The Witch House at Salem

Amazing! Don’t just walk though, talk to the historians there to learn about the house! I could have spent all day with these ladies. I learned so much about the time period, construction, etc. so many people will just walk through. Stop and pause and it’s amazing! Also the proceeds from this experience pay for many of the other Salem historical sites. Definitely worthy, talk to the guides!

Hands down one of the oldest house you will probably ever see still standing in the US. Just that history alone is worth visiting. The windows were so small and the shape was very cool and different.

I'm not sure if you should, or could, but tickets in advance because we didn't have to. We walked right in, paid and went straight into the exhibit. It's fascinating that this house still stands. They did say all the items, and furniture, etc were not used by the family. Those items are part of another exhibit at another museum. It's pretty rad to step into a piece of history like that and I highly recommend you visit. It wasn't crowded but the exhibit space is small and I could see it getting crowded.

Such an icon to visit! This was the first time I had gone into the little gift shop around back, haven't walked through the museum though. Some neat items for purchase but the real attraction is the house itshelf! So much history and such a beautiful sight!

Loved the history here. Very interesting. You have to wait in line as they only let 10 people in at a time, but I value that so it's not over crowded. Great piece of history!

It’s a 17th century house now turned museum with a great deal of information about the witch trials and day to day life during that time. Tickets were only $12 so if you like old buildings or would be interested in the actual history behind the area definitely go for it. You buy the tickets in the gift shop at the back of the house

The Witch House of Salem is a fascinating place to visit and a must-see for anyone interested in the history of the witch trials. The house itself is beautifully preserved, and walking through the rooms gives you an authentic glimpse into 17th-century life. The exhibits are informative, and the staff is knowledgeable, making the experience both educational and engaging. It’s a quick stop, but a memorable one—rich with history and atmosphere. I recommend for anyone exploring Salem!

“The Witch House is famous because it is the only surviving building in Salem with direct ties to the 1692 Witchcraft Trials, as it was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin. Corwin was a magistrate who presided over many of the pre-trial examinations for the accused, making his home a significant historical landmark and a popular destination for those interested in Salem's history. The house is now a museum open to the public. “ I went during October on a Monday and it was pretty easy to get around and take pictures of. I did not go inside. “Captain Nathaniel Davenport originally owned the land where the Witch House at 310 Essex Street now resides.While Davenport started construction of the house, it was left unfinished when Jonathan Corwin bought it in 1675.”

The house was tiny (unexpected for that era). It was interesting to learn so much about the early settlers of Salem surrounding the Salem Witch Trials. Overall, the house was in good shape, and a piece of history is very well kept. The house had a musty smell to this. We were there in Jun and just walked in at 10 AM when they opened. However, during the Halloween season it seems like they sell out quite often!

I really enjoyed the Witch House. It had nothing to do with witches but it is the last standing structure that has direct ties to the witch trials during that time period owned by a judge who was involved in the witch trials. If you are a history buff, this is a great place for you to check out and see. The tour is self guided and the house has some really cool artifacts from that time period. The whole aspect of the house is really cool with it being so old. We were in the house for about 20 mins. It was nice being able to go during off season, we were able to buy tickets there and get in right away, I heard during the busier season you need to buy tickets online and it can be difficult to snag one.

I visited Salem in early October 2024 on a weekday and had the opportunity to visit the Witch House. At the time of my visit, tickets were $14.64, but getting them was super competitive. This might just be for the month of October, but tickets could only be purchased the day of online, and they were released at 8 AM - sold out by 8:05 AM. I was lucky to grab 10 AM tickets. The significance of the museum is that it's the only building left from the Salem Witch Trials era. It was owned by one of the judges - Judge Corwin. Even though it's not in its original location, the house itself has been preserved as it was. The house isn't very big, with only two floors. The stairs are extremely narrow. There's a small gift shop when you enter, and if it's a rainy day, they hold your umbrella. They also only let in visitors for their specific timeslot. The house is a self-guided tour covering the history of the Salem Witch Trials, Judge Corwin, and the beliefs of the time. You can walk through the rooms, and there are a few workers around who can answer questions. Overall, I thought it was fascinating. It only took me about 30 minutes to go through the museum, but it was well worth the visit.

