Gettysburg is known as one of the most haunted places in the United States, and visitors can take ghost tours around town any night of the year. However, did you know that there’s also a museum dedicated to maintaining and telling the story of objects that are said to be haunted or paranormal?
The Gettysburg Museum of Haunted Objects is tucked away just off of Steinwehr Avenue near the Gettysburg National Cemetery and the popular Dobbin House Tavern. It has been open to the public since 2018.
Before I get too far into this article, let me state that when it comes to this sort of stuff, I’m very much a skeptic, though others might say I’m closed off to the spirit realm. Regardless, while this isn’t my usual sort of thing, I did find it an interesting place to visit because of the stories and the actual history associated with the items in the museum.
And while I didn’t experience anything during my visit, the earnestness of my guide certainly leads me to believe that some do experience things when visiting the Gettysburg Museum of Haunted Objects, so make of that what you will.
The building that houses the museum consists of two large rooms. The first being a gift shop with the second, larger room being the museum itself.
The gift shop consists of a combination of Gettysburg souvenirs, locally-made goods, and metaphysical items. While it’s not as large as many of the other gift shops in town, it’s worth checking out, especially if you are waiting for your tour.
The tour portion of the museum is located in a large room with dozens of items stored on the shelves. The room is completely dark and lit only by the guide’s flashlight.
All of the items on display are said to be haunted, something that is confirmed at an off-site location. Sage has been put in the walls to keep the spirits inside the room.
Tours last about an hour, and guides leads you through the space talking about some, but not all of the objects. My assumption is that every tour is a bit different with guides talking about their favorite objects, but I’ve only done the tour once, so I can’t confirm this.
At each item you stop at, guides spend a few minutes talking about it, its history, the paranormal stories associate with it, and even sharing personal stories and encounters that they or other visitors have had with the items. Evidently people have even seen some of the dolls and other human-shaped figures move or make noise.
Obviously, given he nature of the space, tours are very heavily focused on the paranormal. However, even if you, like me, aren’t overly interested in the paranormal aspects of the items, there are many very cool items on display, and some have really interesting histories. Plus, who doesn’t love a good ghost story?
One item I thought was particularly interesting was a wooden board that evidently was used for amputations during the Civil War and is said to be bloodstained. It came from a nearby farmhouse that was used as a hospital after the battle, so the history associated with it is very likely true.
Overall, my feelings about visiting the Gettysburg Museum of Haunted Objects comes down to your interest in the subject matter.
If you are very into the paranormal, and are looking for something unique to do in Adams County beyond the typical ghost tours, this is definitely a spot that you should add to your list. They even offer after-hours and VIP tours for those especially interested in the collection.
On the other hand, if you are a skeptic, it may or may not be somewhere worth checking out. Personally, I always enjoy learning about history and love visiting small museums with guides who are passionate about the subject matter, no matter what that subject is. Because of this, I enjoyed my visit, but it’s just worth noting that it might not be for all paranormal skeptics.
Looking for more things to do in Gettysburg? Check out Civil War Tails, the covered bridges of Adams County, and Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum.
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