A Visit to the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft

Earlier this year at the end of June, My partner and I took a journey into the mystical world of witchcraft at the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft, nestled in the vibrant city of Cleveland, Ohio. This small but jam packed museum started as the collection of Raymond Buckland, one of the godfathers of the American witchcraft movement. As a student of Gerald Gardner himself, Raymond was one of the first to herald the word of the craft in the United States.

Join me as we explore the some of the captivating exhibits throughout the museum including a “special exhibit” we were invited to see.

The Buckland Museum’s Tasseography Room!

As you step into the tasseography room at the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft, a sense of intrigue fills the air. The Mad Hatter would have a FIELD DAY with all these teacups! I have a huge love for tasseography cups so this was probably my favorite room. Any teacup can be used to read tea leaves, but stylized cups with symbols and sections printed on them are so fun! I have a “Cup of Destiny” cup that I love, but now I want to collect a ton more!

 

I had to take a moment to appreciate the craftsmanship and artistry that went into creating these beautiful cups. Their ornate patterns and symbols hold hidden meanings, and it’s easy to get lost in their enchanting details. Some of them dated back decades, some almost 100 years old. I didn’t realize these styles of tea leaf reading cups had been so popular in the past. I’m not sure why I thought it was a more recent modern thing, but I’m please to see how long these types of things have been around.

 

Cup of Destiny^ This particular one is not from museum, just shown as an example. However, there was one of these and other older versions this was inspired by included in the collection – This particular one, the Cup of Destiny, comes with an amazingly useful book plus the cup and saucer! You can get it here:

 

Mike Schiavone’s Catacomb Saints

Buckland Museum’s Website States:

“Mike is thrilled and honored to debut his newest line of work at the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick, the Catacomb Saints.  Inspired by medieval European religious art and tradition, Mike has  created his interpretation of these relics. Using found objects, vintage  jewelry, antique elements, fabric and jewels, he has endeavored to  create and venerate secular saints and sinners. These bejeweled skulls  are an homage to the beautiful and macabre decorated skeletons of  martyrs and saints found throughout ancient churches across the world.   In this series, Mike explores an alternate reality, where secular icons  and “sinners” are posthumously celebrated, instead of the pious.”

 

Of course they have this lovely seal for on the floor for pictures. I have no idea what the seal actually is… but it’s fiiiine. lol

The Michelle Belanger Collection

When Tim and I first arrived to the Museum, our tour guide separated and staged us in pairs around the room, I assume so he could easily talk to everyone during his beginning introduction about the Museum, Raymond Buckland, and an overview of the artifacts. Before he goes on to his opening monologue, he turns to us and asks “Did you two go to Gather?” We replied “yes”, of course. “I have some special things to show you two in just a moment.”

Oh?! Tim and I were intrigued. Turned out, Michelle Belanger had given the museum some of their early work to be included in the Museum’s collection. I was stunned, as I was not expecting this at all. Apparently Michelle had said something to others in the HK Discord Server but I’m terrible at paying attention to Discord Servers, especially ones that aren’t mine.

Anywho, there were a lot of things in that box, but I was only able to take a glimpse at them quickly. Part of me wants to reach out to them and see if I buy a ticket for every tour they have in a single day if they’d let me sit and read through all of that material.

Inside the box was a few of the original Shadowlands Zines from 1993-1994, some other paperwork, and two things I did manage to get pictures of:

Michelle’s Original Handwritten Kheprian Rituals Book:

 

and an original Sanguinarium Press edition of the Vampyre Codex…. which I didn’t even realize was a thing.

In the above picture you can see the box full of stuff in the background that belonged to Michelle all ranging from the early 90’s to the mid 2000’s. I *really* want to reach out to them and ask if I can sit and read through that stuff. I will drive my happy ass back to Cleveland for that. Maybe one day…

Other Things In The Buckland Witchcraft Museum

See that little dragonesque dude hanging there? That’s an original H.R. Giger piece. It’s one of the most expensive things they’ve purchased for this collection, especially being most of the things they have here were donated.

It happens to be hanging right next to one of Oberon Zell’s staves.

 

There’s really just so much cool stuff here

I highly recommend taking a visit to the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft in Cleveland, Ohio. They offer an immersive experience into the enchanting realm of witchcraft and divination. Between the vibe and architecture of the building, the extensive collection of artifacts from so many paths under the witch umbrella, and the ornate and artistic nature of everything therein, it’s a remarkable capsule of beauty and history to dive into.

As you leave the museum, you carry with you a newfound appreciation for the extraordinary history and dedication of the forefathers of the modern witchcraft movement. The Buckland Museum of Witchcraft leaves an indelible mark, reminding us of the enduring fascination with the occult and the power of the individuals who have and continue to shape and illuminate the path ahead for witches to come.