I visited the Salem Witch Museum with my mom when we spent a day in Salem a week or so ago. Yes, it'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! read more

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This was...not a good museum. It's essentially two rooms/exhibits. One is the main auditorium, where 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. read more

Shocked to see such low ratings for this museum, I enjoyed the presentation and found it more informative and entertaining than another museum I tried. We walked up minutes before a presentation, so had no wait time. The first presentation was 30 minutes long, and took place in a large room. Different Tableaus of figures lit up to illustrate each scene as a voice over narrated. The narration style and audio quality reminded me of an old school Scooby-Doo episode - I kind of liked the nostalgic feel, and I felt it explained a lot of details of the timeline of events I hadn't heard at other museums or exhibits with great detail and consideration. There were some people talking during this part that made me miss a few lines, which was frustrating- I almost wish staff was stationed around the room visibly to hopefully deter this. I was a little shocked at how graphic the audio and visuals for the pressing event were, I was a little horrified that there were children in the room for this and for the hanging scene as they are quite literal, and the accompanying sound effects are upsetting. I personally would not bring young kids to this for that reason, it would have given me nightmares as a young kid. It's one thing to hear about these troubling events, but seeing it is even harder to forget. The second part of the visit is an approx 15 minute walk through of a small exhibit. One wall has a huge, detailed timeline of all sorts of witchy events, but so many people were in the room that you don't have time to read through it. The guide gives a well rehearsed and animated schpiel, but I would have liked some unguided time to walk through the exhibit and read all the info provided. The gift shop had a wide array of unique items I wasn't seeing in other shops around town (and trust me, I checked out a LOT). There was a whole wall of packets for purchase about descendants of the famous 20 people killed the stories often center on. I got one for my ancestor and haven't even been able to get through all the information yet, it's extremely detailed (and a little dense to read through to be honest). It felt a little weird to have to pay for something like this, but it's one of my favorite things I purchased on my whole trip, so I'm glad it was offered. The gift shop also had the best enamel pin selection in town. The outside of the building is beautiful and a great photo op, although crossing the street right in front of it was tricky since it's so busy. I felt the ticket price was well worth it, but do wish the time in the exhibit space was a bit longer or that there was more to the exhibit. Worth a visit for sure! read more

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The name is a misnomer as there is no witch museum. We took the "tour" which I found completely hokey & outdated. The recorded voices were not good and over the top. I would not recommend small children coming here as likely it could be frightening for them. However, trust me the mannequins do not look lifelike. You are purposely sent into a gift shop while you wait for the second half of the tour. The second half of the "tour" we realized was this tiny room with some lady narrating whom did not appear to be very educated (IMHO). We exited after 2 minutes. read more

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I enjoyed this museum a lot. The first presentation was a bit outdated, but still very informative. I took a star off because they guide you through this museum; it's not very self-guided and you'll feel rushed to leave when the next group is preparing to enter. Still, I actually appreciated how this museum had mainly guided components. Some other options in the area are more browse at your leisure. This was a nice break from all of that. read more

Salem Witch Museum - Museums Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Boring, outdated, cramped, overpriced. We were so excited and left so disappointed. I received better history and information from my history and haunts tour guide. I waited in cue online for over an hour. Not worth the hassle of money. read more

When in Salem, you have to do something bewitching so I came to this museum to learn about the Salem Witch Trials. It's housed in a historic church and is quite pretty outside. We got tickets through the GoCity card, and had to make our reservations for a time slot slot the day before. We arrived and checked in, got our sticker, and then waited at a second area to enter the museum when it was our turn. First part of the "tour" was a presentation of the history of the trials with creepy looking mannequins on display. I recommend you sit on the stools in the center of the room for best viewing as you have to rotate around left on your seat to see each display as they are presented. It's actually quite informative but the presentation of it was kind of cheesy to be honest. After that is over, you are taken to the back end of the museum where there are exhibits about how witches are presented in movies (ie the witches of Oz), and defining witch hunting then and now. There's a gift shop for all things witchy at the end. read more

