(UPDATED) The Warren Occult Museum is on the way back to Salem

The Warren Occult Museum is on the way back to Salem

May 21, 2026:  It appears that the Warren Occult Museum is back en route to Salem.

Business partners Elton Castee and Matt Rife inked a deal May 15 to bring the museum to the Blackcraft location at 259 Essex Street that they explored earlier this year.

In late March and early April, the museum backers met with the city council and discussed plans to stay open until 2 am. The council refused to let the museum stay open until 2 am and allowed the museum to stay open until midnight. The museum backers then scrapped their plans for Salem, planning instead to go to New York City.  One month later, they have come back to Salem.

The museum is set to open August 26. It will operate on one floor of the building in order to be ADA compliant. The museum backers are hoping to open earlier in August if possible. They can only operate until midnight, but they are seeking a different license that would allow them to stay open until 1 am.

"We wanted to be in a place that we can accent with the community," explained Castee. "And Salem is that community."

They have not revealed why they didn't open in NYC but they provided a hint in their recent live stream that the museum will only be in its location until December. They will move to a permanent location but did not reveal where.

"As soon as we are confident that the new location is ready, we will move," said Castee.

In their live stream, they explained that there will be 13 exhibits and maybe 15.

It will not just be the Annabelle doll and other paranormal items. Castee indicated that it will include "alternative history" that includes artifacts of Houdini, Aztec, Mayans, Inca and other surprises.

"It's going to be items that have not been seen before by the public," said Castee. "We have some stuff that might be connected to Danvers and the witch trials."

The entrance to the museum will be from Barton Square at the back of the old bank. They will have 4,000 square feet of exhibit space.

UPDATE APR. 12 2026: The Warren Occult Museum has decided not to come to Salem because the city councilors will not allow the museum to stay open past midnight in a residential neighborhood.

The museum backers have decided to take the museum to New York City. The following is a post about the issue from City Councilor Ty Hapworth. “The museum sought to open on Essex Street in Salem, featuring items from the Conjuring universe, allegedly including the Annabelle doll. They asked to stay open until 2 a.m.

We said no and granted more reasonable hours for the neighborhood where they want to operate. That’s led to a broader question: if so many people found this museum distasteful or wrong for Salem, why couldn’t the City just say no to the business altogether? Because the Constitution doesn’t give government that kind of power.

The petition circulating called on the City to revisit and revoke approval, deny permits tied to

the exhibit, and reject the project because it was seen as inconsistent with Salem’s history, culture, and spiritual community. People are absolutely free to make those arguments. But

those are arguments about identity and taste. On their own, they aren’t a lawful basis for

government to block a business.

We don’t get to decide which lawful businesses are allowed to exist based on whether we think they’re respectful enough, authentic enough, or good enough for Salem’s image. We don’t get to play SimCity with private enterprise.

Our authority is much narrower than that. What was before the City was not a broad moral

veto over the business itself. It was a limited municipal question about operating hours. In that narrow lane, the City can make decisions about operational issues and real impacts on the surrounding area, within the bounds of the law.

Residents have every right to speak up. Government has strict limits, and it should. We aren’t

cultural gatekeepers. Our job is to apply the law within the authority we actually have.

And for what it’s worth, this museum wouldn’t be my choice. I think Salem’s history, culture,

and spiritual life are far richer and more meaningful than this kind of attraction. But that

doesn’t change the legal question.”

APR. 3, 2026: The Warren Occult Museum—the world’s most famous collection of haunted

artifacts—is coming to Salem in August 2026.

The artifacts are the result of thousands of paranormal investigations spanning over 50 years by Ed and Lorraine Warren. Their major cases included the Amityville haunting, Annabelle doll, and Perron farmhouse. Their work influenced pop culture through the Conjuring movie franchise.

Ed was a self-taught demonologist and Lorraine a clairvoyant medium. They founded the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) in 1952.

The artifacts have been under lock and key in a quiet Connecticut basement. But as of early

2026, the spirits are officially finding a new home in the Witch City. If you’re a paranormal

enthusiast or a fan of The Conjuring universe, grab your holy water and plan your trip.

The Haunted Warren Museum is set to take over 259 Essex Street, located right in the heart of the downtown and neighbor to the iconic Blackcraft Cult store, placing the museum at the

epicenter of Salem’s tourism.

The museum is designed as an indoor, ticketed entertainment experience. Here’s the latest

plans submitted to the Salem City Council.

14 Exhibit Spaces: The museum will feature over a dozen dedicated rooms housing

paranormal artifacts collected by Ed and Lorraine Warren over their 50-year career.

The Crown Jewel: Yes, Annabelle is expected to be the main attraction. The infamous

Raggedy Ann doll will reportedly be housed in her own secure area, hopefully still

behind her Warning: Do Not Open glass.

Immersive Atmosphere: Unlike the cramped basement of the past, this new space is

designed for a 90-minute to 2-hour experience, allowing fans to truly soak in the history

(and the chills) of each item. The move feels like a homecoming of sorts. Salem is already the global capital of the macabre, and the addition of the Warren collection cements its status as the ultimate destination for the supernatural. There’s no denying that bringing the world's most famous haunted doll to a city built on witch trials is a perfect combination.

The approved hours for the museum are Sunday-Thursday from 6 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday -

Saturday 6 a.m. - 12 a.m. No food or alcohol is permitted inside. Given Salem’s explosive

popularity during Haunted Happenings in October, tickets for the Warren Museum are expected to sell out months in advance.

The artifacts are the result of thousands of paranormal investigations spanning over 50 years by Ed and Lorraine Warren. Their major cases included the Amityville haunting, Annabelle doll, and Perron farmhouse. Their work influenced pop culture through the Conjuring movie franchise. Ed was a self-taught demonologist and Lorraine a clairvoyant medium. They founded the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) in 1952.

The artifacts have been under lock and key in a quiet Connecticut basement. But as of early

2026, the spirits are officially finding a new home in the Witch City. If you’re a paranormal

enthusiast or a fan of The Conjuring universe, grab your holy water and plan your trip.

The Haunted Warren Museum is set to take over 259 Essex Street, located right in the heart of the downtown and neighbor to the iconic Blackcraft Cult store, placing the museum at the

epicenter of Salem’s tourism.

The museum is designed as an indoor, ticketed entertainment experience. Here’s the latest

plans submitted to the Salem City Council.

 14 Exhibit Spaces: The museum will feature over a dozen dedicated rooms housing

paranormal artifacts collected by Ed and Lorraine Warren over their 50-year career.

 The Crown Jewel: Yes, Annabelle is expected to be the main attraction. The infamous

Raggedy Ann doll will reportedly be housed in her own secure area, hopefully still

behind her "Warning: Positively Do Not Open" glass.

 Immersive Atmosphere: Unlike the cramped basement of the past, this new space is

designed for a 90-minute to 2-hour experience, allowing fans to truly soak in the history

(and the chills) of each item.

The move feels like a homecoming of sorts. Salem is already the global capital of the macabre, and the addition of the Warren collection cements its status as the ultimate destination for the supernatural. There’s no denying that bringing the worlds most famous doll to a city built on witch trials is a perfect combination.

The approved hours for the museum are Sunday-Thursday from 6 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday-

Saturday 6 a.m. - 12 a.m. No food or alcohol is permitted inside. Given Salem’s explosive

popularity during Haunted Happenings in October.