If you are fascinated by magic, witchcraft, and the occult, there are many fascinating museums around the world that dive deep into these topics, with genuine historical artifacts.
From museums dedicated to ancient pagan magical practices to false modern witch trials, these are the ten best, must-see museums of witchcraft and Wicca from around the world.
1. Museum of Witchcraft – Cornwall, UK
Cornwall’s Museum of Witchcraft and Magic is probably the best witchcraft museum in the world.
Located in Boscastle, when you enter, you will be greeted by an eight-foot willow sculpture of the Celtic horned god Cernunnos.
This leads to a collection of 4,500 objects and 8,000 books related to magic and witchcraft from around the world, but especially England.
Expect Tart cards, magic wands, gnostic charms, and poppets.
The interior mimics the interior of a traditional cunning woman’s cottage associated with witches.
While there are the obligatory British witch trial exhibitions, displays focus on pagan religion and Wicca, with displays on alchemy, ceremonial magic, and Freemasonry.
There are objects that belonged to famous occultists, including objects owned by Gerald Gardner, the founder and Wicca, and Aleister Crowley, the infamous occultist and sex magician.
There are also WWI charms used by soldiers in the war, a straw costume worn by the Shetland Islands skekler, and first edition copies of Tudor books on witchcraft.
Founded by the folk magician Cecil Williamson in 1951 to display his personal collection, it is now a curated independent museum.
He wanted to open the museum in Stratford-upon-Avon but was blocked by local opposition.
Instead, he opened the museum on the Isle of Man with Gardner as his “resident witch.”
The museum moved a few more times before finding its current home in 1960.
It is now a pilgrimage site for modern witches and occult practitioners.
2. The Salem Witch Museum – Salem, MA, USA
No place is more associated with the idea of witchcraft than Salem, due to the infamous witch trials held there between 1692-1693.
Rather than being a museum about witches, this is a museum about the hysteria that led to the witch trials and the tragic results for many members of the community.
The museum is a starting point to explore a variety of sites linked to the witch trials.
This includes the Rebecca Nurse Homestead, where the 70-year-old, bedridden Rebecca Nurse was arrested for afflicting her neighbors in spectral form.
She was later executed, and her body retrieved by her family and buried on the homestead, as her conviction meant that she could not be buried on sacred grounds.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Witch House is a black house that was the residence of one of the judges, Jonathan Corwin, during the trials.
You can also visit the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, dedicated to the 20 victims executed during the trials, though many more died in jail due to the appalling conditions.
You can also visit Gallows Hill, where the actual executions take place, not to be mistaken with Proctor’s Ledge, which was previously falsely identified s Gallows Hill.
3. Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft – Holmavik, Iceland
Our Viking lovers will be drawn to this Icelandic museum dedicated to the magical practices preserved in Icelandic grimoires, in part inspired by Norse rune magic but rooted in Renaissance Christian magic.
Located in a small town on the Strandir peninsula with a population of around 300, it is one of the biggest attractions in the Westfjords, a region with a long history of witchcraft.
The museums hold magical manuscripts and objects created within the Icelandic tradition.
There are also fun exhibits, like a zombie rising from the floor to greet you.
The museum also tells the story of 20 sorcerers who were put to death in the region in the 17th century, usually mostly men.
There is strong evidence that they were targeted for political reasons, while elsewhere, women living on the fringes of society and beyond the control of men were the prime targets.
4. The Warren Occult Museum – Munroe, CT, USA
We almost did not include this one on the list because the museum closed when Lorraine Warren died on April 18, 2019, but her nephew is currently seeking a new place for the museum, and it promises to reopen soon.
Ed and Lorraine Warren and the most famous paranormal investigators in history, largely due to their efforts to raise awareness about hauntings and possessions and their heavily publicised ghost hunting work.
Their museum is home to the artifacts they collected over their long career.
The collection includes an alleged vampire coffin, a child’s tombstone used as a satanic altar, and other objects reportedly touched by evil.
The collection includes the famous Raggedy Ann doll named Annabelle, which inspired the popular movies.
Whether or not you believe all the stories connected to the Warrens, the collection is fascinating and we hope it reopens soon.
5. Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick – Cleveland, OH, USA
This museum is a celebration of witchcraft, the occult, and the paranormal in various cultures around the world.
It has genuine artifacts linked to astrology, ceremonial magick, Voodoo, divination, alchemy, and more.
The museum is built on a collection that belonged to the famed writer Raymond Buckland and includes pieces that belonged to prominent members of the pagan community, including Aleister Crowley and Gerald Gardner, the founder of Wicca.
Buckland himself was initiated into Wicca in 1962 and then initiated his wife and children in his first step toward bringing Wicca to the US.
He went on to found the Seax-Wica group.
You can see objects like Aleister Crowley’s trident wand, a demon box, a horned pipe that belonged to Gerald Gardner, and a vessel containing the fur of Lil Bub, reportedly a magical cat from outer space.
6. Museo dei Tarocchi – Riola, Italy
For those fascinated by Tarot, there is no better place to visit, especially since Italy was the birthplace of Tarot (the Egyptian connection is a fabricated myth).
It is located on the route between Pistoia and Bologna in a small mountain village, set up by two Tarot scholars, who have written more than 40 books on the topic, between 1994 and 2007.
Located in a 16th-century home, the museum explores the history of the Tarot and the art of modern decks, not just from Europe but also India and Africa.
There are also many antique books and modern publications for researchers.
An eclectic passion project, you will also see collages, sculptures, paintings, graphics, photos, videos, reports, music performances, and more.
The venue regularly holds Tarit festivals and cultural events.
7. New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum
New Orleans is known for its mystical atmosphere, mostly connected to the Voodoo tradition.
While there are many historical and fascinating places to visit, the Voodoo Historic Museum is a great place to start.
Founded in 1972, the museum has an interesting collection including altars, offerings, paintings, statues, and more.
It also explores the lives of famous historical figures from the Voodoo community and explores the syncretism of African religion with Catholicism.
The museum also leads Voodoo walking tours of the city, including important stops such as Congo Square and Marie Laveau’s House.
You can book sessions with psychic readers and Voodoo practitioners, or book a time to consult the museum’s extensive archive.
8. The Witches Garden – Mitta Mitta, Australia
This four-acre garden in Victoria, Australia, was planted with plants for food, medicine, and poison inspired by the tradition of Celtic witches.
There is also a cottage on the grounds which acts as a museum of witchcraft and a broomstick gallery.
You can visit for the day, or stay for a while in the guesthouse to truly immerse yourself in the tranquility of the area.
When you are in the area, there are a couple of excellent witchcraft shops in Melbourne.
The Spellbox is a popular store with a range of spell equipment, including herbs, incense, Tarot cards, candles, crystals, spellbooks, and more.
They also host events and workshops, such as moon magic spells and Norse magic workshops.
The Magick of Artemis is another popular witchcraft and occult store in Melbourne Port.
Elfhame in Olinda is another store that also hosts spell workshops, consultations, and various workshops and courses.
9. Museum of Witchcraft – Brugge, Belgium
This is a new museum, opened in 2024, which converted an escape room into an educational space about the myths and history of witchcraft, inspired by the Witches of Bruegel exhibition held in the city in 2016.
Like many witchcraft museums, it focuses on the witch trials and the myths and confusion that saw thousands of people unfairly persecuted for heresy and witchcraft.
The exhibition includes a set of scales from 1638 that was used to see if a woman was a witch based on her weight (heavy women could not fly on a broom).
There is also a ducking stool that was used to hold women underwater until they admitted they were witches.
The museum also explores how witches are represented today in modern art and culture.
10. Witchcraft Museum of Zugarramurdi – Navarra, Spain
Located in Zugarramurdi, right on the Spanish-French border, this museum explores some of the most tragic events of the Spanish Inquisition in 1610, which earned the village the name “the town of witches.”
Visitors enter the story with a young woman from the town who said that she had dreams that she had flown and seen people in the town taking part in the witches’ sabbat.
While the local clergy tried to deal with the issue, soon the Holy Inquisition became involved.
They put 53 people on trial, most of whom died in prison while awaiting trial, though 11 people were burned at the stake.
Similar stories survive from 64 other villages in the area.
As well as preserving the stories of the victims, the museum explores folk practices from the region, including medicinal plants and ancient rituals.