This place was amazing. We had so much fun touring it. Plus of course taking pictures of the outside it's just so cool looking. I'd highly recommend coming here if in the area! We came in February so it was easy, no idea how it'd be in the popular season.

The history itself makes this a five star rating. While the house is a bit small for all of the travelers in it, it's mighty. My son and I really enjoyed ourselves here. I just wish the souvenir options were a bit better.

Have been to this house museum a couple of times, always liked it. Lovely old rooms and furnishings. During a visit this year however, I absentmindedly put my hand on the back of a chair while listening to a staff person answer a question and she YELLED at me like I was a three year old. Others turned to look at me, all the more embarrassing. You are asked upon entering to not touch anything, and she had every right to remind me, but her manner was rude and uncalled for. Minutes later I mentioned my mistake to a staffer in another room and she laughed and said, "Don't worry, even we forget the rule and touch things." I later contacted the museum director to suggest better training for staff in some respects and my message came back as undeliverable. I found another way to contact her and she replied, apologized for the rude staff person, and offered me a free pass to the Witch House. I wasn't expecting such a gesture, wrote back thanking her, and guess what? My message came back again as "undeliverable". Great old house, nice staff people overall, but one cranky old staff woman who, in 1692, would have been accused of witchcraft by her neighbors just to get rid of her.

This was the one place I really wanted to see in Salem but admittedly did not do any research on. You enter through the back of the home, into a small gift shop area. There are some interesting items here but overall, the displays and reading materials are a bit boring. We did a self guided tour and were in and out in about 30 minutes. I don't know if a guided tour is offered but if it is I would suggest taking that instead.

My boyfriend and I visited Salem on Halloween this year and made sure to take pictures outside of the witch house. We didn't actually go in but the architecture/color of the home definitely gave the perfect spooky vibes. From the reviews and what I read, the house tour is just ok. Probably not a must but only if you're really interested or have time to kill. People were really patient and made time and an appropriate line for pictures.

Minus the waiting until 8am and then start the panicky frenzie of trying to get a reservation, it's a good experience to see... because it's quintessential October in Salem, it's pure puritan living in real time, and lastly, you scored a ticket to enter, rejoice and then do it. It's probably 20-30 minutes total, some interesting history and living information, it's cool, but only if you don't have a conniption trying to obtain a ticket at 8 AM on the dot. Don't even try it at 8:01 folks.

We were on vacation in the area and decided to come here. The cost was $24 for 2 adults. The house is little but has a lot of history. They don't let you take flash photography or videos not sure why. It was a cool different type of thing to do. If you're in the area would recommend checking it out.

Very authentic & informative experience, & very interesting to see a house actually connected to & used during the witch trials still standing. My critique is that it feels a little costly, especially since pretty much every tourist attraction costs money. If you have the budget to visit & want some authentic history about not only the witch trials but the living conditions/culture of the time as well, definitely visit.

