Peabody Essex Museum

PEM

The Peabody Essex Museum is a leading museum of Asian art and culture and early American maritime trade and whaling; its collections of Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese art, and in particular Chinese export porcelain, are among the finest in the country. Founded in 1799, it is the oldest continuously operating museum in the United States. The museum owns and exhibits a number of historic houses in downtown Salem. In 2003, it completed a massive $100-million renovation and expansion, designed by architect Moshe Safdie, and moved a 200-year-old 16-room Chinese home from Xiuning County in southeastern China to the grounds of the museum. Gift shop available in person and online.

• museum
• history

Address

161 Essex St

Hours

Thu-Mon 10AM-5Mon. Caféː 10AM-4PM

Price

Adults $25, seniors $23, students $15, youth (under 16), veterans/military and Salem residents admitted free; the 200-year-old Yin Yu Tang Chinese merchant's house is included in basic admission but requires a separate timed reservation

Website

pem.org (opens in a new tab)