Robert the Doll — Haunted Toy Terrorizes Fort East Martello Museum

Robert the Doll is a 110-year-old handmade toy that has been the subject of paranormal claims for over a century in Key West, Florida. Currently housed in the Fort East Martello Museum, the doll is said to move on its own, change facial expressions, and cause misfortune to those who mock or photograph it without permission. Robert was given to painter and author Robert Eugene Otto as a child in 1906, allegedly by a Bahamian servant who was skilled in the art of voodoo. The young Gene developed an unusually close relationship with the doll, speaking to it constantly and blaming it for household mischief. His parents claimed to hear the doll giggling and the sounds of furniture being moved in Gene's locked room. When Gene grew up and inherited his family's home, Robert came with it. Neighbors reported seeing the doll move between windows when the house was empty. Gene's wife reportedly banned the doll to the attic. After Otto's death in 1974, new owners found Robert in the attic, where his presence allegedly terrified the owners' young daughter. Since arriving at the Fort East Martello Museum, visitors have reported Robert's head turning to follow them, his expression changing, and cameras and electronic equipment malfunctioning during visits. The museum receives hundreds of apology letters each year from visitors who photographed the doll without asking permission and subsequently experienced bad luck.