Peabody Essex Museum

I love going to museums and it was worth paying for this one! This museum offers a wide variety of selections of Art from different parts of the world so, you are not just seeing American art. I was lucky to see two new installations when I visited- Edmonia Lewis’s sculptures and Yin Yu Tang- an imported Chinese home. Watched so many historic Asian drama so I was excited to see a palanquin from Japan’s Edo period

As a huge history and art nerd, I had to make this a must visit on my list while in Salem, MA from Florida. The sheer volume of not only art but also artifacts and historically significant things this museum has is astonishing. I had little to no words walking around taking it all in. My favorite part being the marble pieces and paintings. I absolutely love nautical and maritime art and they definitely have that! Not only this but they have an authentic 200 year old Chinese house on premises you can tour! The cost is very reasonable for the sheer amount of things you get to see!

Got to go for free for Martin Luther king Jr Day. Parking garage is also free. You can get through the entire place in 2 hrs if you are quick about it. It's clean and the people are very nice. Room for a lot more exhibits, lacking on amount of content. This trip was okay. I liked it better years ago. Especially when they had a exhibit of Ansel Adams. I would go again but would only for a specific exhibit..... They still have the leather back sea turtle, which is my favorite childhood museum memory. Pictured below is my favorite pics of the day.

I love this museum. Second time going and I saw so much I didn't see the first time. Also got to eat at the cafe and the food was delicious and portion sizes were actually quite big. There is so much to see you could easily make a day of it.

Easily spend a full day here. Surprising East Asian and asian art collection as well as other exhibits I didn't expect, like contemporary south Asian art. I ignorantly came expecting that the museum would be mainly about the Salem Witch Trials, which are covered with humanizing care, introspection and reflection on justice. But I came away learning a lot more about Salem, it's fascinating history and connection to the global world trade and the cultures shared through artifacts and art represented in the exhibits. There are other children friendly exhibits about the boreal Forrest and overall the exhibits are not text heavy and often contain interactive and or video media throughout.

A really amazing art museum, which punches far above its weight. It has a really varied collection and fascinating temporary exhibits, so you could easily spend the whole day here, and it combines well with other attractions in Salem for a very full day trip or even an overnight if you don’t want to rush. Walking distance from the train station, too, so no need to brave the traffic to get here from Boston. On a weekend the commuter rail ticket is $10 round trip!

(Visited on 09/13/2025) A visit to the museum was the first thing I had in mind when we planned our trip to Salem. They showcased actual artifacts from the trials and gave detailed stories and backgrounds to the people affected. I also appreciated the timeline of events post Salem Witch Trials.. Also to note, the Yin Yu Tang house was such a marvel! It transports you to another place and time and gives you an insight of generational living of another culture. Kudos to the museum staff! I recommend to order your tickets online prior to visiting, going as soon as it opens, and possibly dedicating most of your day here. We parked at the Witch City Mall parking garage (~$11/day) and parked on the top floor. More spots available and you get a unique view of Salem.

The Peabody Essex is one of my favorite spots in Salem for lunch - the peppers are absolutely scrumptious… Is what I would say if the PEM was a restaurant and not a world-class museum!! I’ve visited 2-3 times and each time I learn or discover something new, even from the permanent collections. All the art and historical artifacts are displayed and described with respect and expertise. The Yin Yu Tang House is especially interesting and impressive to learn how they shipped it to MA in parts and assembled it here (and also where you can find the dried peppers :D). I also really enjoy the interactive natural history sections of the museum; on my last visit, they had a room with different caterpillars!! The PEM is a must-visit for any trip to Salem.

Native American art? Asian art? Visual Photography and Videography? Fashion from the olden days? This place is absolutely awesome! Perfect for kids, art lovers, or people just wanting to learn about different cultures, this place is great for everyone! Discounts for students, and a cafe right inside. This place is so cool and I cant wait to go again!

