What’s Haunting Volo Museum?: New Walking Tour Invites Visitors To Investigate

VOLO, IL — Visitors to Volo Museum can explore reported paranormal hot spots, investigate historic locations and hear stories of unexplained activity during a new walking tour launching this fall.

The museum’s new Paranormal Walking Tour opened Sept. 19 and will run Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 1. The experience includes a visit to historic Volo Cemetery, a new paranormal investigation room with hologram storytellers and video evidence and guided stops at reported paranormal hot spots throughout the museum property and its 177-year-old Antique Malls, according to a news release.

The museum’s reported paranormal activity has been featured on television programs including Discovery Channel’s “Ghost Lab” and Travel Channel’s “Paranormal Caught on Camera.” Museum Director Jim Wojdyla said paranormal groups that visited the museum over the years independently reported activity in many of the same areas.

Wojdyla said the idea for the walking tour came from wanting to take visitors deeper into the stories and the locations where paranormal activity has been reported.

“Different groups, visiting separately, kept identifying the same locations as areas of activity,” Wojdyla told Patch in an email response. “That doesn’t automatically explain what’s happening, but it certainly gets your attention.”

The tour begins with a trolley ride before guests explore the cemetery and learn about the people buried there and their possible connections to stories associated with the museum grounds, according to a news release.

Visitors will then enter a new paranormal investigation room created from an old storage room in the museum’s 177-year-old barn. The room features hologram storytellers, photographs and video footage, including security camera footage, before guests head out to explore reported paranormal hot spots.

The museum’s Antique and Collectibles Mall is among the areas where employees have reported paranormal activity, Wojdyla said. The original mall is housed in the 177-year-old building and has four floors, with more stories reported on the upper levels.

QR codes placed throughout the antique malls allow visitors to access stories and reported photo and video evidence connected to specific locations.

After the guided portion, guests can continue investigating designated areas on their own until the museum closes at 5 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own paranormal investigation equipment, while free paranormal-themed phone apps can also be used during the experience.

Wojdyla said the museum hopes the experience appeals to both believers and skeptics.

“You don’t have to believe in ghosts to enjoy a great story, explore a historic place, or wonder about something you can’t immediately explain,” he said. “We’re giving people the stories, the reported evidence and the opportunity to form their own opinions.”

Last year’s paranormal tours sold out, according to Wojdyla, prompting the museum to expand the experience this fall.

Tours will depart at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from Sept. 19 through Nov. 1. The guided portion lasts about 30 to 45 minutes, with independent investigation available afterward until 5 p.m.

The tour costs $5 with museum admission or a combo pass in September and $10 in October.

Only 25 spots are available for each departure, and advance reservations are encouraged. The walking tour includes stairs, uneven ground at the historic cemetery and extended periods of walking and standing, and the full route is not wheelchair accessible.

Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring an umbrella for inclement weather. The museum also recommends bringing a smartphone to scan QR codes for clues and additional information throughout the antique mall.