Description

Hammond Castle Museum is pleased to present the return of Spiritualism Tours in August, September & October. 

Thursday nights at  9pm.
August: 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31
September: 7, 14, 21 & 28

Thursday Nights: 6, 7, 8 & 9pm
October:  5, 12, 19, & 26 (and Wednesdays, October 18 & 25 too) 

Since its completion in 1929, Hammond Castle Museum has attracted rumors and urban legends of supernatural association and occult happening. While most of these wild stories can be dismissed as pure fiction, the building occupies a fascinating place within the broader historical context of the development of spiritualist and spiritualist-adjacent fields in American culture. The spiritualist movement enthralled America’s upper and middle class during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Both John Hays Hammond Jr. and his wife, Irene, were fascinated with wide-ranging topics including Astrology, Divination, Numerology, Extrasensory Perception (ESP), and Mediumship.

Every Thursday evening in August, September and October (and even a couple of Wednesday nights in October too) we offer Spiritualism Tours.  This specialty tour explores the history of American spiritualism, with a particular focus on contextualizing the movement within broader contemporary cultural trends and discussing the Hammonds’ own complicated engagements with these cultural phenomena. From John Hays Hammond Jr.’s attempts to communicate with supernatural entities using a Faraday Cage, to Irene Hammond’s work on a comprehensive survey of astrological signs; over the course of this approximately 55-minute fully-guided tour, the dramatic gothic-inspired architecture of the building and night-time atmosphere will set the stage for a fun and informative seasonal experience unlike any other!

Carry In/Carry Out Picnics: Guests may enjoy a carry in/carry out picnic on our seaside lawn before their tour on Thursday evenings in August! Reservations are $5 per party and start one hour prior to your ticketed evening tour. Reservations required in advance. Hammond Castle Museum members enjoy complimentary picnic reservations.

Member benefits apply to  Spiritualism Tour tickets.

All proceeds from this program will support the restoration and preservation of Hammond Castle Museum.