Upon our arrival to the museum the front desk staff were not very informative. With no direction, this museum is definitely a maze to get through, especially on a busy day. Despite that, there are a lot of beautiful pieces in this museum! You will definitely leave inspired, and have learned a thing or two about cultural history. We were underwhelmed by the traveling/special exhibition "BATS". But otherwise PEM was very well worth the $20 general admission price.

I had time to spare so why not visit the museum. I came within an hour of closure so I was able to get a discounted rate, but I also had to rush the exhibits a little bit. There was such a good variety of art. There is a Japanese exhibit, Chinese and Indian exhibits. I've never seen Indian art in a museum and I liked that. Along with other cultures there was the 'Black Atlantic' exhibit which was interesting as well, because again it's not something I've seen in a museum to that extent. So I really appreciated that. There was also an open room which reminded me museums in Paris. Visiting PEM museum is something you'll regret. If I wasn't pressed on time I'd easily spend another 45 minutes exploring.

We had a lovely visit. Three flights of awesome I was surprised by the strong Asian theme but wonderful art. Not much for food. So don't come hungry. Definitely recommend

On our Boston trip we visited Salem. In October it was a madhouse even on a Friday. But we were able to walk right into this museum. There was only one exhibit on the Salem Witch trials which was so popular that they had timed entry. We had to see the whole museum and then go to the Witch Trials exhibit an hour later. That exhibit wasn't that great. But there was a fabulous exhibit by Gio Swaby that at first glance looked like large line drawn portraits. At closer inspection, they were machine sewn portraits! Impressive. It's difficult to sew details like that. I loved it. There were other exhibits and a Chinese house that we couldn't visit. But it is a worthwhile museum to visit.

Just ridiculously amazing! I can't believe I almost passed this place over but the rainy day kept me local so I decided to come here on a whim with two teenagers in tow. I'm the type of patron that likes to skim a museum and go quickly but NOT the case this time. I found the variety so appealing. The great architecture allows you to meander a fun maze of options. We definitely favored the rooms with the oversized wall art, we found inspiration in the fashion room and learned quite a bit in the Asian art and Native American sections. I'm not lying when I say the teenagers did not want to leave. We told several people at our hotel to not miss this place.

one of my top things in Salem. We were going to pass it by but opted to pop in before leaving for Portland. It was well worth the visit and admission fee. The exhibits were well done, museum well organized just overall a great experience. The outdoor gardens were small but elegant with a cool water fountain. The light exhibit was what made me want to go and it was a huge room with a suspended box with a light and intricate design that cast those designs on the walls of the room. we were in the room by ourselves for a short time which made it super cool. Just fascinating. Not sure about parking as we just walked from our hotel where our car was. Staff were nice and helpful. I would recommend, also loved the fashion display, shoes and dresses that make an impression.

Fantastic museum with a great permanent collection and stellar temporary exhibitions. The Yin Yu Tang (Chinese house) is of particular note. I've seen special exhibits of hats and teapots (separately, lol) in the past at the Peabody Essex. The acquisition of Iris Apfel's collection as well as that of Yolanda Cellucci (Waltham) have expanded the Fashion and Design Department and will surely bring about many future installations. The museum is great at engaging with the community. Salem residents get free admission and many Massachusetts public libraries provide discounted entrance fees for their patrons.

Great place to visit when in the witch city. Fabulous gift show and exhibits. Will visit again next year.

RACISM?? Drove all the way from NYC with my family and babies. waited to enter the Yin Yu Tang house along with 2 Caucasian couples, 2 Asian-American college girls, and 2 seniors. The instant we entered the large OLD Caucasian lady with white hair and the Surly man on the 2nd floor followed ONLY US, kept their stare only on us, interrupted only us at every turn, prevented only us from posing for photos EVEN THOUGH WE WERE QUITE FAR FROM ANY PART OF THE EXHIBIT! The entire time they stared at us with dirty looks and never once did they interact with any of the other guests....the only difference was we were the only Hispanic Americans in the house. We would've seen the rest of the museum but left angrily right after our awful 30 minutes of racial profiling.