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I'm a retired English teacher, so this place meant A LOT to me after having taught The Crucible and Scarlet Letter. That being said, it may not be worth $19 to everyone. The seated & narrated presentation was decent; the gift shop was full of interesting items. I bought a little yellow bird that has significance to anyone who loves Arthur Miller's fabulous play!!! read more

Salem Witch Museum - Museums Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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I thought this was great. We arrived just in time for the 12pm start so had a few minutes to use the restroom. Upon starting you're in a large room which has various mini displays that are highlighted as the story goes along. Sadly people were talking during the presentation so it kinda ruined part of the vibe. The history was easy to digest and informative. The second pet was a lady speaking about the various exhibits in the room. The timeline was interesting to see when different events occurred in relation to others. Took about 40 min for the entire thing and found a cool monopoly type game in the gift shop! read more

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Since we were very interested in learning about the history of Witches in Salem, we didn't pass up the opportunity to visit the Salem Witch Museum. After paying for our tickets, we had to wait until our time slot before we were allowed inside. There were two parts to this tour. The first was us sitting in a dark room and watched a play and reenactment of the Witch trial. The second part was a tour around the museum which was led by a tour guide. Even though the information was interesting and fascinating, we feel rushed. Didn't feel like we had enough time to take in all that was presented. This is not really a museum where we can take our time to read and enjoy the details. This was more of a tour than a self-guided museum. Wish the format was different where we can really enjoy the experience. Because this was based upon time slots, we have to be out so the next group can go in. After the tour is over, you are headed out to their gifts shop. Well, at least here, you can take your time to find any souvenirs you like. Overall, it was an ok experience. Wish it was better. read more

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The Salem Witch Trial Museum was an overall enjoyable stop for us. The downtown Salem area is cute and very walkable - do bring quarters for parking! The museum is easy to find following the signs and tickets were $19/person. A little expensive for the amount of time we spent there. We waited with a group before being let into the presentation area. The displays were interesting and the story telling was very thorough. It didn't feel like there were quite enough seats in the middle area for everyone so we sat on the edge and missed out a bit on seeing all of the different "stations." If you want to have a good view get in there quickly! The rest of the museum was interesting but not as big as I thought it would be. I enjoyed the relation to pop culture and the timeline that compared witch history with general world history - it put a lot into perspective. The guide did a nice job explaining things but keeping it brief enough so we also had some time to explore independently. I do agree with other reviewers that the whole process felt a little rushed, and it didn't feel like a museum the way you would expect. Overall, if I could rate it 3.5 stars I would. 3 feels like too few. The gift shop had almost everything you could think of including many interesting books. I ended up choosing one about Tituba and I am looking forward to reading it! read more

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Ehh it was okay I came up for the day and I should have come up earlier I realized I wanted to just walk the town a bit and missed some museums I would have liked to go in but I did make it to this one because how could I come to Salem and not go? Yeah personally I wouldn't rave about it. It's $19 and you go and sit in a cold room (nice in the summer) with seats and they give you like a 360 of the story line above but it feels like it was made when the trials happened. I just think a bit of a basic update would do wonders for them. Overall not mad I went but for $19 you'd think you'd have more time and opportunity to explore read more

Salem Witch Museum - Museums Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I appreciate how organized the process was--they've really streamlined each group You could tell the figures were old and needed upkeep, and sometimes the audio was difficult to understand Don't sit in the very front--you'll have a pretty obstructed view That being said, I am glad I went and I did learn about the witch trial read more

This was a cheesy experience. It does tell a story of the witch trials but it's not a museum. They do have a great gift shop though. It really was not worth the money. read more

