Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick – Cleveland, Ohio - Atlas Obscura
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Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick

Cleveland, Ohio

A collection of witchcraft artifacts and occult paraphernalia started by the leader of the Long Island Coven. 

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The crystal ball of Sybil Leek, a British witch and astrologer who crossed over into more mainstream culture during the 1960s and 70s. CoolCleveland (CC BY 2.0)
The crystal ball of Sybil Leek, a British witch and astrologer who crossed over into more mainstream culture during the 1960s and 70s. CoolCleveland (CC BY 2.0)
A roll of tickets from the original Buckland Museum. The collection recently had its reopening after years in storage. CoolCleveland (CC BY 2.0)
The gallery is part of Cleveland's A Separate Reality vintage record shop. CoolCleveland (CC BY 2.0)
Collection of fortune telling and tarot. Steven23 (Atlas Obscura User)
A selection of artwork. Steven23 (Atlas Obscura User)
A collection of jewelry and talisman. Steven23 (Atlas Obscura User)
The cloak of Raymond Buckland. CoolCleveland (CC BY 2.0)
Much of the collection is from Gerald Gardner's, including his besom. Steven23 (Atlas Obscura User)
A DIY helmet made from a mixing bowl. The same one seen below in "Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft". CoolCleveland (CC BY 2.0)
The gallery has a mix of historic artifacts and pop culture. CoolCleveland (CC BY 2.0)
Outside of the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft. bucklandmuseum (Atlas Obscura User)
Gardner’s artifacts Planetpinto (Atlas Obscura User)
The main gallery of the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft. bucklandmuseum (Atlas Obscura User)
Some very rare ouiji memorabilia in this collection. Hetaira Thais (Atlas Obscura User)
Mirror with Pan and Shell engraved ski queen (Atlas Obscura User)
Witch museum ahead! Steven23 (Atlas Obscura User)
Main gallery of the Buckland Museum Steven23 (Atlas Obscura User)
Yule fire ashes from 1969 jillianslane (Atlas Obscura User)
Bucklands’ ritual objects Planetpinto (Atlas Obscura User)
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It all started in a Bay Shore basement. It was the mid-1960s, and Raymond Buckland, leader of what became known as the Long Island Coven, had been collecting historical witchcraft objects, oddities, and occult paraphernalia for years. He amassed hundreds of pieces, and with shelves bursting he eventually moved into larger quarters, opening the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick.

Buckland was inspired by his mentor Gerald Gardner, and the museum has many objects originally owned by the father of “Gardnerian” Wicca. Alongside are Egyptian funerary figurines called “ushabtis,” and artifacts owned by magicians, astrologers, fortune tellers, and pagan community elders. There is even an Alruan, a carved mandrake root.

In addition to being a coven leader, Buckland was a busy writer and lecturer on the move, and his collection came along with him. Over the years it lived in New Hampshire, came through some legal disputes in New Orleans, and eventually ended up in storage in Columbus, Ohio. Now, with a new curator and small museum to show it off, it has been risen again as the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick.

Although space is limited, a large portion of the collection is on display. There’s even room for the Demon in a Box, captured by Buckland in the 1970s with the help of a ceremonial magician.

Know Before You Go

The museum is located about 10 minutes from downtown.


Parking behind the building and along the street. Photos are allowed (no flash) but the curator respectfully asks no video.


Check the museum's website for current opening times and tickets.

aletrail occult witchcraft magic collections museums and collections museums
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