Peabody Essex Museum

Frommer's Review

Now in its third century, the Peabody Essex Museum has transformed itself into a national presence. All by itself, this captivating museum is reason enough to visit Salem.

Impressive collections of art from New England and around the world are the Peabody Essex's calling card, but they're just part of the story. The museum owns two dozen houses, including a well-preserved 18th-century Qing dynasty house, Yin Yu Tang, that was shipped here from China and reassembled. The only example of Chinese domestic architecture outside that country, the house captures 2 centuries of rural life. It's part of a huge wing designed by Moshe Safdie that opened in 2003.

The 1.4 million other items in the museum's permanent collections blend contemporary acquisitions with "the natural and artificial curiosities" that Salem's sea captains and merchants brought back from around the world to the Peabody Museum (1799) and local and domestic objects collected by the Essex Institute (1821), the county historical society. The displays help visitors understand the significance of each object, and interpretive materials (including interactive and hands-on activities) let children get involved. You might see objects related to the history of the port of Salem (including gorgeous furniture) or to the whaling trade (such as amazing scrimshaw). Other noteworthy collections include American, African, Indian, Asian, and East Asian art and objects; photography; and the practical arts and crafts of East Asian, Pacific Island, and Native American peoples. Portraits of area residents include Charles Osgood's omnipresent rendering of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Special exhibitions during the period covered by this book include Stage Idols: Japanese Kabuki Theater (through Jan 25, 2009) and To the Ends of the Earth: Painting the Polar Landscape (Nov 8, 2008-Mar 1, 2009).

To explore the museum, take a guided or self-guided gallery tour. The cafe keeps the same hours as the museum, and the restaurant serves lunch Wednesday through Sunday and afternoon tea on weekends.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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