We went back and forth about whether or not we wanted to check out the Salem Witch Museum, but finally decided that we should on our last day of our trip. We made a reservation and got tickets online for their last tour of the day at 6:15pm. Tickets are $19 for adults and I believe you can only get them on the same day you are attending. We got in line a little bit before 6:15pm and then they give you a sticker before going inside where you wait for your group to enter the museum. They have you sit in a circle and then there is also overfill along the outside of the room as well. I really enjoyed the presentation room and the glowing red circle that honors those who passed due to witchcraft accusations. I also really enjoyed the presentation portion with the wax figures. As for the tour part afterwards, I thought it could have been better. Our tour guide rushed through a lot of it and I would have liked to walk through that portion at our own pace to really be able to view and experience everything. They do have a gift shop at the end of the tour with museum items and other Salem things. I bought some earrings and a magnet. Overall, I love the outside of the building - the architecture is so beautiful and I enjoyed the presentation, but I'm not sure if it is worth $19. Would I do it again? Probably not, but I don't think it is a bad idea to experience it at least once especially if you like the history of Salem! read more

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I really loved and appreciated the art in this museum! The "play" that is performed is well done and every stage is well done and very detailed. The workers know their stuff and it has a very expansive gift shop with reasonable pricing. Loved it! read more

Salem Witch Museum - Stage - Museums Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Rushed us through the entrance area that had all the interesting displays, and sat us down for the show. Show itself was interesting, although definitely had a misogynistic tone. Then rushed through to the next exhibit and again was not given time to study anything in detail. Ushered into the gift shop in an attempt to extract more cash after the ridiculous $19 entrance fee. No more than 30 mins start to finish. Bums on seats,cash grab, nothing more. read more

We visited with a group of 4 adults and 4 kids (ages ranged from 10 to 7). We had a nice time and it was good for what it was but it is probably the type of thing you do once and you're good! My husband won tickets at an auction, which is what brought us in. There is a narration for the majority of your visit where you sit in a room and different exhibits light up depending on the story that they are telling. I appreciated learning and hearing about the history of the witch trials and why/how they came to be. Our kids were a little scared at times but it wasn't too bad. The second part of the admission includes a tour of a room where a guide explains more of the timeline and reasons for the witch trials. I appreciated her message, which was, these women were wrongfully accused and let's not have history repeat itself! Relevant in today's times. The tour ended in a gift shop. All in, we were probably there for 45 minutes in total. read more

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This was terrible staff was rude not to mention it was boring. We so called "missed the 10 minute History walk though" arrived at 9:45 had us wait for an hour. And wanted us 5 to wait almost 2 hours for a dumb walk though while being completely rude. read more

Because it's October, you have to wait until 10PM the previous night to get tickets online. I did have to wait a couple minutes to finally purchase tickets which was a little nerve wracking. First, you're place in a huge room to listen to a recording go into detail about the witch trials. There are wax-like displays around the room that are lit up. The only con with this is that if you're sitting on the sides, you miss a large portion of the wall unless you take the time to get out of your seat. Afterwards, you go to another room where a guide educates you. There isn't much crowd control. I'm thankful my group was respectful. I wish the guide had a mic because it was hard to follow. I really liked the gift shop. I found there to be a lot of interesting books. read more

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While in Salem, MA we visited the Salem Witch Museum. It cost us $52 to go on the Guided tour. First you watch a play with wax figures depicting the story of how it started! Then phase 2 they take you to a section with artifacts that after she does her presentation you are allowed to view and take photos. There is also the original beam from some of the hangings located there. The gift shop was large with a lot of items to choose from! I got a magnet! Tony Vanoy Noël Teel Calliope & I enjoyed! read more

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5 of us checked out the Salem witch museum and had a good time. Very entertaining and informative. Had no idea this witch stuff was really a real part of history and in this cool small little town. Worth the tour read more

Salem Witch Museum - 5 friends at the museum - Museums Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Easy to follow narrative. It's a presentation style museum. There's two parts and then a gift shop. They make the most of the smaller space. I wish we had more time to read everything on the wall but it's a great introduction to the town and would recommend if you want to know more about the history! I took a couple notes and looked up more information later on my own, this isn't going to answer all your questions. But it's a great 45 minutes to get you started. read more

