This coastal city in Massachusetts is known for its 1692 witch trials, colonial architecture, and maritime past. The Peabody Essex Museum and House of Seven Gables draw history seekers.
Walk the streets of Salem, Massachusetts, where more than a million visitors each year explore sites like the 171-foot tall ship Friendship and the dark-timbered Witch House - the last remaining building from the 1692 witch trials. Step into the House of Seven Gables, a 17th-century mansion that sparked Nathaniel Hawthorne's imagination, or browse through the Peabody Essex Museum's extensive collection of Asian art and maritime artifacts.
Museums and Public Art
The Peabody Essex Museum displays one of North America's largest collections of Asian art, with rooms full of Chinese export porcelain and maritime artifacts. Walk through The Point neighborhood to see 75 large-scale murals at the Punto Urban Art Museum, created by New England and international artists. Stop by Casa De Abuela, where rotating exhibits showcase Dominican culture in a traditional country house setting.
Salem's Maritime Past and Present
Walk the deck of the Friendship of Salem, a 171-foot replica trading vessel that represents Salem's seafaring era. The Salem Harborwalk, completed in 2010, stretches along the waterfront where you can watch fishing boats and take in views of the harbor. By 1790, Salem had grown into America's sixth largest seaport, with shipbuilding as one of its primary industries throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
Historic Buildings of Salem
Step inside the Witch House, where Judge Jonathan Corwin lived during the 1692 witch trials - it's the only remaining structure directly connected to these events. At Pioneer Village, America's first living history museum, you can explore a three-acre Puritan settlement and participate in activities from Salem's early English colonial period. The House of Seven Gables, dating to 1668, includes several historic structures including Nathaniel Hawthorne's birthplace and the 1655 Retire Beckett House.
Outdoor Spaces
Salem Willows Park, named for white willow trees planted in 1801, now includes an oceanfront amusement area. Take a boat to Misery Islands nature reserve in Salem Sound, where walking trails lead you along the rocky coastline. During autumn, maple and oak trees throughout these areas display red and orange foliage, making them popular with photographers.
Halloween Season
Each October, about 500,000 people visit Salem for Halloween celebrations. The Haunted Happenings festival runs all month with over 1,000 events across the city. You'll need to reserve accommodations up to a year ahead for October visits. The city incorporates witch imagery everywhere - from shop signs to police car logos - acknowledging its supernatural reputation.