Good collection of American and Asian art. The Peabody Essex Museum contains Native American, American, Chinese, Japanese and Indian art. The collection mainly spans the mediums of audiovisual, photography, paintings, and pottery. We spent almost two hours here, and there were a number of pieces that we missed. Overall, the breadth of the collection makes the Peabody Essex Museum well worth a stop.

Yes, yes, yes! I love museums and PEM has been on my radar for quite some time. Too bad the Yin Yu Tang exhibit tickets were sold out when I visited. The Asian art collection is outstanding. I was wowed several times when I saw the gorgeous pieces. I'll let the pics do the talking. The PEM guide book is a good buy. My personal tip: if you love the museum, buy the guide book. It's $12. It's not sold on Amazon!

Highly recommended. A lot of art piece. You could spend the whole day here. The Chinese house is stunning!

I came to this museum specifically to see "All the Flowers Are for Me" by Anila Quayyum Agha. I remember seeing this installation and immediately wanting to take a picture lol. It's captivating and I loved how the light and flowers were everywhere and took up all the space in the room. According to the Peabody Essex Museum: "This luminous installation provides an opportunity to contemplate the differences and commonalities that shape our lives and relationships. Originally from Lahore, Pakistan, and now living in the US, Agha is acutely attuned to the social codes that inform the lives of Muslim women and all immigrants. She describes this work as her effort to create a sense of how women can reclaim and safely open up private space to welcome others. Located in the Wheatland Family Gallery." (https://www.pem.org/exhibitions/all-the-flowers-are-for-me-2) The museum as a whole is beautiful and they have so many exhibits to check out. If you're a student from any university, you can get into the museum for free!

This museum is insanely boring. There are a couple of worthy exhibits to wander through, but it didn't take us more than an hour to see the whole place. We skipped the Chinese House since our feet were killing us and the vibe just wasn't there. I was really looking forward to the Bat exhibit, but there wasn't an actual bat anywhere in the entire building. Like...wut... I've never been to an "exhibit" that didn't actually exhibit the topic at hand. It was beyond lame. The Witch Trial exhibit was also happening, but they didn't have clear signage or anything so we noticed as we were walking out of the museum. We went upstairs to check it out and were told it would be a 20 minute wait... what? So we said nah and went to leave but the lady said oh just go in. There were a couple of genuine artifacts from the time, but mostly it was the same info you get literally everywhere else in Salem so it was a waste for us. I'm glad we had free tickets because I would have been insanely annoyed had we paid full price for this museum.

Fantastic, thoughtful, colorful museum with a wide variety of exhibits! There was a really well done exhibit on the Salem Witch Trials, which had original documents and original objects owned by people involved in the trials. A favorite of mine was Each/Other by Watt and Cannupa, a creative and colorful mixed media collection. There are definitely indigenous undertones. The Salem stories section of the museum was beautiful and a lot of fun! It's set up in an A to Z format (A is for always indigenous to Z for zoology). There are so many intriguing Mo cam stories and artifacts, photographs, and posters. My favorite was the East India Maritime Society cabinet. And I had no idea Parker Brothers games had a relationship to Salem. There are several galleries for Asian art: south Asian, Chinese, and Japanese. There is also Yin Yu Tang house, a 200 year old Chinese house broken down and brought to America and rebuilt (separate free ticket). There's American art. An impressive maritime art section. A very classy children's section, and more. I really wish I could have spent more time here and will try to return. Oh, and there is a parking garage right next to it. I parked for a few hours and it was only five dollars. Very close to downtown, the witch board museum, the witch trials memorial, and more.

I throughly enjoyed this museum and wished we were able to make it through all the exhibits during our visit.

This museum is in Salem, and has some really cool exhibits. The Bats! Exhibit was cool, but a little sparse. I really enjoyed the exhibit on the Salem Witch trials. It was chilling and terrifying all at once.

A nice mid-size museum with a mix of history and art, and regularly rotating exhibits. At busy times you likely need to plan ahead to be sure of getting tickets for the Yin Yu Tang House (and why not visit a 200-year-old house moved from China to Salem?). They offer a fair number of community engagement opportunities as well, from art classes to in-gallery yoga to the usual assortment of lectures by curators and guests. Certainly worth a visit!

