History

The New Urban Fabric: Balancing Growth and Heritage

Urban planning today looks very different than it did even twenty-five years ago, shaped by shifting demographics and a nationwide housing shortage. Communities like Salem are grappling with an important question: how do we preserve our historic fabric and character while also responding to the pressures of growth? Join HSI at the historic Hawthorne Hotel in downtown Salem for a...

Revolution 250 Salem Tour

Everyone knows Salem for the 1692 Witchcraft Trials, but did you know that Salem made significant contributions to the American Revolution? The shot heard round the world almost happened in Salem, the town was known for its Privateers (legal Pirates) and British military governor General Thomas Gage encountered some of his biggest challenges to his authority in Salem. We always...

Revolution 250 Salem Tour

Everyone knows Salem for the 1692 Witchcraft Trials, but did you know that Salem made significant contributions to the American Revolution? The shot heard round the world almost happened in Salem, the town was known for its Privateers (legal Pirates) and British military governor General Thomas Gage encountered some of his biggest challenges to his authority in Salem. We always...

Women at War: Salem as the Home Front in 1776

What was it like to be a woman in a world at war? How did Salem’s women live their daily lives in the months leading up to the Declaration of Independence? Join SHS and Ladies’ Association of Revolutionary America at the Pickering House on Saturday, May 16 from 11am-4pm to encounter a history that often slipped between the pages and...

The Many Names of Anonymity

Join us for an author talk and book signing for a groundbreaking new publication with close ties to PEM’s collection. In The Many Names of Anonymity: Portraitists of the Canton Trade, art historian Winnie Wong explores the vibrant community of artists working in Guangzhou, China in the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of their paintings survive today, yet scholars have...

Revolution 250 Salem Tour

Everyone knows Salem for the 1692 Witchcraft Trials, but did you know that Salem made significant contributions to the American Revolution? The shot heard round the world almost happened in Salem, the town was known for its Privateers (legal Pirates) and British military governor General Thomas Gage encountered some of his biggest challenges to his authority in Salem. We always...

Manalone: Architect Joseph Everett Chandler & Queer History

Joseph Everett Chandler, the architect who restored The House of the Seven Gables for Caroline Emmerton, was an early historian of American architecture. He restored dozens of other important buildings that became museums, including the Paul Revere House and the Old State House in Boston, the Royall House in Medford, the Sargent-Murray-Gilman House in Gloucester, and the Stevens-Coolidge House and...

Atlantic Commerce and Maritime Dimensions Lecture

As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of American independence, join us for Conflict & Community: Salem, Essex County, and the American Revolution — a dynamic series of programs exploring the American Revolution — its many perspectives, lived experiences, and lasting legacies. This series brings together a range of voices and experts to examine the Revolution from multiple angles. Programs...

Salem as Muse: Lucy Cleveland, Author and Textile Artist

Location: Morse Auditorium In 2026, as part of the Salem 400+ initiative, PEM will present “Salem as Muse,” a series of talks that highlight works represented in PEM’s collection. These programs will explore a diverse range of subjects that connect to the unique history and character of Salem, Massachusetts. Curator-at-Large Paula Richter will give a presentation centered on Lucy Cleveland:...

On the Move: Relocating Historic Houses at The Gables

The House of the Seven Gables invites you to hear about the history of relocating historic houses to save them, both in our past and in our near future! Relocation of historic buildings was once a common occurrence. Three of our historic buildings were moved to the site from 1910 to 1958, and one building was moved multiple times. Learn...

Sunset Paddle Tour

Enjoy a relaxing kayak or paddleboard tour along the coastline of Salem Neck as the sun sets over Beverly Harbor.

Historic New England Open House

Join Historic New England on June 6 for a region wide Open House! Explore 38 distinctly different historic sites for FREE from Connecticut to Maine. In the North Shore, connect with stories linked with the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Visit farm animals in Newbury. Check out antique cars and carriages on the “most beautiful street in America” and...