My mom and I toured the House of the Seven Gables when we spent a day in Salem a week or so ago,…read moreand it was one of the highlights of our time in Salem. The house dates back to 1668, when it was built for a wealthy sea captain and merchant. It remained in that family for three generations before it was bought by another family. The house is mostly famous for being the setting and subject of a novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, who was a second cousin of Susannah Ingersoll, who lived in the home for years. In 1908, the home was purchased again, this time by a woman who made it her life's mission to restore the house, protect it for posterity, and to turn into a museum that could be visited by tourists to Salem. The home was renovated many times (by different owners of the house) - it didn't even always have seven gables, but that's a part of its interesting story! We learned all of the above and more from our tour guide on a guided tour of the house. Our tour guide was great - friendly, informative, and interesting! After our tour, we explored Nathaniel Hawthorne's birthplace home, which was moved to the grounds of the House of Seven Gables to avoid demolition. It was a great way to learn a little more about Hawthorne. There was also a gift shop, where my mom and I both bought copies of The House of the Seven Gables, stamped so we always remember where we bought it. Our tour was interesting, and the house is striking and fascinating. It's well worth a visit if you're exploring Salem.

Excellent site to visit! Beautiful views! We had a great docent lead tour. Our guide shared lots…read moreof details and did a great job trying to answer our group's many questions! Learning about the different architectural phases of this property was very interesting. The Secret Staircase is special! Gift Shop was a fun stop! Friendly staff. They have their own parking lot with ample and FREE parking while you visit. Now that's a plus. Everywhere else in Salem is paid parking, including the Peabody Essex Museum (park and hike!) Highly recommend visiting The House of Seven Gables if you are in the area.

I'm a local and previous member of PEM. I would recommend this museum to history buffs and Asian…read moreart enthusiasts. I appreciate that the museum has held workshops with the Mashpee Wampanoag and has held events with iconic Native artists like Joy Harjo (Muscogee). The Native American exhibit is refreshingly good. As a Native person (Choctaw Nation of OK) I feel really comfortable going here.

I visited the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) with my mom at the end of our day in Salem about a week or…read moreso ago, and we really enjoyed our visit. The museum has an extensive collection of Asian Art, but it holds more than 800,000 works of historical and cultural arts covering maritime, American, Asia, and Oceanic and African art. The highlight of our visit was visiting the Yin Yu Tang House. The house dates back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Huang, a prosperous merchant, built this stately 16-bedroom, two story-house with a courtyard and called it "Yin Yu Tang," meaning "Hall of Plentiful Shelter." It was home to the Huang family in the Huizhou region for more than 200 years until the last of the family descendants moved from the village in 1982. In the 1990s, as part of a cultural exchange, the home and its contents were dismantled and transported to Massachusetts, where it was re-erected in the PEM. The PEM opened to the public in 2003. The house is currently undergoing work to preserve its roof tiles and masonry walls, so there was a lot of scaffolding obstructing views of the home and pictures taken of the museum. But it still well worth a visit; it's incredible. (The website says the house is closed 7/27-7/31 and 8/3-8/7, so maybe they'll have the work done by the end of those stretches!) I only wish the staff that had walked us into the house had explained exactly how much time we'd get inside the house before being ushered out for the next group, because my mom and I were using the audio guide to learn about the house as we explored. Before we finished several rooms, we were told our time was up, which was a bummer - we barely had time to peek into the rooms we hadn't gotten to yet, so I wish we'd known and could use our time better. They call it a tour on the website, but it's a self-guided experience; no museum staff walk you around the house. (FYI: You need a separate ticket for the Yin Yu Tang House, which you can buy on the website.) We explored the rest of the museum as well, including some of their interesting temporary exhibits: "Anila Quayyum Agha: All the Flowers Are for Me," "On This Ground: Being and Belonging in America," and "Beyond the Broom: Salem Short Films." Other highlights of our time were visiting the East India Marine Hall and seeing art and artifacts relating to the Salem Witch Trials. They also have a great gift shop, so save some time for that. A very nice regional art museum that is worth visiting if you have time in your Salem itinerary!

