Gardner woman opens paranormal museum in Athol - find out what it includes

Aliens, Bigfoot, and ghosts, oh my.

These and other creatures of the paranormal realm have arrived in Athol, courtesy of a Gardner woman’s new museum which is largely dedicated to all things paranormal.

The Education Earth Museum, which opened at 475 Main St. on May 12, was founded by Storm Plains, a published author who is an expert on archaeology, UFOlogy, and cryptozoology, which is the study of creatures from Earth and beyond whose existence has yet to be proven by science.

“All of these topics are pretty popular right now, a lot of people especially are into UFOs,” Plains said. “There’s quite a lot of interest in the paranormal, and people are more open about it, so I really made this museum to be a place that’s fun and not so intense.”

The idea for opening a museum dedicated to unexplained creatures came to Plains after she amassed a large collection of spooky displays while spending several years on the paranormal lecture circuit.

“I had a lot of this stuff in storage, and I was always telling myself I should put it all on display, and one day while I was driving (through Athol) I saw a location for rent on Main St. and just thought it was a perfect place,” she said. “I was surprised how large it was for the price. I took it because I knew I’d be mad at myself if I didn’t after having this stuff in storage for so long.”

Museum to cater to those interested in paranormal phenomena

Plains said she had her first inkling that the museum might be a success after she put up a sign in her window seeking volunteers to work at her new venture.

“I got lots and lots of calls,” she said. “I had people calling me all the way from North Carolina.”

Currently, she had about 10 local volunteers working at the museum.

The museum will also feature taxidermy exhibits and programs about creatures whose actual existence is less in doubt, including dinosaurs, snakes, and spiders, according to Plains. The museum will also feature guest speakers, classes and movies about history and archaeology, and clubs dedicated to a variety of topics, including the paranormal, dinosaurs, and Egyptology. Plains said she would eventually like to include live reptile shows at the museum.

Plains, who grew up in Connecticut, said she also had plans to host a weekly podcast dedicated to the paranormal.

“I’m really trying to connect people,” she said. “I want to have something in the community that’s fun and positive, especially for the younger people.”

Museum's grand opening attracted hundreds of visitors

The museum officially opened its doors on May 12, and Plains said she was pleasantly surprised that over 200 people turned out for the ceremony. She said several visitors, some of whom had traveled from as far as New Hampshire and Connecticut, shared stories about their encounters with the paranormal.

“Apparently, there are Bigfoots here in Massachusetts, and I didn’t realize that,” Plains said. “But a gentleman was here telling me he has pictures of (Bigfoot), and there were other people telling me about their experiences with UFOs. It was very busy and I don’t think I ever stopped talking from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.”

Plains said she can trace her fascination with the unexplained to an incident that occurred to her while in a swimming pool when she was four.

“I died, I had drowned,” she said. “It was the Fourth of July, and my cousin, who was very hyper, she pushed me down into the water. And the next thing I knew, I was looking down and I see my body floating around. And then I watched as they pulled me out of the water while my mother was screaming. My uncle who was a doctor began to resuscitate me, and then, boom, I was back in my body.”

What to know when you go

• Address: 475 Main St., Athol

• Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - by appointment

  • Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

  • Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

• Admission: $5 (under 2 years old free)

• Website: educationearthmuseum.com

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Storm Plain opens Education Earth Museum in Athol about the paranormal