven’t been to a haunted museum before! lol)
SOUNDS LIKE FUN GOING TO A HAUNTED MUSEUM!!!!!!!!! COURTNEY .
You can go to some of them right through your computer, Andy. You should try them and tell me what you think.
WHATS THE WEBSETS LINKS ARE.? SO ICAN LOOK THEM UP. COURTNEY.
I hyper linked them in the article above so you should be able to click right through. Just click on the museum name. #s 1, 4 & 5 are all online. Hope that helps, Andy!
IT WAS GOOD WEB SETS. THANK YOU. COURTNEY
Oh, great! I’m glad you had a chance to check them out. THANKS for letting me know, Andy!
Oh how exciting! Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me know about this!
Interesting abut the clown issue. I have had experiences all my life. Could it be because of a stuffed Bozo The Clown doll i recieved when i was 2yrs old? I still have it.