Peabody Essex Museum
Peabody Essex Museum
4.5
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Experience art and culture from New England and around the world at one of the region’s largest art museums. Explore the museum’s vast collections and changing exhibitions, ranging from modern art to photography to Asian art and culture. The museum campus features numerous parks, period gardens, and 24 historic properties, including Yin Yu Tang, the only example of Chinese vernacular architecture on display in the United States.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Niwotois
    Saco, Maine382 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Fantastic Museum - Highlight of Salem
    This place is outstanding! It had interesting permanent exhibits and a couple of really fantastic special exhibits: Gu Wenda's "United Nations" and "Spirits" by Tsherin Sherpa. If you can possibly get there, don't miss either. United Nations is waaay more than 100 national flags from all over the world. They are displayed hanging at the top of the long entrance hall. They are mellow and delicate, almost ethereal. It turns out that the material for all the lines and shading in the 'flags' is human hair. Hair from over 500,000 different people all around the world. Spirits is a very dynamic interpretation of traditional Tibetan iconography. Bold colors, strong statements and some humor mixed in. The rest of the museum is a wonderful blend of the old and new portions of the museum. The collection is quite varied, but there is an understandable emphasis on Asian art of all kinds and all things maritime. With some good Colonial pieces mixed in. The exhibition rooms are so well designed. There are almost no big rectangular galleries with paintings lined up along the walls. Many of the rooms narrow, widen, and then branch off into other objects, nicely set-off from each other and beautifully lighted. We spent so much time on the special exhibits that we only looked into two of the permanent exhibit rooms. Can't wait to go back again to see more. Finally, all of the 'human' necessities are well-cared for, from gentle (mostly) stairways, well placed elevators, coat room, storage cubicles, lots of rest rooms, nice coffee shop with a big space for sipping and two superlative gift shops. This is a fantastic place!
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 April 2023
  • Zosia B
    Waterloo, Belgium1,430 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic museum
    I love this museum. Your admission ticket gives you access to historic houses, fabulous permanent art exhibits and temporary exhibits. The museum walks you through the area’s history with the sea, global trading and puritan roots. So interesting.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 14 April 2023
  • Ellen28
    New York City, New York1,016 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth checking out
    I ended up here because I went to the Ropes Mansion and admittance to that is subsumed in admission at the main facility. They had some interesting things. Felt like a mix of artsy and history. The Yin Yu Tang house was lovely - a 200+ old house moved from China and reassembled in the museum. That piece is a timed ticket, but part of the overall admission. Staff are friendly and will coordinate it for you. Overall, a worth while detour in Salem.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 14 August 2023
  • Nina E
    82 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great effort at making engaging and informative exhibits
    This was my second visit to the museum, so I was a little worried about 'seen it all before syndrome', but I was not disappointed. There were temporary exhibits that were well displayed and interesting, and the more permanent areas had supporting materials (videos, books) so you could dive deeper into things that perhaps you had overlooked on another visit. I don't think this would be a great museum for children or families, but for the older travellers, its great.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 5 September 2023
  • cmi113
    Scotch Plains, New Jersey153 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice museum but don't expect to see the witch exhibit
    The museum is lovely and would have liked to spend more time there. We went primarily to see the Witch Trial exhbition. Unfortunately the way the ticketing online went, it appears you can see it but when we arrived were told it was at capacity. They did offer a refund, which was nice but we refused it. the American exhibit on first floor was as far as we got but it was really impressive. Allow enough time to really enjoy this place.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 12 October 2023
  • Meghandee
    Miami, Florida5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Enjoyable art museum
    The PEM is a wonderful way to spend a few hours (you could probably spend most of the day here) and a great way to escape the crowded streets if you are in Salem during Halloween-time. Admission was reasonable ($20) and they had a promotion for Bank of America cardholders while we were there (Free entry with BOA card). There are many different exhibits, plus a cafe. Bonus points for a great clean bathroom if you are in Salem for the day as a tourist.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 October 2023
  • Passenger435006
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Really Nice Museum!
    Very nice museum with thoughtful exhibits that are well put together. We really enjoyed the Witch Trials Restoring Justice exhibit. It was nice to be able to have a quiet moment of respect and reflection for a tragic event in the midst of peak tourism time where everything was a bit more fun and silly.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 October 2023
  • Andre H
    Brownsburg, Indiana51 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great first stop when visiting Salem.
    When planning our trips we alway look at reviews to try and decide what to see and definitely what is worth the money. This museum is worth the price of admission just like all the other reviews we saw. The Native American section and the witch exhibit both tied to the area nicely. What we did not expect were the Japanese, Chinese and other art areas that had so many neat pieces to view but with no seeming ties to the area. Just a really nice art museum. Make this your first stop to get the true historical facts behind the trials and see all the original artifacts on display. Then go enjoy the rest of the shops and museums from there for their entertainment value.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 24 October 2023
  • soccermom000
    Charlotte, North Carolina98 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Looking forward to a return visit
    Excellent museum, much larger then we thought so we didn't give ourselves enough time to thoroughly enjoy. But that means we will go back for another visit. Didn't realize we had to buy tickets in advance to see the 200 year old Yin Yu Tang (Chinese) house - we wanted to see if it was similar to ones we have visited in China, Vietnam and Cambodia. Most of these types of houses in Asia have been lost due to modernization, which is sad. So next visit we will purchase tickets ahead of time. We loved all the Asian exhibits - especially the hand painted wallpaper from China.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 31 December 2023
  • Cynfis
    Lewes, Delaware18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Touch and See
    The only downside of a family visit here is that the little ones (ages 1-4) will fatigue after the kids play space, Bats exhibit and garden. This may limit complete exploration by the adults, but incentivize them to return sans kids. Wonderful museum. Loved the maritime exhibit today. Our two year old tired before we could see the entire place but it was a great family outing.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 14 January 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,127 reviews
Excellent
1,546
Very good
398
Average
117
Poor
40
Terrible
26

