Salem
A Massachusetts port with a serious maritime and Asian art collection, and a witch-trial history it has monetised heavily.
Updated 30 August 2026
In 1692 nineteen people were hanged and one pressed to death after accusations of witchcraft, and the town has spent three centuries deciding what to do about that. The honest sites are the Witch Trials Memorial, a quiet enclosure of stone benches beside the old burying ground, and the Witch House, the actual home of one of the trial judges. Around them has grown a large industry of attractions with little historical basis, and October turns the whole town into a month-long crowd. The other Salem is the maritime one: the Peabody Essex Museum, founded 1799, holds outstanding Asian export art and a complete Qing-dynasty house moved from China, and the Salem Maritime site covers the trading years.
What's there
- The Witch Trials Memorial - stone benches by the burying ground.
- The Witch House - a judge's actual home, not a recreation.
- The Peabody Essex Museum - Asian export art and a moved Qing house.
- A large industry of invented attractions - alongside the real ones.
When to go
May to September; October is packed from start to finish. Half a day.
What to expect
October is genuinely overwhelming - accommodation, parking and streets all fill. Many attractions are haunted-house entertainment, not history. The 1692 events are treated as a theme by much of the town. Museum tickets add up.
Nearby
Marblehead is south-east; Boston is south.
What to pack for Salem
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A refillable water bottle - Many cities have public fountains; save money and plastic. Find on Amazon
- A light layer + compact umbrella - For museum air-con and a sudden shower. Find on Amazon
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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