When researching places to visit in Salem, the Witch House consistently came up as a top attraction. This makes sense - it's the Witch City so of course this would be a natural spot for tourists to flock to. I had a few things on my itinerary to see while in the city, so I made plans to check this place out before heading back to Boston. Even though it's called the Witch House, it's somewhat of a misnomer as witches did not live here. Rather, this was the home of Jonathan Corwin - one of the judges in the Salem Witch Trials. That's really where the "witch house" name comes from, as it's the only structure still standing that has direct ties to the trials. I think this fact leads to the somewhat polarizing opinions of the house, as many people come in expecting that witches resided here. While it's relatively easy to get a picture in front of the house, it's tougher to book a reservation to go inside. Reservations can only be made same day, and open on Eventbrite at 8am in 10-minute slots. I was on the app right at 8am, and still it took about 5 tries for me to secure a reservation - they go fast so I would definitely recommend booking a slot as soon as they open. I arrived at the house shortly before my reservation time - you enter in the back of the house which logistically makes sense as the front always has crowds snapping pics. Upon entry you're immediately greeted by the gift shop where we had a chance to pick up some merch before heading into the exhibit areas of the house. The house is self-guided and split into two levels - in each room there are different displays and texts to help put everything into context. There are also staff members on each floor who are available to answer questions. While I thought the house was interesting, I'm not convinced that the juice is worth the squeeze here. I got more out of other attractions in Salem that were much easier to secure reservations for. Don't get me wrong - the historical significance of this house is massive, but I think the execution could have been better. Putting the gift shop up front naturally makes you less prone to make a purchase, and even with that there was a poor selection. I also think having a guided tour would have helped me learn more about the house. I realize, though, the house itself creates structural and logistical limitations. If you can snag a reservation here I would definitely jump on the chance to visit the Witch House. If not, I wouldn't sweat it - snap a pic outside and carry on.

A must visit place on your visits to Salem! Salem is an easy walking town so add this to your stops. We visited in September and it wasn't too crowded. I would recommend!

The place is a joke. You're not allowed inside unless you buy the ticket on Evenbrite. So we bought tickets for the closest time 12:50pm and waited outside for 15 minutes under the tree, to avoid the heat of the sun. The we've got ants bites and waited the rest of the time at the door. At 1pm the door finally opened, and they invited all the people with reservations to 12:40, 12:50 and 1pm. What's the point of selling the tickets for these time spots separately if everyone goes inside at the same time?.. What's inside: gift shop, old belongings of the judge who owned this house. No tour. You just walk inside around random stuff in tight and overcrowded rooms. And then you leave through the front door. -10/10, do not recommend. Tells you nothing about the witch trial unless you google everything by yourself. Better go to the park where Hocus Pocus was filmed, it's super cute and free to enter

This is the only home you can tour that was there during the Salem witch trials. One of the judges lived here. The home is said to be haunted and I definitely got some spooky vibes when I was here. Inside is a lot of reading and some furniture appropriate for the period. Lots of small exhibits on rather obscure medical practices, which came off as a bit cheesy to me as they had little to do with the family that lived there. There were guides stationed throughout who were great at answering questions. Out of all the historic places to visit in this town, this is definitely a highlight.

The iconic black Witch House was one of my top Salem must visits due to the fact that it's one of the structures still standing with direct ties to the Salem witch trials! Reservations are required from October to November 14. We visited on the first day of Fall, which was on a Saturday in September so the Salem crowds were slowly creeping in and we had to wait in a line to enter. It took about 30 minutes with about 40 people ahead of us. At this time, 10 guests were allowed in at a time. Our self-guided tour around the historic house was quick, but I did enjoy learning some interesting facts about how people lived and what they believed in the 17th century! I don't believe we had a time limit, but the other 8 people who went in with us finished so I kind of felt obligated to finish too to allow the long line of others to enter. Taking a photo outside of the house is free! The photo op spot is actually the exit of the tour so people might be in the background. The gift shop is only accessible to guests at the entrance. No restrooms available.

Though this was not an actual witch house, rather the judge who oversaw trials, it was still a very history rich place to stop in. The admission fee might be a tad high for what you get to see but still very pleased that we stopped in. There is two levels to this the main level which provides a lot of historical information about the trials themselves and a kitchen which was a delight to see. Then the upstairs focused more on time period information. There is an attic but it is closed to the public. Overall totally recommend checking this out.

Unique point of interest to learn more about Salem, the witch trials and living during that time period. $9 adults, $7 seniors.

This house is ok. Its 80% of the original construction, non of the original furniture, and just a house. The fireplace is nice. Beams are nice, but I am not sure if I would recommend or even want to go back. Seems over priced for the tour. But then again, how often do you get to see the inside of a home from the 1600's I guess for history, its worth walking in before its gone for good. But you are not missing much. Floors are not original or the stairs, and cant see the third story. Probably the coolest part of the house.

