The Poe Museum's mission is to educate the public about the life and work of the author Edgar Allan Poe. The Museum complex consists of four buildings containing the world's largest collection of Poe artifacts and memorabilia. The Museum's exhibits tell the story of Poe's life and times and highlight such major accomplishments as his invention of the detective story and his development of the science fiction genre. Guided tours are given for student and senior groups as well as for the general public. To foster an appreciation of Poe's works and his influence on other writers and artists the Poe Museum sponsors lectures