About Paranormal Books & Curiosities and The Paranormal Museum
America’s First Paranormal Museum | Est. 2008 | Asbury Park, NJ
Located in the heart of Asbury Park’s vibrant downtown, Paranormal Books & Curiosities and The Paranormal Museum have been welcoming the curious, the skeptical, and the believers since 2008. Founded by historian Kathy Kelly, we are proud to be America’s first museum dedicated exclusively to the paranormal — and a beloved institution in Asbury Park.
Our space combines a curated bookstore specializing in paranormal literature, folklore, and local history with an immersive museum experience that explores ghost stories, legends, unexplained phenomena, and spiritual traditions from around the world — all with a strong connection to Asbury Park’s own haunted past.
In addition to our shop and museum, we offer award-winning walking tours, including:
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The Original Asbury Park Ghost Tour
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Shipwrecks, Sharks & Storms: A History Tour
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Hidden History: LGBTQ+ in Asbury Park
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The Haunted Pub Tour
We also host special events, lectures, gallery nights, and rotating exhibits designed to entertain, educate, and spark conversation about the mysterious and unexplained.
At our core, we are committed to the preservation and sharing of Asbury Park’s rich history, especially the overlooked and forgotten chapters. Our work has been featured in national media, but our heart is always here — rooted in community, storytelling, and the spirits (both historical and spectral) that define this city by the sea.
Come visit us — whether you’re looking for a ghost, a good book, or a great story, you’ll find it here.
News Articles
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News 12 New York — “Looking for a road trip? Check out Paranormal Books and Curiosities in Asbury Park” (Mar 10, 2022) — Highlights the collection of tarot cards, books on apparitions, and haunted artifacts
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Monmouth Magazine — “Scary But True” — Features Kathy Kelly and her museum’s Creepy artifacts, including witch’s cauldron, shrunken head, and Lincoln’s hair Monmouth University
Magazine Features & Blogs
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Monmouth University Magazine — same “Scary But True” coverage, focusing on Kelly’s blend of skepticism and storytelling Monmouth University
Local News — Television & Online
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“Looking for a road trip? Check out Paranormal Books and Curiosities in Asbury Park” — News 12 New York (Mar 10 2022)
https://longisland.news12.com/looking-for-a-road-trip-check-out-paranormal-books-and-curiosities-in-asbury-park YouTube+15News 12 – Default+15luminarypodcasts.com+15 -
“Spooky! Check out this paranormal bookstore at the Jersey Shore” — News 12 New Jersey (Aug 29 2019)
https://newjersey.news12.com/spooky-check-out-this-paranormal-bookstore-at-the-jersey-shore-40976658 News 12 – Default -
WOBM.com — “Asbury Park, NJ’s Paranormal Museum has year-round spooky season”
https://wobm.com/asbury-park-njs-paranormal-museum-makes-spooky-season-year-round/ paranormalbooksnj.com+15WOBM+15Instagram+15
Magazine & Blogs
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Monmouth Magazine — “Scary But True”: In‑depth feature on Kathy Kelly, the museum, and folklore storytelling (Fall 2019)
https://www.monmouth.edu/magazine/scary-but-true/ Monmouth University -
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! — “An Eerie Glimpse Inside the Doors of a Paranormal Bookstore” (Sept 23 2019)
https://www.ripleys.com/stories/paranormal-bookstore-and-museum Monmouth University+6ripleys.com+6Instagram+6 -
City Lifestyle — “Wicked Walks” (date unspecified): Highlights Asbury Park’s ghost tours
https://citylifestyle.com/articles/wicked-walks WOBM+5citylifestyle.com+5Instagram+5