Lemp Mansion Sucks. The only think it has going for it is architectural. If you are interested in its haunted history you can go walk through the museum for free but don't spend any money at this place. The staff is rude and condescending. They clearly do not care to have children there.
I arrived on wed. night for the Edgar Allen Poe reading only to be told that the free event was 'sold out'. When I question them as to how that was possible they explained that all the seats were reserved in advance. This program was widely advertised. If reservations were necessary, this fact should have been specified. Many people came, were berated for not having had the sense to made reservations, were told that Lemp did not have control over what was picked up and advertised by the local papers or radio stations and that the website suggested reservations. It takes a lot of nerve tell a bold face lie like that when a framed picture of how Lemp had advertised the event on their website was sitting in plain view at the entry way. There is no mention of reservations. There was not even a suggestion that it was possible to reserve seats.
This was meant to be a fun educational event for the group that I came with included 2 adults, two 9yr olds, an 11 yr old, and a 16yr old college sophomore. These are very well behave, very intelligent, home schooled children who went and looked at the museum and then sat quietly as we waiting to see if seats would materialize. Some did and the hostess/program organizer sat a couple of women, who arrived without reservations after we did, in them. When I questioned her about this she said 'this isn't some sort of a government program'. I haven't the foggiest idea what that meant aside from 'children are not welcome here'.
We give Lemp 12, well educated, interesting, articulate, multi-lingual, sophisticated, not easily offended, opposable thumbs, down.
...and, yes. even the youngest members of our group were offended.
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