Located on the corner of Peabody and Congress are the stacked containers and incredible art display…read morethat screamed totem. How happy to find out that is the title. The bright colors simply draw you in, powerful spirituality emanates. All the faces of spirit guides and ancestors seem to gaze upon you and your hope takes flight! Art can invoke so many emotions, so many images beyond what you are seeing with your own eyes. This one is a treasure. Title: Totem Where: Corner of Peabody and Congress Artist: Ledania Medium: Spray Paint Date: July, 2019

This is all Billy Bass gate and he lives in the bushes right outside the lobster shanty. This is…read moresome kind of lost public art but I'm not sure what they were going with but I like it. Salem has many weird unique awesome features and this is just one of them. This is just all Billy Bathgate hiding in the bushes looking out trying to scare children and the people to walk bye pretty cool

This mural is right next to the Policebots mural on the side of a parking garage off Congress St…read more The mask of the lady liberty's face is both disconcerting and insightful, the many figures of people turned in different directions- the combination of the two. Like all of us are Lady Liberty or none of us are- it's all fake. The Statue of Liberty is supposed to be the gateway for immigration- I can imagine the ships sailing past full of people who endured the seas to come to America. Land of the free where nothing is actually free. Wow~ that's a deep dive that just keeps going! I love art and all the thoughts it can provoke- even if some are not happy thoughts and feeling. Art that can get you thinking or feeling is powerful indeed. Untitled Where: 10 Congress St Artist: HYURO Medium: Acrylic Paint Date: July, 2019

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.

Not only is this place fun, it's also super interesting learning about the history of the witch…read moretrials. This was the first time I learned how the witch trials finally ended, as well as freaky facts--did you know that they actually tried and hung two dogs for practicing witchcraft? First you see a reenactment of a trial, then tour the replica below. It's amazing to see the actual size of some of the cells that people had to stay in. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and made the thought interesting.

The Witch Dungeon Museum is probably one of the most visited attractions in Salem, MA. There are…read morecontinuous live shows during April 1st thru November 30th all day from 10am to 5pm. In September, I walked in and was able to get tickets for a show that started 20 minutes later. Adult tickets were $13.00 each. We started in a courtroom to see a reenactment of the trial of beggar-woman Sarah Good from the original transcript of 1692. Then, we went on a guided tour of the dungeon. It was pretty intriguing to see and learn about the cells where the witches were kept and learn more about the history of the trials. Then, you are led to a gift shop prior to exiting. The Witch Dungeon Museum is definitely worth checking out!

Through out the United States, there is only a handful of registered Satanic Temples. And the…read moreSatanic Temple/ Art gallery in Salem Massachusetts does not disappoint. It was easy to make reservations for the visit, the temple is well managed, staffed, and maintained. They offered an excellent selection of swag and merchandise for the believers and haters alike. The art presentations were beautifully done and well presented. The merchandise was priced fair and was plentiful. If it's your thing.. make the visit, learn a thing or two and schedule your Marriage, Un-Baptism, or your divorce at this location!

My daughter and I made our first trip to Salem this weekend, and a visit to TST was at the top of…read moreour list of things to do. It did not disappoint. We spent several hours looking at the art on display, viewing the exhibits, and spending time in the library watching the documentary while flipping through books in their extensive collection. We both enjoyed the documentary, and it gave us both a greater appreciation for the important work TST does. If you've seen their online store, you know what to expect in the gift shop. I've ordered things online several times and always received my items promptly. The staff onsite was equally helpful in assisting my daughter select some jewelry that she loves. If you don't know what the temple stands for, I encourage you to stream the documentary "Hail Satan?" or read the FAQ on their website. TST is probably not at all what you think it is and the work they do is more important now than ever before.

​If you've seen photos of Salem, you've seen this building. The massive, gothic, red-brick church…read moreexterior 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.

I thought this was great. We arrived just in time for the 12pm start so had a few minutes to use…read morethe 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!

Who doesn't love elephants? Pachyderms! I left a shop disappointed and turned the corner and was…read moresurprised by the murals all around- this one being one of the first ones I saw! The entire side of the building lined with elephants parading! The detail was great- the black, white and gray tones give a sense that the mural has been there for a while, not sharp contrasts like some other murals- but a artistic grace that feels timeless. I wish I could find more information on this mural- artist, time it was painted, etc.

One of many murals in Salem. This one is of about four or five different elephants just kind of…read morehanging out doing elephant things. So they are our wall And there is no description of why they are on this wall or what they are doing but I like it because I like all the murals and things that Salem has to offer to make the city colorful

What a great experience!…read more We had the tour to ourselves. The snow turned everyone away. The house is super interesting and our guide was great! If you are in the area, highly recommend a tour. Side note: we used our library card and received 50% off of admission.

My train was delayed, so I ended up missing my tour by 15 minutes. Although the staff told me it…read morewas possible to join if you were within 15 minutes of the tour time, by the time I got to the ticket desk, it was a few minutes too late, and they were strict and unfortunately wouldn't allow me to join. Otherwise I was able to wander the garden/grounds and explore the other smaller houses which were also beautiful, peaceful, historic, and informative. Although many parts of Salem were already insanely crowded with many lines outside, the grounds were not too crowded when I went in the morning on a Saturday in October. I probably spent about 45 minutes visiting the grounds.