More Than Pennies: Double Your Gift for Poe End of YearA matching grant means your donation is doubled to support expansion at the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum in Baltimore

When visitors step into the tiny brick house at Amity Street, they often fall silent. They look around at the narrow stair, the worn floorboards, the small rooms where a young Edgar Allan Poe lived with his family — and where he began the writing career that helped shape America’s literary tradition. That moment of wonder is only possible because supporters keep this National Historic Landmark open, protected, and alive.

Now, as we approach the New Year, the Poe House is entering one of its most critical chapters. Demolition of the Poe Homes next door will begin in early 2026, placing the historic house at real risk as heavy machinery moves just feet away. To keep the site safe and accessible, we must strengthen security, improve lighting, and continue activating the property with our outdoor gallery so that the house remains welcoming throughout this transition. Donated support is essential to protect this irreplaceable home during a vulnerable time.

At the same moment, America’s 250th anniversary draws near — a national milestone that will shine a spotlight on stories that shaped our country. Poe’s voice is central to that story, and with your help, the Poe House will stand ready to represent Baltimore and the nation.

Thanks to a generous grant that includes matching support, your gift will be doubled — protecting Poe’s home now and helping build the expanded museum ahead.

Your gift supports:

• Protection and preservation during demolition — including enhanced security,lighting, and site activation that keep the Poe House safe and welcoming.
• Design and planning for the new Poe House museum, including galleries,community space, a literary garden, and expanded room for our collections.
• Programs that connect Poe’s legacy to new generations, including the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards, youth arts partnerships, and the new members-only experiences launching next year.

This is a rare moment when your support not only preserves the past but ensures the future. With your help, the Poe House will remain a cultural anchor through neighborhood change — and emerge ready to welcome the world for America 250 and beyond. Will you make a year-end gift — now doubled in impact — to protect Poe’s historic home and help build the museum his legacy deserves?

Yours in Poe,

Enrica Jang

Executive Director, Poe Baltimore

Poe Baltimore Programming in 2026

• Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum Tours
• America 250 & The Poe Death Exhibit at historic Carroll Mansion
• The Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards & Young Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards
• The Poe Toaster Murder Mystery at Westminster Hall
• Poe’s Death in Baltimore Bus Tours
• Revolution & Rememberance: Baltimore Patriots & The Poe Family Tours
• Ghastly Galentine Gothic Tea Party
• Pints for Poe
• Poe Baltimore Membership and The Tell-Tale Travel Club

and

• The International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards!

Three Cities, Three Stories: Poe Baltimore Shares New Vision Abroad

This summer, Poe Baltimore embarks on a milestone journey to honor the legacy of Edgar Allan Poe, explore the roots of his extraordinary story, and share what lies ahead for the museum that bears his name. Executive Director Enrica Jang will represent the organization during a series of literary and historical engagements in Paris, Ayrshire (Scotland), and London, marking the first time Poe Baltimore’s new museum designs will be introduced abroad.

From Revolutionary history to literary legacy, this journey reveals the global threads woven into Poe’s life story.

1. Paris, France | June 25
Jang will participate in the annual flag replacement ceremony at the grave of the Marquis de Lafayette, representing Poe Baltimore and the American Friends of Lafayette. Held at Picpus Cemetery in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Paris, the ceremony honors Lafayette’s critical role in the American Revolution—and his ties to Poe’s family. Poe Baltimore’s related exhibit, “Poe, Revolution, and the Marquis de Lafayette,” is on view now at Carroll Mansion in Baltimore.

2. Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland | June 26
In Scotland, Jang will visit sites connected to Poe’s foster family, the Allans. Irvine tradition holds that young Edgar received some of his earliest reading lessons by tracing names and epitaphs on gravestones. This poetic origin story bridges Poe’s formative years with the themes that would later define his work. On Thursday, June 26, Enrica will share a talk about the enduring mystery of Edgar Allan Poe’s death at “Poe, a Pie and Prosecco,” event hosted by Scottish Poe group, POEtic Justice Productions, at the Harbour Arts Center in Irvine. The event will also feature Scottish author, Allan Martin. Tickets available!