The tour is a self guided done by reading stands and posters with information about the belongings from the period. The house is well maintained and in wonderful condition.

Well, if you're here in Salem you kind of have no choice but to visit the Witch House. It wasn't crazy busy when I was here but the house was still quite full of tourists. This was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin and is the only structure still standing in Salem with direct ties to the Salem witch trials of 1692. The house is decorated inside to show what it would have been like to live here in the 17th century complete with fireplaces, beds, furniture and the like. There are captions to explain many of the artifacts. Expect to spend a half hour or so touring the home. [Review 18595 overall - 1177 in Massachusetts - 2117 of 2022.]

We enjoyed our self-guided tour of the Witch House. Visiting during the middle of the week, it wasn't crowded at all and we had the place to ourselves for most of the tour. We learned a lot about the history surrounding the Witch Trials and life during that time period in general. Even if you're less interested in the Witch Trials, visiting a home from this time period and seeing how the family lived is fascinating.

A fun sight in the salem which tour. Beautiful black home with gorgeous windows and fun photo opportunities. Would definitely recommend if you are in the area

The Witch House is creepy from the outside, but even creepier when you learn about the people that lived there and the things they did to ward off witches. It's a small house by modern standards and definitely built when people were smaller too. But there is a wealth of information in there if you take the time to read all the displays. I love little slices of history like this one. And I love learning about witches and what was happening around the time of the Salem Witch Trials. So this was a really good experience for me. However, I do think they need to limit how many people can come in at one time because at one point there were like 20 people and it started feeling a little claustrophobic, but maybe that's just me. Anyway, would highly recommend for anyone interested in history. Maybe not so much for kids.

While in Salem, you must stop by the Witch House for at least a photo. We didn't have time to book any type of tour/go inside, but snagged a photo. Cool!

If you're in town for witch type activity then this is a place to visit. I enjoyed looked at the items in the house Once and done for me :)

A great time warp into colonial times! Cool facts, views, and could be done in like maybe 20 minutes if you truly need a quick tour in Salem. Highly recommend chatting or asking the staff at the museum about things as it was more interactive and interesting that way! Also cute small gift shop at the entrance and super well priced items to take home a quick momento! Tip: They do require masks so be sure to bring them for you and your party as unfortunetly they dis not have any to provide !

A nice piece of history. Definitely recommend a stop here to see inside. Parking is street parking and they do have ac inside. However there is a certain scent inside. When we went it was during a holiday week and was a bit crowded once we were leaving. The ambiance is pretty cool and there are some artifacts inside. There is a small staircase to get upstairs. It's a self guided tour with a very small gift shop but worth it. Pricing is reasonable.

The witch house belonged to the Judge Corwin who was the judge that's sentenced during the witch trial. The house has amazing artifacts and a great amount of important information from the witch trial in 1692. It's affordable and such an important piece of history. Before heading there I highly recommend you go online and a reserve a time slot. The house is watching distance from the downtown area of Salem. It's a really nice walk with a lot of shops on the way. Also, it is self guided.

Our visit to the Witch House was awesome! We went during the busiest time of year, and thankfully the timed tickets helped to cut down on the crowding. If you plan to visit, make sure to go on their Eventbrite page first thing in the morning in order to get tickets. They post the tickets the day-of, and you need to be quick as they sell out extremely fast. This is probably due to the number of people visiting Salem in the fall, and the small number of people that can be in the house at any given time. When you visit the Witch House at the time you purchased, be sure to go around the back in order to enter. Don't go through the front door where everyone is taking pictures! That is actually the exit. A sign pointing where to go would have been helpful! You enter through the gift shop (which was previously a summer kitchen), and then are escorted into the main area of the house. This is by far one of the oldest buildings I've been to in the US, as it was built in the 1600s. It's really cool to see the British house construction influence here. The home belonged to Jonathan Corwin, who was one of the main judges during the witch trials in Salem. The staff will be eager to tell you all about the history of his home, and they are super helpful! The space is very well-maintained, with lots of original materials as well as some recreations to fit the time. The house has plenty of items to look at, with lots of different write-ups so you can learn about how it was to live in Colonial times. One especially interesting fact I learned was that the second-greatest cause of death during those times was infections from burns. People who used to cook in the kitchen would often catch fire, as folks needed to cook over an open flame. Scary stuff! Overall, I really enjoyed our visit to the Witch House. It was crowded, but that is to be expected. Some signs pointing out the entrance and a smoother ticket-purchasing process would be helpful, though we still managed to make it work.

