CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - What do you think of when you think of a witch? For most, it's a scary looking old woman with a tall black hat and a broom, who is capable of casting spells.
That's exactly the image that the owner of the private Wiccan collection you'll find at the Buckland Gallery of Witchcraft and Magick, in Tremont, wanted to cast out.
"His whole intention was to dispel all the rumors and say that this is our belief system, and it isn't evil, and just because you don't understand it, doesn't mean it is bad," described Jillian Slane, one of the museum's curators.
The Buckland Gallery of Witchcraft and Magick and is made up of items Raymond Buckland acquired over his lifetime.
Buckland was the first to practice modern day Wicca in America.
"Wiccans believe in nature spirits - they definitely worship the four elements - air, water, earth and fire. They believe through intention and through spell casting and drawing of energy, they can will things to happen in the form of magic," said Slane.
Jillian Slane and her husband Steven Intermill are the museum's curators - in case you were wondering, they say they do not practice Wicca, but they are passionate about sharing the rare pieces in the collection.
One of the standouts in the collection is a demon trapped in a box in New York back in 1970.
"People ask us about it. They ask us to open it up, but no," said Intermill.
There is so much to see in the small space that the museum occupies - accessible through "A Separate Reality," Record Store.
You can see a Gardnerian alter - and yes - a real-life witch's broom - only it's proper name is a besom.
"They have brooms, but they kind of use it the same way everyone else does. They use it for ritual cleansing of a space," described Slane.
Right now, only 40 percent of the entire collection is on display. The couple plans to expand in the winter.
Fall hours are Tuesday & Thursday: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Friday: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday & Sunday: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., or email bucklandmuseum@gmail.com for an appointment.
Admission to the museum is $5.
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