Michele O
14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
I have had a membership to the Peabody Essex Museum for a very long time. My first exposure to the PEM was a school trip in the late 1960’s. I absolutely loved the East India Marine Hall which at the time to me it was the centerpiece of the museum. Fast forward to the 1990’s, I am starting a family and get drawn again to the PEM for a kid’s hand on experience about Salem. This little visit got my children hooked on Salem and for years to come we visited the PEM, went to Halloween events and continued to have many spring, summer, fall excursions to PEM and Salem itself. My children are now grown and they are bringing their children to Salem and the PEM. Gem of a museum. The curators of the museum somehow get the best exhibits/shows which is also a major draw. Go to the Peabody Essex Museum. You will not be disappointed.
Written 14 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris B
Preston, UK4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
Came from the UK to do the witchy stuff in Salem, it was very cold outside so decided to spend a couple of hours here to get warmed up, so glad we did as there was some really interesting things old and modern, highlight for me was the Prayer bead with the Coronation of the Virgin in Heaven and Judgment Day, WOW it blew me away.
overall a great experience and great to see lots of children around the museum.
had a great cup of tea there too
Written 9 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kisssmee
Los Angeles, CA787 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Solo
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.
Written 22 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cynfis
Lewes, DE18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
The only downside of a family visit here is that the little ones (ages 1-4) will fatigue after the kids play space, Bats exhibit and garden. This may limit
complete exploration by the adults, but incentivize them to return sans kids. Wonderful museum. Loved the maritime exhibit today. Our two year old tired before we could see the entire place but it was a great family outing.
Written 14 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

soccermom000
Charlotte, NC98 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
Excellent museum, much larger then we thought so we didn't give ourselves enough time to thoroughly enjoy. But that means we will go back for another visit. Didn't realize we had to buy tickets in advance to see the 200 year old Yin Yu Tang (Chinese) house - we wanted to see if it was similar to ones we have visited in China, Vietnam and Cambodia. Most of these types of houses in Asia have been lost due to modernization, which is sad. So next visit we will purchase tickets ahead of time.
We loved all the Asian exhibits - especially the hand painted wallpaper from China.
Written 31 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rebecca F
Bridgeport, CT34 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
Surprisingly large and great use of space inside. Very much enjoyed our visit. Great way to spend a few hours, beautiful exhibits and tons of history.
Written 12 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andre H
Brownsburg, IN51 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
When planning our trips we alway look at reviews to try and decide what to see and definitely what is worth the money. This museum is worth the price of admission just like all the other reviews we saw. The Native American section and the witch exhibit both tied to the area nicely. What we did not expect were the Japanese, Chinese and other art areas that had so many neat pieces to view but with no seeming ties to the area. Just a really nice art museum.

Make this your first stop to get the true historical facts behind the trials and see all the original artifacts on display. Then go enjoy the rest of the shops and museums from there for their entertainment value.
Written 24 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Passenger435006
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Very nice museum with thoughtful exhibits that are well put together. We really enjoyed the Witch Trials Restoring Justice exhibit. It was nice to be able to have a quiet moment of respect and reflection for a tragic event in the midst of peak tourism time where everything was a bit more fun and silly.
Written 19 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

juliebfromindy
Indianapolis, IN2,214 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Friends
Museum is handicapped accessible, centrally located with street parking that is limited. We used our Ft Worth Modern Museum pass to get in which was super nice. Museum is located on three floors, clothing, paintings, hair art and do much more. The gift shops are very nice.
Written 13 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Meghandee
Miami, FL5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
The PEM is a wonderful way to spend a few hours (you could probably spend most of the day here) and a great way to escape the crowded streets if you are in Salem during Halloween-time. Admission was reasonable ($20) and they had a promotion for Bank of America cardholders while we were there (Free entry with BOA card). There are many different exhibits, plus a cafe. Bonus points for a great clean bathroom if you are in Salem for the day as a tourist.
Written 13 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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