This SUCKED. I should not need 4 separate reservations to see all of the exhibits at the museum. I planned this trip weeks in advance. I didn't know that the Yin Yu Tang House was free with a general admission ticket, but I wasn't super concerned as I was in Salem to do touristy witch things. I also didn't initially know the Ropes museum was free but had to be added to the general admissions ticket when purchasing it, but after calling the museum in advance, they were able to sort that out and save tickets for me at the door. Now for the exhibits- we NEVER SAW THE HISTORY OF THE WITCH TRIALS. I still don't see any way that we could have signed up for this, or known to sign up for this in person, without getting there early in the morning. We couldn't go in to this without putting our name on a waiting list and by the afternoon, they told us they were not taking any more people. How much planning are we supposed to do for one trip to the same museum? So to see everything you need: a $20 general admission ticket + Ropes reservation + Yin Yu Tang reservation + arrive early and put your name on a waiting list??? Ridiculous. We were super turned off when we were looking at some of the historical paintings and on display next to us is a mask with the description "2020 COVID-19 mask." Sorry. That's not art. 20% of the visitors in the museum are still wearing masks, this does not belong next to a painting from the 1700s. That's just stupidity. I don't want to pay to see that. The Ropes museum was OKAY. The people working there were awesome and honestly the best part of the place. The house itself... it's just an old house. It's cool for about 5 minutes and when you remember it's Allison's house in Hocus Pocus. But that's about it. The only reason this isn't 1 star is because of the employees who helped us in person and over the phone- Thanks Cas! Pros: Employees were super helpful and really trying Bathrooms at the museum were available for use all day if you buy a general admissions ticket. (Especially when there are not a lot of bathrooms in Salem). Ropes museum was okay. Cons: Waste of time Hard to book Boring Weird museum organization (why are modern things next to ancient things???) Dumb exhibits (COVID mask)

Among nicest museums in Boston area Interesting historical exhibits Check out rotating exhibits

Visiting the whole historic Chinese family home transported and rebuilt, including much of the original furniture, gave us an insight into life in China that would be nearly impossible to understand in any other way. From the ancient alter to worship ancestors to the cheap speaker required by Mao to pipe in communist propaganda (and which couldn't be turned down or off) to no windows on the ground floor and escape routes on the second, we saw what daily life's patterns were like for a merchant family a couple of hundred years ago. Well worth your time!

Fun and lively museum with plenty to see, and there's always new stuff for everyone to enjoy!

This is a phenomenally done museum. I was lucky enough to have gone on a weekend were the BoA "Museum on Us" program was in effect so I got in for free! But the price would be well worth it. Only 20 dollars for a museum of that caliber? Wow! The exhibits are just really well done and well spaced out. Lots of walking room and chairs/seats evening spaced out. There is a free bag storage area which is really kind of them and a lovely gift shop full of really interesting trinkets and artwork. I was lucky enough to see the Yin Tang Chinese house which was just spectacular and so glad I was able to get inside. There was an exhibit of flags on nations on the U.N. made of real human hair which was...interesting and not at all gross... I am so surprised it took me so long to discover this museum and am so glad I took the time for it! Highly recommend this as one of your stops if you are in Salem. Allot yourself about 2-3 hours for a good experience. It is so worth it!

I had been here over a decade ago with friends and family. On veteran's day and my anniversary, we decided to stroll through the museum before dinner. The staff is so kind and welcoming. As new Salem residents, we found out our admission was free, a wonderful perk! BTW as a veteran, I would have had free admission as well. Everything is beautifully laid out, and a nice mix of old and new artists and current artists is displayed. It was a fun afternoon and added to our day.

Great place to go, lots of art of all styles. Will need many hours to look around. There is a china house to walk around through as well

Very nice art museum. The collection was much larger than I anticipated, and also covered a much wider variety than I would have thought. Much of it comes from abroad due to Salem's mercantile history, but the highlight of the museum is definitely the great selection of art depicting the American experience from all angles. I was particularly impressed with the size of the collection and exposition of indigenous art. Highly recommended!!