I visited the Salem Witch Museum with my mom when we spent a day in Salem a week or so ago. Yes,…read moreit's entirely kitschy, cheesy, and dated. But I didn't have a terrible time, and it does tell the story of the Salem Witch Trials in a way that is a pretty good introduction to the history if you haven't heard it in a long time! So why are the reviews so bad? The name of the business is probably a mistake, because museum is the wrong word for this experience (they did tell us when we walked up that they are not a traditional museum and explained what the experience was like, so people should be aware if that is their standard process). The Salem Witch Museum is really a two-part experience. The first room is a square room that functions as a theater. As the story of the Salem Witch Trials is told, different tableaus around the room are lit up. They don't move, and a narrator (a dated 1960s-sounding British narrator) uses that tableau to explain the next part of the story. The mannequins are clearly old - you can see some are not in great condition when the tableau is lit up. But I hadn't read about the Salem Witch Trials in so long that I didn't remember much of the story, and that first experience wasn't a bad introduction! And I do like a little kitsch! The second experience is more like a museum. A guide that works at the museum walks the group to different displays, using them to explain different parts of the history of witch trials. Then there's a big gift shop where you can all kinds of things relating to witchcraft and the Salem Witch Trials. I don't think this experience is bad. I do think it's cheesy and dated and not for everyone. But I think it's possible to get something out of this experience, too. I hope this review helps people figure out if the experience is right for them!

This was...not a good museum. It's essentially two rooms/exhibits. One is the main auditorium,…read morewhere they do a "show" featuring an extremely dated voiceover lighting up dioramas on the walls. The other is a small, underwhelming hallway with a handful of rare books in it and, confusingly, what seems to be a diorama of...wiccans? Like, just two regular contemporary humans, standing in the woods. There were also quite a lot of inaccuracies in the voiceover, especially when it comes to Tituba. I had thought they'd be corrected after by the guides, but it seems like this place is less interested in historical accuracy and more in macabre vibes. Pretty sure they get all their custom by having a building that looks cool from the outside.

John was so knowledgeable! He discovered me and my friends were from Baltimore, Maryland and had SO…read moreMANY FACTS about how it related. That guy deserves a raise. Very small but cute museum. Lots of boards to look at. Oh and don't forget to take a picture with the skeleton :)

When visiting Salem, this was on the top of my list of must visits. The museum is pretty small but…read morefor the price of $10 per person there is a lot to look at. The gentleman in there was extremely knowledgeable about the different boards that were in there and each boards history. We went during the off season, so luckily for us we were the only ones in there which was fantastic because it felt like a personalized tour. He was very passionate and clearly enjoys his job. They also switch boards out from time to time so there is something different to look at. A very unique experience and worth checking out.

It's a very interesting museum to go through. They show you're quite a bit about the trials then…read moreyou're going into the prisons where they actually kept the prisoners. Wait till you see the room. They found this jail by accident many years ago. It has its own interesting history give it a try you're gonna like it.

Really cool stop with the combined three attraction ticket! The outside is beautiful with a spooky…read moreinterior. You are celebrated warmly and the live action of the trial is so well done. The dungeon is cold and dark makes you feel like you are really there. Gift shop is amazing and affordable.

The witch house is not what some might believe based on the title. It is a maintained 17th century…read morehome once owned by Judge Jonathan Corwin. It was originally believed to have ties with the witch trials occurring directly in the home, but that was not verified, the most would be possible accusations being presented of the alleged. It is a self guided walk through of the home. The tickets go on sale at 8am each morning online. They sell out extremely fast. The cost was a bit hefty at $80.00 for 2 kids and 2 adults, but it was interesting to see the inside of a preserved 17th century home. They have a QR code on the door for ticket purchases.

I really enjoyed the self-guided tour and learning about the original witch and the house's…read morehistory. I loved that so much of the home was preserved, including the original floors and some furniture it really brought the history to life! The price is a bit high, but overall, I enjoyed the experience!

Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery was on my list of places to check out while visiting Salem last…read moreweek. It is located on Essex Street and they have you wait in line outside of the museum. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for kids (ages 6-12). You can either buy your tickets while waiting in line using a QR code or at the counter once you go inside. They do not allow photos or recording while walking through the gallery - the staff even states that they are watching on the surveillance cameras for anyone pulling out their phones. We enjoyed walking through each section and reading about each horror character and the fun facts about the movies or TV shows they were from. I really liked that the characters actually looked like the people and not some knock-off wax museum. Some of my favorites were the wall of actor face molds and the slasher room. I also like that you can walk through each room and area at your own pace and I never once felt rushed by the other people or staff. They have a small gift shop with t-shirts and other items you can buy. You are allowed to take photos inside of the gift shop. This is a must if you are a horror fan!

Count Orlok's is a wax museum based on monster/horror movies. I found this on Bring Fido and…read morethought it would be awesome to bring our pup through here with us. We arrived at about 5pm and they closed at 6pm but we had plenty of time to enjoy. Give yourself about 30 minutes. They ask that you not take photos inside to not spoil the surprise for others. This is not scary and I think most won't have an issue walking through here. 5 stars for being dog friendly because how many indoor places like this can you bring your pet. 4 stars for being kind of short but the price is pretty fair so I'm not mad.

Super fun store! Had a great time and bought lots of awesome stuff!! Pictured, mugs, keychains,…read morewhich hats! So fun!

This was one of the coolest stores around. I recommend checking this place out. I was mesmerized…read more Inside is like being inside a twisted dream. It was dark and beautiful. This store has the most interesting decorations. It was an awesome find. This shop is larger than it looks. Inside, I saw stones, toys, home decorations, and cool stuff to buy. The people who work here were fun to talk to. They explained things to me. I didn't want to leave the store.

This tour is as amazing! We learned so much about the movie, actors and locations! It is a 3.1 mile…read morewalk so be prepared. Thanks Topher!

I found Hocus Pocus Tours while seeking things to do in Salem on Yelp and TripAdvisor. Fellow…read moreYelpers' rave reviews did not disappoint! In messaging Hocus Pocus Tours with a couple questions about the tour and travel to and from Salem, the owner Susan replied immediately and suggested that I call her. This led to a one hour phone conversation where Susan was so gracious with her time, knowledge, and suggestions, not just about how to make the most of the tour, but how to appreciate a day in Salem. I can see why those who had the opportunity to take the in-person tour with Susan really enjoyed it. Covid changed the business model and Hocus Pocus now offers a self-guided tour by purchasing one of two tour apps. I opted for the $19.99 grand tour and it was well worth it. It has 37 points of interest. The app is user friendly and well designed. It provides a map of all stops, tracks where you are, and guides you to the next stop that you select on the tour. When you get to your stop, you can confirm you're at the right spot by comparing a photo of the site with what you see. Then you click on a 2-3 minute audio recording that provides a great snapshot of the significance of the site. As Susan had pointed out to me, there is much more to Salem than the historic witchcraft trials. It includes author Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of Seven Gables, America's oldest candy company, and other interesting sites. Of everything I visited, I experienced a very deep emotional connection with the 1692 Witchcraft Memorial with 20 stones dedicated to each of the victims of the witchcraft trial. The tour includes brief descriptions of some of the victims including those written about in Arthur Miller's The Crucible. If you plan to visit Salem, I highly recommend this tour. All sites can be visited on the outside and some on the inside at no charge. Some sites, such as The House of Seven Gables, charge separate admission fees. If you want to travel to Salem and don't have a car, the ferry from Boston offers a nice, scenic, and entertaining 50 minute ride. The commuter trains run more frequently and can come in handy if the ferry schedule coming or going doesn't meet your needs. There are plenty of good places to dine at to break up the tour. We had lunch at FINZ and really enjoyed it (I'll post separately about that).

I came to Gallows Hill Theatre to watch Guilty! A Salem Witch Trial. When I visited in October…read more2024, the show cost around $24. The show was hilarious and amusing! Huge props to the two actors (the judge and...the judge's helper?) for staying in character. I will warn you no one is safe from audience participation, but it is really funny. While it was a lighthearted take on the Salem Witch Trials, it was informative in terms of how ridiculous the trials were during the real Salem Witch Trials. I'd highly recommend watching if you have the time!

Gallows Hill, what can I say? I've been coming to Salem for over 20 years and have been visiting…read morethis place since it opened! The show has evolved over time and gets better and better. We wouldn't miss it.