Save your money and go to a different museum. The Witch House tour is self guided, and the items that are inside on display don't look genuine. They look like replicas. Also, the amount of people the staff let in is too many considering how small it is inside. So not only are you crowded while trying to read the items on display, but you also feel rushed because people are waiting for you to move. I came on a Monday in July, so I can only imagine how much more crowded it can get during Halloween season.

Love that the tour was self guided and we could take our time. Lots of great and interesting information and the staff was very helpful.

I really enjoyed the outside more than the inside however the inside was nice, I believe tickets were about 20. It was a little crowded and really cool artifacts. I just don't know if it's worth the 20. The grift shop up front is very small but their herbs for incense are great! If nothing else you have to stop by and see the outside :)

PSA: the entrance is in the back. They were 20 minutes late to open on a Saturday in July or at least put the sign out that tells you the entrance is in the back, so we almost gave up. It wasn't obvious. It was an okay self-guided tour. A bit overpriced for four rooms with some signs to read about life in the 1600s and medical practices of old. I guess herbal treatments=witchcraft? It's worth stopping by to see the only existing building with a connection to the Salem Witch Trials, but I sort of wish I'd saved the money and just taken the picture out front. If you get there early, check out the public gardens of the Ropes Mansion down the street.

I'll keep it simple for everyone. If you want the history, do the tour. If you just want the photo op, come later in the evening when you don't have 50 eyes on you while you are trying to take a photo lol. Also, note that if you book a tour the entrance is in the back not the front where everyone takes photos. We didn't know that and missed our tour time and they DID NOT let us in. But they were really cool about letting us go in with the next group.

We went to the Witch House during our trip to Salem, it was in October so the town was very busy but we got our tickets ahead of time online and didn't have to wait long to go in. Definitely felt like you were stepping back in time for a moment. The staff told you a little about the place in the beginning and then you had free roam around the house from there.

Based on reviews, my mom and I decided to check this place out instead of the other touristy things dealing with witches. I like facts and although this museum provided a lot of facts, they were all there for you to read. I know we are in the time of COVID, but I wish there was at least some more of a tour component to it. In other tours that we took this trip, there were tour guides who talked and shared stories, etc. Expect to read everything, and look at a variety of things. Although, it is interesting subject material, it is not exciting. I'd still pick this place over other museums in the area, but if you are expecting one thing, you'll be disappointed. Also, no on-site bathrooms.

What a fascinating museum! Oh gosh I loved it! So much detailed information about a historical event and period that has always interested me personally - but I dare say that anyone would find this museum of value, even if you're not especially into the witch trials and all that. (Just FYI - no pics allowed on the inside). Not only do the exhibits talk about the witch trials, but they also show you what life and medical practices etc were really like back then...they even have pieces original to the family and the home, down to some of the floorboards so well preserved you can still see the writing/marks from the carpenters that put them in! Right now they're doing timed-entry self guided tours, so basically you just walk around the rooms and read the info and look at the pieces of history etc. But the docent was highly knowledgeable and gave some additional info to start us off. I highly recommend you plan way ahead and book your tickets in advance - there were so many people desperate to get in but they were all sold out for days. I booked my tickets for 10am about 2-3 weeks ahead of time. Probably October is especially busy bc of all the Halloween events as well. They don't allow anyone to use their bathrooms either due to Covid...there are port-a-potties scattered around town and they were gracious enough to let me run and use one before my tour - even though it made me like 10 mins late. They were very accommodating! Parking is kind of a pain...I had to drive around a couple of times until I found a lot and it cost me about $5 to park for an hour. It ends up being a lot more later in the day, so be aware. I didn't see any street parking and definitely no free parking lol. This just happens to be one of those things it's best to plan ahead for...ie tickets in advance, bathroom plan and parking etc.