Recently had the extreme pleasure of visiting the museum to see the exhibit the Great Animal Orchestra and had an AMAZING visit! Besides the phenomenal exhibit, which is a MUST SEE, the entire museum is welcoming and gorgeous space. On entry, the staff was very welcoming and willing to help out with any questions. Check in was a breeze, in all aspects of the layout of the museum seemed really thought through, and comfortable. While waiting for our turn to go into orchestra, we decided to eat lunch inside the museum, rather than venture out into another part of Salem for food. I chose a panini sandwiches which was delicious, and my travel partner had a great dish she also really enjoyed. I would highly recommend that you include a visit to the Peabody Essex the next time you're in Salem, I'm sure it will be well worth your while no matter what do exhibit is!

Came mainly for All the Flowers Are for Me by Anila Quayyum Agha. All the Flowers Are for Me is admittedly not for everyone, but personally I think it's a really neat use of how light can be used to fill a space. If you're not familiar, it's a big intricately carved black box suspended from the ceiling with a light bulb shining through it to paint the surrounding walls with light. I also really enjoy the Salem specific gallery which has multiple objects representative of the town's history. And the design gallery in how it divides various kinds of objects by their design purposes. Means of sitting, of locomotion, of intimidation, etc. Was pleased to learn that the Museum offers a discount in the last hour.

Being the 600th review, it is an appropriate choice. As with all things 2020 there is little to do because of social distancing and the shutdowns, altering life in ways I couldn't have imagine a year ago. Yet here we are. Opportunities such as a visit to the PEM helps to allow activities to partake in, otherwise it's quarantine at home and the occasional venture out to a restaurant while outdoors. As the weather changes and it starts becoming cooler, this last option will be less appealing. As we arrive to the front door, we are asked if we are from outside New England. If the answer is no, we can proceed forward. Then it's further screening questions. With satisfactory answers, you can proceed forward to the desk to purchase your tickets. We bought general admission, then tickets to the Salem Witch Trials exhibit and Salem Stories exhibit. We were able to see the museum in a day's time, with exception to the Yin Yu Tang home and one of the exhibit sections. We were growing tired with sore soles, and decided to leave an hour early for the restaurant in the Salem Sound Square before the dinner rush. The Salem Witch Trials Exhibit was timed, and you had approximately 1 hour. This was not enough time, as there was much to read. Most of the exhibit were documents, but to see primary sources from the Witch Trials of 1692 was fascinating. I could have spent the day in this one exhibit, absorbing everything before me. There are several artifacts from chests, a halberd, a door and windows from one of the first Salem Homes. However, to see boards from the Salem Jail which held the accused, was chilling. Such simple objects were a part of such misery, many do not realize that several people died in the jails while waiting to finish their own trials. They were not convicted but nonetheless, victims of the hysteria. There is so much more to this museum. Salem was a major trade hub for America. Memories of my father telling me anecdotes about salem ship building and trade; there were so many ships from Salem in Chinese ports of trade, that the Chinese thought Salem was a country. Salem was a major shipbuilding port also, after the revolution sailors and shipowners created trade routes across the world, bringing world goods to American shores. This history is forgotten, it had contributed to the building of Salem (just walk through the McIntire district with the Federal style mansions). The rest of the museum is a reminder of this history, this is what made Salem what it is today. The staff are friendly and helpful, courteous. The museum is clean. With social distancing requirements, the museum can be a bit if a maze as traffic is being tightly directed. One exhibit, the Fashion and Design, was accessable through either an elevator, or you had to go a certain direction through several exhibits. A staff member resigned to us that it was easier to guide visitors themselves rather than attempt with giving directions.

