By Tim Binnall
The infamous 'Annabelle' doll will soon be on the move as the purportedly haunted object is reportedly set to become the centerpiece of a new museum, fittingly located in Salem, Massachusetts. Legendary demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren transformed the toy into something of a paranormal icon decades ago after claiming that a sinister spirit dwelled inside the creepy Raggedy Ann. The doll subsequently became known to a new generation of high strangeness fans when Annabelle served as the 'star' of three movies in the Conjuring cinematic universe in the 2010s. Previously showcased at the Warren Occult Museum in Connecticut, alongside a bevy of artifacts from the late couple's years of research, the unsettling toy will have a new home later this summer.
Last August, YouTuber Elton Castee and comedian Matt Rife purchased the Warrens' Connecticut residence and struck a deal where they would become the 'caretakers' of the couple's collection. Earlier this year, the pair announced plans to showcase the eerie materials at a new museum in Salem. However, the endeavor briefly became bogged down in bureaucracy surrounding the site's proposed operating hours. Doubt was cast over the concept until the city signed off on the business with a closing time more amenable to the community. As such, on a livestream broadcast last Wednesday, Castee and Rife announced that the Haunted Warren Museum, albeit temporary for now, will open this coming August and remain in Salem through sometime around Christmas.
Beyond Annabelle, which will undoubtedly be the star attraction, the museum will showcase approximately 1,500 pieces from the Warrens' collection as well as artifacts associated with the 1692 Witchcraft Trials and notorious cults, like Heaven's Gate and Jim Jones' Peoples Temple. Additionally, Castee and Rife have indicated that they are open to receiving suspected haunted objects from the members of the public who might want to rid themselves of such possessed items. Not unlike the Warren-connected 'Conjuring House', which the duo have also been attempting to purchase, the ultimate future of the museum is uncertain as it remains to be seen whether it will stay in Salem after the holiday season or move to a permanent home in another community.