At first I was a little worried at how cheesy this was but honestly ended up enjoying the history lesson. Would be great for mid aged kiddos since it's a great story but not too scary or gory. Inside for a 20 ish min recorded story and then off to 2nd room for a second timeline by a live person. Good gift shop, plenty of AC. read more

This is not a "museum" in a true sense, something they do t tell you until after you purchase your tkts. That being said it's a story time effect with lifelike dioramas that light up as the story is being told of the witches and witch trials. It's interesting but not worth the tkt price. read more

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It was my first time in Salem and I feel like it is a must to visit the Salem Witch Museum. Museum entrance includes a two part experience. The first experience tells the Salem Witch trial story in a small auditorium. The second half shows the history of witches in the world. It was worth the money, very informative, and did not take a lot of time. read more

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We were so excited to be close to Salem while traveling for work into Boston. We made a day to go to Salem and check out the infamous Salem Witch Museum. We had purchased tickets online the night prior to attend the museum, we checked in and received a colored sticker for our tour time. We had some time to check out the gift shop prior to our tour start time. We headed over to the far side of the museum to wait for our tour to begin. With how large the building is we thought there would be more to offer within the museum - though the tour was extremely informative and I learned quite a bit I didn't know, it was only 2 rooms of exhibits during the tour. You start the tour by entering a large, dark room with round stools in the middle, take their advice and get a seat in the center of the room or you cant see all of the displays. When the tour starts, mini displays light up and the audio recordings tell the story - and it goes around the room from the left corner in a counter clockwise as the story progresses. Once this is completed, you are escorted through the gift shop into the 2nd exhibit room where the tour guide goes over how Witches transitioned from to the dramatized versions in movies with green skin to the modern day wiccans. You are given some time after they speak to look through all the displays in this area before you end back in the gift shop. Overall I loved the history, but was surprised there wasn't more in the museum. read more

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Very nice meuseum! Not only gives a good summary of the salem witch trials but it also gives a timeliness of witch trials through out the world and witches in pop culture aspects. read more

​If you've seen photos of Salem, you've seen this building. The massive, gothic, red-brick church exterior is easily the most iconic photo op in the city. Inside, however, the vibe is a bit of a time capsule. It feels like a mix between a theater and a history classroom--very "vintage 1970s" but in a way that feels like a Salem rite of passage. ​ ​The museum is divided into two parts: ​The Main Show: You sit in a large, darkened room while life-sized dioramas light up around the perimeter to a narrated soundtrack. It tells the story of the 1692 trials with a lot of drama. It's definitely "campy" and a bit dated, but it's a solid, digestible overview of the history. ​The Guided Exhibit: After the show, a staff member leads you through a second area that explains the evolving image of "the witch" through time. This part felt much more modern and actually touched on some interesting social themes like scapegoating. ​Duration: Plan for about 1 hour total. ​Booking: This is the most important tip--book your tickets online in advance! Especially in the shoulder seasons or October, they sell out hours (or days) ahead. Don't expect to just walk up to the door and get in. ​Price: At around $19, it's a bit pricier than the smaller museums, but it's the "big one" that most people feel they have to check off their list. read more

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We came into Salem on a whim for a day trip, and knew we wanted to check out one museum. This one seemed to be highly rated on Reddit, so we decided to book it. We were able to get a spot for the afternoon same day which was perfect. You start in a large room and they basically tell the story of the witch trials with models and mannequins. It's really cool to hear about it and learn. Then you get pushed into a museum area where the tour guide talks a little more, and then one last room where same thing. There's a lot of really cool information, but the price feels super steep for what you get from it - crowded rooms as a tour that give basic information. I think I would rather a museum be larger and let me self guide. I'm not mad about going, it was informative and we definitely wanted to do something like this in Salem, but it did leave a lot to be desired in my opinion. read more