This 0-star review for ***Patricia*** is long overdue. As part of a fun family outing, we went to PEM to tour Yin Yu Tang and the rest of the museum. Given our Chinese culture, we were especially excited to tour this historical gem. Everyone we came across was incredibly welcoming and kind, with the exception of one person and that was Patricia. Older lady with long light hair and wearing all white. To be perfectly candid, she reminded me of an actual witch. Within minutes, her condescending words, behavior, and actions toward us tainted such a special experience. We were definitely on time for the tour, even several minutes early, but were given misinformation by the person who checked us in. Innocent mistake. When we were finally directed to Patrica's location, she started berating us in front of the entire group. She kept the focus squarely on us, instead of continuing to do her job. Absolute bully. She also refused to give us audio guides, saying to everyone "they can figure it out on their own" as she started walking toward Yin Yu Tang and completely refusing to help us. There were two couples in our group who were so kind and offered us their audio guides and they would share with each other, so we wouldn't have to "figure it out on our own." Can't believe Patricia refused to give us audio guides. And it was plain mean to have my sister go all the way back out to the entrance area for the stroller, instead of telling her about the much closer option right behind us. Blatant unprofessionalism and pettiness. On the opposite spectrum of Patricia, I would like to share my highest praises for these staff members: Okiyo, Jaime, Dave, and Tom. I'd love each of these folks to know what an awesome job they're doing. Tom has so much enthusiasm, knowledge, and passion for his work and is a wonderful storyteller with an incredible sense of humor and people skills. Dave and our family clicked right away. He went out of his way to show us some exhibits and was so knowledgeable about everything. Such a pleasure to chat with him. Jaime is an exceptional human and was such an excellent listener about our experience with Patricia. He is a wonderful asset to PEM. Okiyo was the one who got the ball rolling when I approached her inside Yin Yu Tang for some guidance on how to handle this Patricia situation. Okiyo understood the situation right away and was so professional and helped me every step of the way. Patricia needs to learn from these role models, because she is clearly lacking in basic people skills. She was a conniving bully toward us and the staff I talked with agreed with that assessment, even shedding more light by giving more examples of her personality and demeanor. Again, bravo to the staff members I mentioned above who helped save our experience at PEM!

PEM was probably my favorite stop during my visit to Salem. We spent half a day here and made sure to get tickets to the Salem Stories and the Salem Witch Trial special exhibits. The special exhibit, All of the flowers are for me was easily my favorite mostly. It's so magical to see a giant light emitting cube casting dancing shadow patterns throughout an entire room. However, all of the exhibits were so special in their own way. Make sure to reserve a couple days in advance to reserve tickets and add on those special exhibits and give yourself enough time to check out all of the exhibits. I didn't think that I'd be that interested in a maritime exhibit but seeing in an audio corner and hearing a 4 minute audio guide dissect the different elements of a painting or of a stick was absolutely riveting. Also who knew that Salem was named after Jerusalem? One tricky part for those who are interested in the historical relationships with China or fashion is that these 2 exhibits are not easy to get to but if you get lost, the security guards are more than happy to help you out. Lastly, make sure to read the rules before you enter. It's nice to know that PEM is trying to enforce their safety rules and holding everyone to the same set of standards.

Due to work meetings that ran over time, I recently logged in to the tail end of a virtual tour of the Yin Yu Tang. I missed it. Bummer. However, I was able to explore part of this museum virtually by going to their 360° tours of PEM's collection galleries and changing exhibitions. https://www.pem.org/virtual-tours I hope to visit this museum IRL sometime in the near future. For now, I'm really happy to see a lot of museums around the world doing virtual exhibits.

The PEM is something that everyone recommends visiting when in Salem, MA. It is no different than many other art museums that you may have visited. The Chinese house and the "all the flowers are for me" exhibit were the two I wanted to visit. The Chinese house is an additional cost on top of the general admission. You aren't able to go to the garden or top floor due to covid, which was disappointing. What is neat is that you can access the audio tour on your phone. All the flowers are for me I would say is the most beautiful exhibit there. Due to covid, most of the Exhibits are timed, however they were not seem to be monitoring whether you arrived on time. Overall, I think it is a little overpriced for what it has to offer.

This place is difficult to find your way around. Had to constantly find an employee to get around. Even an employee complained. There is no clear pathway or signage. Aside from that, the exhibits on Salem & Maritime were slim pickins but expensive

Went to Salem October 1st 2022 and while walking around saw this museum. Decided to stop in and it didn't disappoint! Great exhibits and easy to navigate as well!

