Explore Baltimore! Dr. Gloom’s Crypt of Curiosities

April 30th, 2022 by Ronnie Gruseck

What: Museum

When: Open 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. every day except for Monday

Where: 836 Leadenhall St, Baltimore MD 21230

Reviewed by: Amelia Dunat

Fiji mermaids, mummified remains, and varying re-creations of monsters are some of the peculiar items you might find on a strange self-guided tour of Dr. Gloom’s Crypt of Curiosities, located by the backroom of the Protean Book and Record Store. The artifacts are from all over the world and this display also includes reactions of characters from myths and folklore. The original “Crypt of Curiosities” was opened by Dr. Augustus Gloom in 1954. He was a strange man interested in death and bizarre creatures, so his hobbies quickly led him to accumulate a collection of unusual artifacts from all across the US.

His wife sold his collection when he passed in 1977, and the new owner gave small-group tours to eager visitors from around the world for decades. In 2015, horror filmmaker Chris LaMartina became the new owner of the collection. LaMartina relocated the collection to the current museum in Baltimore, where it remains today. This experience is free and open to all ages, but parental discretion is advised! Also, once you enter the store and want to view this collection, make sure to tell a staff member you’re going inside so they can turn on additional lights to brighten up the displays.