3. Paris, France | July 3
Poe Baltimore will present at the International Poe Conference, alongside Poe scholars and literary professionals from around the world, to share the newest design concepts for the expanded Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum.  The Poe House Director will be joined by Poe Baltimore Board member, Professor Amy Armiento, and David Gaylin, President of the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore. The conference is hosted by the Poe Studies Association, an International association of Poe and literary scholars. The conference presentation is made possible through a generous grant from the Maryland State Arts Council.

4. London, England | July 5
The final stop brings Poe Baltimore to the Charles Dickens Museum, where Jang will speak on the transatlantic relationship between Dickens and Poe. Though their connection was brief, the literary kinship between these two authors reveals a shared fascination with serialization, satire, and the macabre. For museum info visit the Dickens Museum website.

Follow the Journey
This trip represents a turning point for Poe Baltimore, connecting past and future, local and global. For updates, follow along at poeinbaltimore.org and on social media @PoeBaltimore.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2025 (updated May 6, 2025)
Wells Fargo Commits First Funding for Historic Poe House

Baltimore, MD, May 1, 2025–Poe Baltimore, the non-profit that stewards the historic Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum is proud to announce the Wells Fargo Foundation as inaugural donor of $150,000 for planned expansion and preservation of the historic site. The museum submitted plans for a major expansion at the Baltimore City Urban Design and Architectural Planning Board (UDAAP) in April. The multi-phase, multi-year expansion, proposes up to 17,000 additional square feet for ongoing and special exhibits in multiple galleries, an auditorium, reading room, special collections and exhibits, a literary garden, and expanded space for museum operations and gift shop. Poe Baltimore is completing schematic design for the expansion this Spring and plans to launch a major capital campaign to raise funds for the expansion that is projected to take place in two phases over several years.

“We are proud to support this transformative expansion, which will add 17,000 square feet of new space and enhance the museum’s ability to inspire, educate, and engage the community for years to come. This collaboration reflects our commitment to preserving history, fostering cultural enrichment, and investing in spaces that bring people together,” said Traci Horne, Vice President and Sr. Philanthropy & Community Impact Leader.

The project goals are foremost to preserve Poe House, the historic home of Edgar Allan Poe in Baltimore, as neighboring public housing in Poppleton are developed around the historic site. Collectively, the new spaces will celebrate the Poe House and further cement Edgar Allan Poe’s legacy in Baltimore, which in turn will allow the museum to better serve and engage with the surrounding community and the thousands of Poe fans from around the world who travel to Baltimore to learn about his life and legendary works.

“We are excited to expand our ability to engage residents, neighbors, and visitors from around the world. This once-in-a-generation project will allow us to honor Edgar Allan Poe’s legacy and inspire even more people through dedicated spaces for exhibits, programs, and education. We are deeply grateful to Wells Fargo for sharing this vision.,” said Enrica Jang, Executive Director for Poe Baltimore.

Planning for the expansion began during the “Transform Poe” community study conducted by the Housing Authority of Baltimore City for the redevelopment of the Poe Homes public housing which adjoins the historic site. The report recommended more space for the Poe House and Museum, a plan presented and approved by HUD in 2021. Once the Capital Campaign is completed, new construction will begin around the Poe House and will include multiple gallery spaces, an auditorium/event space and enhanced visitor center. A second round of comment review from UDAAP is complete (rendering is available upon request, updated May 6, 2025.)

Poe Baltimore is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created to fund, maintain and interpret The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, and to celebrate the legacy of one of Baltimore’s most famous residents. The organization is dedicated to maintaining the museum as a vibrant experience for the thousands of visitors who come from around the world each year, and as part of a broader mission of city-wide events and educational opportunities celebrating Poe’s legacy in Baltimore and beyond.

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