This was a nice afternoon roaming around. Well worth the admission, which pays for a tag that is good all day so you can come and go as you please for the entire day! That was really handy. There is also a caffe with some food and drinks. There are so many different varieties of art and installations to enjoy. You can roam from one space to the next and be transported to a completely different time and country. Overall it's a great place to spend an afternoon.

I had the pleasure of attending the Peabody Essex Museum for the first time this past Friday with a couple of friends during our weekend trip to Salem. When we arrived, we were told to present our negative Covid tests, however, we weren't told this would be a requirement before we were there and had already purchased tickets. Although we, personally, had tests performed and were able to show proof, I can imagine that this could have caused an issue had we not known of this requirement, and weren't on the state's exempt list. The Salem Stories exhibit could have been better, in our opinion. We were a little confused about how everything tied in together, and felt that it could have been a more cohesive exhibit. The Witch Trials exhibit was absolutely incredible. I loved seeing artifacts from the actual Witch Trials in person. That was a little unexpected, and felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, while we were talking through the exhibit, a museum employee went up to my two friends and told them that another group was coming in and made them feel as though we were being rushed out. I understand wanting to space patrons out given the pandemic, but we paid to take our time and take in the exhibits by taking our time and reading everything. This left a little bit of a bad taste in our mouths. Overall, I liked the experience and would come again, but I do feel that management needs to address the issues listed above in order to better serve their customers.

Lady outside was very nasty about using the military discount. Had us go to front desk to check in despite verifying tickets outside. You can tell they dislike tourists coming through the museum. Very disappointed as I heard great things but most exhibits were closed off to public unless you bought separate tickets. If you're going to offer military discounts please be nice to those using it, and not treat us like a holes for using it? Not worth the stop

Shockingly good museum given the size of the town. Regardless of the spirit of your visit, there's something for you here (and it'll be better priced than almost anywhere else in Salem).

Took a day trip to Salem to walk around enjoy dinning and see the sights and a pit stop at the Museum! First let me say that when you enter toward the admission desk, your greeted by a very pleasant and informed Staff Member. I asked this Staff Member a question and he went out of his way to find me the answer. At the time it was not busy so he wasn't delaying patrons at all but focused on exploring all avenues to answer my question! Well, I was very impressed and I want the Museum to be aware that this person, named "COLIN", is a great representative for the Museum. It's truly refreshing to interact with sincere and capable Staff. I am looking forward to returning at some point soon. Colin made my day and I Thank him and the Museum for a great experience!

World-class museum right on the North Shore. A must-see when in Salem - a nice reprieve from the witch theme. The curators do a great job of mixing old and new. Always something thought provoking.

While I didn't spend much time as I have in other museums, I di didn't need to since its footprint is much smaller. I was able to enjoy seeing what they had on Asian art and life is the reason I came. The price of $20 per adult to get in and an extra $6 to tour the Chinese House was almost not worth the price. The Chinese House is a 2 story family home that was donated to the museum. It was taken apart careful be and reassembled in a open air part of the museum. You get a self guided audio tour where you punch in the number on the block near the room you are near to hear what it was used for and how the family's changing fortune changed that use. You also learn about Chinese culture in this area of China and the different roles of both men and women. It can be eye opening for those of us in the western culture. Around this house is exhibits with art and photographs of and from China. A small theater has a rotation of 3 short films about the house and its move to the museum; a Chinese weddings with older people explaining their experience, and how Chinese New year is celebrated. Hands on exhibits is also there. They do have a Japanese art exhibit but the rest is Americana. A cafe is available by and the gift shop is in 2 parts with the normal items generally found in museum gift shops. A large parking garage is located near and the rates are more than reasonable. Worth the drive from Boston if you are into Chinese culture and to see maybe the only Chinese House from that era and section of China that is located in America.

Fantastic local museum with rotating fun events for families and kids. We love their rotating crafts. They keep us coming back.

