Paranormal investigation group to open Museum of Haunted History in St. Pete
/A 1939-built bungalow at 4754 1st Avenue North will be the new home of the Museum of Haunted History in St. pete | St Pete Rising
Just in time for Halloween, a 1939 bungalow in the Central Oak Park neighborhood will become a new home for St. Petersburg’s paranormal activity.
Dr. Brandy Stark, founder of Spirits of St. Petersburg, will soft open the Museum of Haunted History at 4754 1st Avenue North on Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The museum will display haunted and historic objects, including a wedding dress associated with a spirit named Irene, antiques, dolls, and artifacts from the group’s past investigations.
It will also include a spiritual apothecary and space for psychic readings, workshops, meetings, and future overnight investigations.
Stark has been investigating paranormal activity since 1997. She has led local ghost tours, investigated hundreds of cases, and written Supernatural St. Petersburg and Paranormal Pinellas Vol. 1 & 2.
“I’ve always wanted to present the supernatural in a manner that, number one, is safe, number two, is educational, and number three, is a little bit of fun,” Stark said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.
The museum is a more permanent version of a pop-up paranormal museum Stark opened in 2019 at her ArtLofts studio with support from the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance.
Finding the right building took years. Stark wanted an older property she could preserve, an idea shaped in part by watching a well-maintained 1938 house beside her childhood home get demolished and replaced with a much larger house.
Dr. Brandy Stark, owner of the upcoming Museum of Haunted History | Spirits of St. Petersburg
“If we keep tearing down all these historic and older buildings, where are the ghosts going to go?” Stark said. “It’s a little tongue in cheek, but not really.”
Pinellas County property records show that Stark purchased the 952-square-foot bungalow for $342,500 in September.
The home had previously been bought by a developer and was slated for demolition, Stark said. City records show a demolition permit that was never carried out.
Since purchasing the property, Stark has upgraded its electrical and plumbing systems, installed a new air-conditioning unit and hot water heater, and is completing a new roof.
She plans to paint the exterior black and create a garden using plants collected or donated from historic and reportedly haunted sites around St. Pete.
One of the first plants is monkey grass Stark rescued during the demolition of the former inverted-pyramid St. Petersburg Pier. Although the pier has no known haunted history, she said it is tied to a local urban legend involving a supposed alien landing during the 1970s.
Stark also hopes to incorporate salvaged doors, windows, lampshades, doorknobs, and other architectural pieces from properties the group has investigated or that are facing demolition.
“Part of my goal is to also turn this museum into an architectural statement,” Stark said. “It’s a way to keep the property and its legend alive, and to make the building itself an exhibit, in addition to the exhibits inside.”
A wedding dress associated with a spirit named Irene will be on display at the Museum of Haunted History | Spirits of St. Petersburg
The museum will sell Stark’s books, crystals, pendulums, branded “Stay Spooky St. Pete” merchandise, and some dolls.
Planned additions include a Little Free Library of Supernatural Stuff, a supernatural trinket trade drawer, and a windphone, an old-fashioned telephone installation intended for reflection or for people who want to speak to loved ones who have died.
Stark said members of the group believe the bungalow may already have its own resident spirit. A team member sensed someone in the home during an early walkthrough, and Stark said the group has since recorded what they believe are unexplained voices and responses through a spirit box. They have informally named the presence William, possibly after the home’s original owner.
“I want to protect the building. I want to protect any ghosts that might be here, but also give people an opportunity to have a way to deal with what sometimes is a pop cultural phenomenon or sometimes can be a scary topic, but in a safe space,” Stark said.
The Museum of Haunted History will initially be open Fridays through Sundays, with exact hours still being finalized. It will serve as the home base for Spirits of St. Petersburg, allowing members to review evidence, host classes, and continue the ghost tours and investigations they have led for years.
A grand opening is planned for February 2027 alongside Stark’s annual Valentwe’en art show, a tongue-in-cheek “second Halloween” celebration. The next show, titled Love Letters to the Dearly Departed, will invite artists and attendees to honor celebrities and public figures who have died.
The property’s detached garage will eventually be converted into a rentable artist studio.
