Salem Witch Museum

Housed in an old church located just off Salem Common is the Salem Witch Museum. It calls itself Salem’s Most Visited Museum although I cannot figure out why. Other than its imposing gothic exterior it has little else to offer.

It isn’t your typical museum filled with priceless one of a kind artifacts. No this museum is instead a series of two historical presentations. Its only artifact of any historical significance is reportedly an architectural header bean from the original 1692 Salem jail. 

The first presentation is done with the use of 13 dioramas built into the walls of a large auditorium. Visitors sit in uncomfortable chairs set up in rows on either side. As the lights dim each of these diorama’s representing the major events of the 1692 witchcraft trials are lit as a recorded narration of events is played. Like the story these dioramas are showing their age.

The second presentation is a guided tour partially given by a member of the staff and explores how witches have been portrayed throughout history. This presentation includes photos on the walls of various witches both real and created by Hollywood as well as more dioramas with pre-recorded audio played through the speakers.

The whole tour of the museum lasted about 45 minutes before we were unceremoniously dumped into the museums gift store filled with chachkies and other worthless overpriced trinkets. It was certainly nothing to write about or suggest to your friends and while they make the claim to be the most visited museum in Salem I’d venture to guess that is nothing more than a clever marketing ploy to get you in.