I went on vacation to the East Coast in October. We purchased our tickets to the Peabody Essex a week in advance. When we arrived, as were the first ones to enter for the day, we were asked what state we were from. The people behind us were from Indiana and had to provide proof of COVID tests. We are from New York and didn't have to provide that. We were then asked a series of questions related to COVID, ie were we exposed to anyone, what state we are from, etc. When we were there, we got to see the Salem Witch Trial documents. This exhibit and another exhibit were timed entries. Everything was easy and people stayed socially distanced. The employees at the museum were extremely helpful and friendly. There was an older gentleman who helped us in the new section of the museum and was very knowledgeable. My favorite exhibits included the Salem Witch Trial documents, and the maritime room in the new addition of the museum. I really enjoyed this museum and the experience. It is a beautiful building. Definitely check this place out. Also, how they are handling COVID is outstanding. I also love their door system. To get into most rooms and the museum, you wave your hand and the door opens.

Some guys have offered to pay to Pea all over my body, I guess for them that "Essexy", but I'm not sure why they find little green vegetables on me to be sexy (shrug). What a gorgeous building. I've yet to be inside this museum, but I'm reviewing the building itself, which has a spectacular structure it is one of the prettiest and most gorgeous and recognizable and memorable buildings in all of Salem Witches full of nice buildings. Oh wait I meant to say Which Is. OR DID I. (creepy music plays) Definitely adds a lot of character to Salem and there's no way I can not give this 5 Stars based on what a gorgeous building it is. That is, based on the beautiful exterior.

Was good, a little boring at times. Very clean and lots of bathrooms available. Very nice facility and lots of workers available

October is, perhaps, not the most opportune time to visit this museum -- dodging throngs looking for witches both dead and alive plus gritting my teeth at exorbitant parking prices are two reasons -- but it's all worthwhile in the end because this museum is like visiting New England's attic. The collection has a heavy emphasis on maritime and Asian art. The context and close connections between the two are not accidental as the area was a major trading connection to Asia. The museum also includes some complete American houses and the Yin Yu Tang House, a late 18th century house that was purchased in the late 1980s, disassembled then rebuilt here. Too bad it was a pouring rain during my visit; it discouraged me from visiting on this visit. (There is always a next time.) I stumbled upon the main current exhibition: Empresses of China's Forbidden City. It marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of U.S.-China diplomatic relations. The Forbidden City is still largely a mystery at least to western audiences. Viewing it from the perspective of the succession of empresses was much more fascinating than I expected it to be. Gallery after gallery presents the clothing and accouterments while revealing the internal political dynamics that empresses had to navigate. Most of the items on display for this exhibition are from the Palace Museum collection. I was impressed to see a massive stupa (holy relic shrine) containing the hair of Empress Dowager Chongqing. With over 100 components and weighing almost 250 pounds, it's the largest stupa in the Palace's collection. For it to be here is an honor. The oddest item in this exhibition for me were the empress boots. Not quite thigh, ornate, and with very thick wood soles, it seems China was the true inventor of the glam rock boot. Who knew?

This place is a gem! For real. Shame on me for taking so long to write this review. I have been twice and each time has been out of this world. As someone who tends to grow bored quickly in museums this place manages to hold my attention every time. My most recent visit was to view the artwork of Jacob Lawrence. The staff was incredibly helpful and kind, even pointing out discounts I could get on the tickets and the exhibit was STUNNING. It was well laid out with thoughtful additions from other artists. In addition, within the exhibit the staff members were quite knowledgeable about Mr. Lawrence and where able add more information to the exhibits. They also had excellent recommendations for other exhibits which did not disappoint. In addition, the temperature throughout the entire museum was perfect. For some reason so many museum are so flipping cold!! WHY? Maybe they want freeze you to death then to turn you into one of their exhibits, who knows?? Anyway this place is the bees knees. Definitely make your way over.

Really great time on Essex street. Wonderful exhibits, clean, quiet, and the staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. Unique exhibits: Eastern Asia, history of salem, maritime, etc. Super cool stuff - worth the stop & admission is reasonable!