Limited information for $9. The Witch House mostly contains information about medical uses of various herbs and animal products. The house contains little furniture and decoration. We read every scrap of information, and we were finished with the museum in 25 minutes. I would not recommend visiting the Witch House.

So how cool is this? A Witch House? Well actually it's not an actual Witch's House. But it is the last real structure tied to the Salem witch trials. The Witch House,l was actually the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin. Judge Corwin Known as the local magistrate and civic leader, Corwin was called to investigate the claims of diabolical activity when a surge of witchcraft accusations arose in Salem and neighboring communities. He served on the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which ultimately sent nineteen to the gallows. All nineteen refused to admit to witchcraft and maintained their innocence. It is a very cool house to tour, a lot of little items to read about and although very tiny (I mean 1660s this was probably a mansion house). Just the history behind the house is really mind blowing to think about. Like this is the house of the judge who wrongfully sent 19 people to the gallows because of idiotic claims of witchcraft. It's history is great but mind blowing. I definitely recommend going just to hear and see the history and how this ties out to the trials..

Another museum with strong opposing opinions on its value from reviewers. I decided to go and am glad I did. This location is the home of the judge of the Salem witch trials. He was living within these same walls, on the same floor. For me that provides a bit of gravity. None of the furnishings inside belonged to him. One of the curators was very friendly and provided a lot of information, especially on a few locations to visit in Danvers (Salem Village at the time.) One of note is the Samuel Parris archeological site of the parsonage at 65 Centre St in Danvers.

This was the house of Judge Corwin from the Witch Trials. Beautiful, but eerie house. Cool to see all the facts and all that on the wall and the furniture. He had a wife and 10 kids. Nothing exciting, but it's neat to see.

Wishing I could take another trip to Salem and back to the Witch House! Finally got my photos back and adding them to my initial review. I'll definitely be back next Fall!

This is a quick little walk through in the house of judge Corwin. He was basically the guy you went to to accuse a person of witchcraft. His wife and him had 10 kids 5 of which didn't make it to the age of 1. It's said that the kids still hang out in the house. It's creepy and small but definitely worth the price Is $12 to walk around and see all the things inside. The gift shop had really good soap and was priced fairly.

This doesn't offer tons of information about the trials but does have some. I'd make sure I saw other things first.

Eh, it's okay, but it sure does feel like a tourist trap. The website says "Witch House tours blend information about seventeenth-century lifestyles, furnishings, and architecture with fascinating insights into the events of 1692." But they don't do tours. They have signs around that you can read about the family and the time, but reading dozens of placards gets a little tiring quickly. There are a couple of employees around to answer questions, so I'm not sure why they DON'T just do tours. It would be a lot more interesting to listen to someone then ask questions then to read a bunch of things. It just didn't seem like you could immerse in the experience. The site says it's $8ish for self guided and $10 for guided, but that wasn't an option presented to me. How do you do both? Have a guide but then forbid the self-guiders from listening? The name also has very little ties except it was owned by one of the judges. It's not a bad little house to walk through to admire the furnishings, but the price seemed a little steep for what it was. It was okay but seemed like it wasn't much to experience.

This was a great stop on our historical tour of Salem. The house is small so it doesn't take long to walk through the entire thing. All of the artifacts had great descriptions. I was with my young kinds so I didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked reading everything. They had staff in each room to answer any questions that you might have. I was surprised but my kids really enjoyed our visit as well.

This was a cool house to see, especially seeing that it's the last remaining structure that is still standing from the Witch Trial times. But...that's it. It would be nice if there were people around to talk to guests about items in the house. It's cool to see, but I was disappointed.

Best thing about this place are the photos you'll get outside. Beautiful house but the inside is a joke. Literally nothing to see. Do not waste your time or money.