Salem Walking Tours
Join PEM for the only Salem walking tours that take you inside the city's historic houses! If you're looking for Salem ghost tours, dare to join us for a behind-the-scenes trip into the dark secrets of the city's past. Enjoy a 1-2-hour tour with one of our expert guides, or take a self-guided tour of historic Ropes Mansion (Allison's house) and explore at your own pace.
Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes!
Ropes Mansion tours run May 23–mid-October. Walking tours run July 2–November 6.
Available Tours
Brick by Brick: Salem's Hidden Architectural Stories
2 hours, 1.5 miles, Indoor/outdoor
- Go inside architectural treasures from PEM’s collection.
- Explore other Salem historic sites like Derby Square and the Lyceum.
- Learn how building materials and stylistic choices all tell a story of a particular culture, time, place and family.
Sinister Streets: Witch Trials, Murders & Literary Legends
1 hour, 0.5 miles, Indoor/outdoor
- This history and hauntings of Salem guided walking tour starts with the Salem Witch Trials.
- Visit the Ward House, which stood within sight of the hangings on Gallows Hill.
- Hear about a notorious murder in the Gardner-Pingree House, featuring a body that was autopsied three times.
Ropes Mansion Tours
45 minutes, Indoor
- This historic home at 318 Essex Street was built in 1727.
- It had a starring role in 1993 in Hocus Pocus as Allison's house.
- Today, the home’s furnishings depict the lives of the three sisters who renovated it in the 1890s.
- Hocus Pocus tours of Salem, MA won't take you inside, but our self-guided tours will!
NEW: Sinister Streets & Salem Stories
1.5 hours, 0.5 miles, Indoor/outdoor
- Start with haunting accounts from the Salem Witch Trials at the Ward House
- Hear about the killing of Joseph White in the Gardner-Pingree House, with its brawling brothers, custom-built murder weapons and a body that was autopsied three times.
- Follow PEM’s expert guides into the room where the murder happened.
- Then, head into the museum to visit Salem Stories and see the real club that was used to kill White.
FAQs
Unfortunately, PEM's historic houses are not ADA accessible and require the use of stairs to enter. The museum is fully wheelchair accessible and also features exhibitions with information on the Salem Witch Trials and the Joseph White murder in the Gardner-Pingree House.
Assisted listening devices are used on all tours. You will be given a pair of earbuds to use for the tour. If you wear hearing aids and have questions about how our devices work, please submit them at pem.org/access.
Strollers can be brought on the tours, but are not allowed in any of the historic houses.
Brick by Brick and Sinister Streets Walking Tours are indoor/outdoor tours. Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. We’ll see you rain or shine!
These tours involve walking around 1.5 miles, standing on hard surfaces and the use of stairs. Historic structures are not ADA accessible. Strollers may be used on the tours, but may not be brought into any of the historic structures. Historic houses may include areas of low lighting and uneven surfaces. Assisted listening devices are available, and tour guides will use microphones.
The historic houses include areas with low lighting, uneven surfaces and raised thresholds. Salem's historic brick sidewalks are also uneven and may pose a tripping hazard. Please use caution.
All permanent exhibitions, including most special exhibitions, are included in your general admission ticket. Yin Yu Tang: A Chinese Home is also included in the general admission price but requires a separate timed reservation.
Please visit pem.org/accessibility to see our full range of services.
Head down to 318 Essex Street to see the exterior of our historic Ropes Mansion decorated in the style of the classic ‘90s film through November 3. Snap a selfie and tag @peabodyessex! To tour the interior, please purchase tickets here.
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