Salem Witch Museum
 Salem Witch Museum in January 2021 | |
 | |
| Location | Salem, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°31′25″N 70°53′28″W / 42.5237448°N 70.8911625°W |
| Type | Local museum |
| Public transit access |  Newburyport/Rockport Line Salem, MBTA |
| Website | salemwitchmuseum |
The Salem Witch Museum is a history museum located at 19 1/2 Washington Square North in downtown Salem, Massachusetts across from Salem Common. The museum features a display of artifacts and archived information pertaining to the Salem Witch Trials of the 1690s.[1][2]
Exhibits
[edit]The Salem Witch Museum features two exhibits. The first is an immersive recounting of the Salem Witch Trials which draws from the original court documents, using a theatrical set and a narrator to portray the events.[3] Installed in 1999, the second exhibit named Witches: Evolving Perceptions follows the progression of the image surrounding the witch from the European Witch Trials to very recent history.[4]
History
[edit]The Gothic Revival style building was constructed between 1844 and 1846 previously housing the Unitarian East Church.[5][6] The building was sold in 1958 before being converted into the Salem Auto Museum and Americana Shops.[7] After a 1969 fire and renovations, the building's doors were opened once again in 1972, this time as the Salem Witch Museum.[8]
Since its 1972 opening, the Salem Witch Museum has educated community members and tourists on the Salem Witch Trials through its exhibits and community involvement. The creation of the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, which marks the 300 year anniversary of the event, was largely managed by the museum.[7] Additionally, the museum collaborated with Salem's Chamber of Commerce to create Haunted Happenings in 1982, an annual Halloween festival.[9][7]
Tourism
[edit]The museum is often referenced as a tourist trap, with USA Today naming the museum as the second biggest tourist trap in the world as of May 2024.[10][11] The Salem Witch Museum has been linked to a specific type of tourism, known as Dark Tourism due to its celebration of a dark topic in history.[12] Regardless of its reputation, the museum is one of the few tourist sites in the city that offer an educational experience.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Then & Now: History Within History — The Salem Witch Museum". Salem, MA Patch. October 8, 2011. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
- ^ Goldstein, Meredith (November 12, 2020). "What's a 'witch hunt,' anyway? The Salem Witch Museum has your answers". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 22, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- ^ "Salem Witch Museum". See Plymouth. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ Ongca, Hizam (June 4, 2024). "Salem Witch Museum: Unraveling History". Leisure Group Travel. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ "Salem Witch Museum". Salem Heritage Trail. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
- ^ Strahan, Derek (December 31, 2018). "East Church, Salem, Mass". Lost New England. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c "50 Years of the Salem Witch Museum". Destination Salem. March 26, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ Ratliff, Jen (October 14, 2020). "Research Guides: Archives and Special Collections: Blog". libguides.salemstate.edu. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ a b Rossetti, Giulia; Wyatt, Brianna; Ali-Knight, Jane (September 29, 2023). Festivals and Edutainment (1 ed.). Taylor & Francis Group. pp. 29–35. ISBN 9781032304991.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Cifarelli, David (September 21, 2023). "'Why not be open to new experiences?' Salem Witch Museum defends reputation". MassLive. Archived from the original on August 18, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Flanagan, Glen Luke (August 21, 2023). "Top 100 biggest tourist traps worldwide". Blueprint. USA Today. Archived from the original on August 18, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Weidmann, Susan (September 25, 2024). "Conjuring history: Presenting the Salem witch trials to visitors". The Journal of American Culture. 47 (3): 1–19 – via Wiley Online Library.