Museums

As Salem’s largest museum, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) offers a glimpse into history, captivating a range of interests from fashion and art to the infamous Salem witch trials. With a constantly rotating selection of exciting exhibits, curated installations, and lively events, the PEM invites you to wander through art and time. Don’t forget to commemorate your visit with a stop at the museum’s gift shop, where you can take home a piece of your experience.

Best For: Salem’s largest museum; great for art, culture, maritime history, and rotating exhibitions, an indoor attraction, gift shop, self-guided tours

Step back in time and immerse yourself in colonial Salem at the House of the Seven Gables. The house spans several areas of history, making it a landmark cherished by history buffs with diverse interests. It is both the birthplace of Nathaniel Hawthorne and the inspiration for his famous novel, The House of the Seven Gables. When visiting, you can choose to take a guided tour or explore the gardens at your own pace, admiring the property and its architecture. Complete your visit with a stop at the museum gift shop, where you can pick up a special edition book or a commemorative puzzle.

Best For: Literary and architectural landmark, highlights include colonial architecture, gardens, and maritime heritage.

The Salem Witch Museum offers an immersive, storytelling-driven experience that brings the paranoia around the Salem Witch Trials to life. While it differs from a traditional museum, it offers a unique and engaging way to explore this infamous chapter of Salem’s history, making it accessible even to visitors with little prior knowledge of the trials or Puritan era.

Best For: Witch Trials history museum, overview of the 1692 Witch Trials, popular with first-time visitors, popular with tour and school groups.

Take a seat for a live re-enactment of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Based on historical transcripts, the performance brings the trials’ emotional intensity to life before guiding visitors through the dungeon. Together, the show and tour offer a compelling way to experience the complex events and emotions of the era, giving even first-time visitors a deep understanding of Salem’s infamous history.

Best For: Dramatic performances, recreated dungeon scenes, live performance, engaging museum, theatrical reenactment

Celebrate Halloween every day at the Halloween Museum Salem. Put on the optional 3D glasses for a vivid, immersive look into the history of Halloween. The museum is fun for all ages and offers a playful way to enjoy this spooky holiday.

Best For: Bright, neon, family-friendly Halloween exhibits, Indoor attraction

Horror fans won’t want to miss a visit to Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery. Walk through the attraction of incredibly realistic sculptures of your favorite terrifying monsters. The spooky atmosphere pays homage to classic horror characters—without the jump scares of a haunted house (unless otherwise noted).

Best For: Horror film & monster museum, Popular with horror and Halloween fans, unique attraction

For an interactive and entertaining dive into pirate history, drop anchor at the New England Pirate Museum. Join a 30-minute walking tour as you follow Captains Blackbird and Kidd through a historically accurate tale of piracy along New England’s shores.

Best For: Pirate-themed museum, Maritime stories, pirate stories, family-friendly