Peabody Essex Museum, Art and maritime museum in Salem, Massachusetts.
The Peabody Essex Museum is an art and maritime museum in Salem that houses more than one million objects. The collection fills several historic buildings and modern galleries, where Asian art, ships and sailing equipment, American crafts, and contemporary works are displayed alongside each other.
The museum began in 1799 when sea captains in Salem created an organization to preserve collections they brought back from trading voyages. Later, two older Salem institutions merged to form this museum, which holds the trading history of the city.
The museum displays authentic artworks from many cultures, including the reconstructed Chinese house Yin Yu Tang and extensive collections of Native American art from different tribes. Visitors can see everyday objects and learn how different peoples expressed their traditions through what they made and kept.
Entry is available Thursday through Monday; the museum has accessible entrances and parking on site. Groups can arrange tours in advance, and plan for a visit of several hours to see the different buildings and galleries.
The museum holds one of the largest collections of maritime objects in North America, with thousands of items showing Salem's role as a major trading port. These seafaring pieces tell the story of real journeys that wealthy merchants took hundreds of years ago.
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