This tour was pretty cool and very well organized. I also felt the price point unlike a lot of tourist attractions, was very fair. Children under six are free and adults are around $19. We arrived at the time listed and we were told there's actually a 10 minute window in between for them to get set up, which was not a problem. It gets a little confusing about which door to go in and out of, but thankfully, there was a lot of staff on hand, all of whom were very helpful. The first part is a pre-recorded assimilation of characters from The Crucible, and their experiences. It was interesting to find out how much of the play Arthur Miller fabricated from their real stories. For the second part, the group splits in half, one group goes to the gift shop and the other goes on the last leg of the tour, and then they switch. I thought that was good because it eliminated having a crowd, or long lines at the gift shop. I also felt the gift shop was again, reasonably priced. This would be a great attraction for school groups. read more

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This is a tourist trap. Seating is poor and the presentation is a voice over with out-of-date sets. The presentation lacks historical depth and the process felt rushed and disorganized. This experience was not worth the money and I wouldn't recommend visiting. read more

Informative and fun! The first part has reenactments of how the Witch Trials started and the second part is a brief little history tour. Rose was our history guide for the second part and did great. Would absolutely return! read more

Campy, Touristy, exactly what you expect. You should go. Better to be armed with historical knowledge to be able to differentiate between a hysterical grab of resources and A) The Democrat internment of Japanese American citizens and B) The McCartHy HUAC hearings especially after the admission by the Soviets that CONFIRMED McCarthy's findings. When democrats are talking, you'll hear nothing but lies... read more

A complete tourist trap that is extremely outdated. I wouldn't say it was a museum, it was more of a "show" with standstill wax figures that tells you a little about the history of the witch trials. I would suggest sitting in the middle to get the best view. Honestly, the Witch Dungeon gave the same information and it was much cooler to see. As it was off season, it was very easy to get in to and we purchased tickets right outside. The place is made out of an old church which is pretty cool. The little tour after the show was the coolest part, it had some cool artifacts and notable autographs. Definitely a once and never again museum. read more

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Had a blast stopping in with friends from the west coast. I come to Salem 5+ times a year and yet haven't been to the museum since the mid 90's. Nice to see some updates, but also nice to see much of it exactly as it was 30 years ago. Definitely a fun place to visit when you're in town. read more

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As a historian, I was super excited to visit this museum as it was "Supposed" to tell the real story of the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Your insistence on you being on time was absolutely nonsensical. You get lumped in with the group either before your time or after your time, you have this idea that it's gonna be a long exhibit, no, it is literally 2 rooms, in which the main is like a wax museum, with vignettes, wirh you turning in a circle to listen the narrations from at least 30 years ago. Then you either hang in the gift shop, filled with imported trinkets seen on TikTok shop, while waiting to go into a miniature, circular walk through at any museum, where the guide gives the most random info possible, i swear there is a wicked witch of the west figure, talking about technicolor in the Wizard of Oz. For such a majestic building, the actual exhibition space is small. The overall information is even less than what you learned in grade/middle school. The amount of missing info was astounding. I was very disappointed. Oh, for $19, they need to give people some type of souvenir in the price. read more

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It is definitely campy and needs some upgrades. Have you ever watched Gilmore girls? Well this diorama based museum is only missing a cannon ball through the floor. This is literally 2 rooms, you sit in one for about 25 minutes watching the dioramas be lit up as they discuss who is who. Then into the next room where there are 3 more dioramas with a recorded explanation of what it is. I arrived 10 minutes early and had to wait an extra 15 minutes for the "tour" to begin. As we were the last tour for the day we were quickly ushered out being told the museum is now closed. Wasn't sure if the gift shop was still open so decided to skip it. I will at more shops tomorrow for some good take home gifts. read more

Salem Witch Museum - Diorama. - Museums Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Not worth the price or wait at all. After going through and watching the lights go onto the mannequins where half of them you can't even see because of how the sitting is there. I can say it was a waste of time read more

Not very good, extremely overpriced, looked decent inside but definitely not worth it.