Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, Philadelphia

The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site is a well-preserved house that was once rented by the famous American author Edgar Allan Poe. Although Poe lived in several houses during his time in Philadelphia from 1837 to 1844, this particular house is the only one that still exists today. The site encompasses not only Poe's former residence but also two neighboring houses that were built after Poe had already left Philadelphia.

Inside the house, the rooms have been intentionally left in a state of decay, and they are not furnished to resemble how they looked during Poe's time. The adjacent buildings include a welcome area, a gift shop, a film screening room, and some small exhibits. Additionally, there's a reading room decorated according to Poe's ideas from his essay "The Philosophy of Furniture." This room, the only one on the site that is furnished to recreate the 19th-century ambiance, was not originally part of Poe's home. It contains a comprehensive collection of Poe's literary works, including critical writings, as well as audio interpretations of his writings.

Outside the house, there is a statue of a large raven, symbolizing one of Poe's most famous poems, "The Raven." The cellar in the house resembles the one described in Poe's story "The Black Cat," which he wrote while living in Philadelphia. While the house itself does not contain any belongings that originally belonged to the Poe family, many such items are on display at the nearby Free Library of Philadelphia.