Salem

PEM: Lunar Attraction

Peabody Essex Museum Lunar Attraction

As Earth's closest celestial body and only natural satellite, the moon has engaged our curiosity and imagination over millennia and across cultures. Contemporary artists use the moon as both a source of inspiration and investigation. Lunar Attraction features artworks and interactives that explore our longstanding fascination and connection with the moon, ranging from myths about the connection between werewolves and the full moon to the gravitational pull that controls Earth's tides to the 21st-century international race to build a base on the moon.

When: 
Now to September 4, 2017

Downrig or Die!

Celebrate 400 Years of Maritime History at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts! V

Salem Maritime National Historic Site will be celebrating sailing, ships, and our maritime heritage. Details about activities are coming soon. (Sneak peak! Activities will include sails of the Essex built schooners Fame and Ardelle, activities and lectures at St. Joseph Hall, and a social at Victoria's Station from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.) 

When: 
Saturday, November 5, 2016 Noon-9pm

Take a Trolley Ride with Scrooge! - Fridays

Salem Trolley Christmas Carol, Fun Holiday Events north of Boston

Join Scrooge on the Salem Trolley as you ride through Salem Massachusetts in this rolling production performed by the Griffen Theater . Now entering into it's 26th Season, this humorous & whimsical interactive performance reanimates Dickens’ timeless seasonal holiday classic!

When: 
Fridays, December 2 - 23, 2016 6, 7 & 8 pm
Weekends, November 26-December 20, 2016 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8pm
Monday-Thursday, November 28-December 22, 2016 6pm or 7:30pm
Location: 

Take a Trolley Ride with Scrooge!

Salem Trolley Christmas Carol, Fun Holiday Events north of Boston

Join Scrooge on the Salem Trolley as you ride through Salem Massachusetts in this rolling production performed by the Griffen Theater . Now entering into it's 26th Season, this humorous & whimsical interactive performance reanimates Dickens’ timeless seasonal holiday classic!

When: 
Weekends, November 26-December 20, 2016 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8pm
Fridays, December 2 - 23, 2016 6, 7 & 8 pm
Monday-Thursday, November 28-December 22, 2016 6pm or 7:30pm
Location: 

Maritime Archaeology and Heritage on the Wharf

Celebrate 400 Years of Maritime History at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!

Join the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and Dr. Calvin Mires, Co-Founder and Instructor of Seafaring Education and Maritime Archaeological Heritage Program (SEAMAHP) in bringing maritime heritage to life through hands-on activities. Although we won't actually be practicing archaeology, visitors young and old will have the opportunity to use the tools and methods of archaeological research, survey and documentation.

When: 
Saturday, September 24, 2016, 11am-4pm (Open Doors)

Phoenix School Hosts Global Cardboard Challenge 2013

In partnership with the Imagination Foundation, The Phoenix School in Salem MA

In partnership with the Imagination Foundation, The Phoenix School will host its first Cardboard Challenge on Saturday, October 5 from 9 a.m. - noon at The Phoenix School in Salem. The Challenge is a worldwide celebration of creativity and imagination where everyone is challenged to design and create using cardboard and recycled materials. The Challenge culminates around the world on the global Day of Play, October 5, 2013.

When: 
Saturday, October 5 from 9 a.m. - noon
Location: 

Family Terrarium Workshop at PEM

Peabody Essex Museum hosts a free terrarium workshop for Trails and Sails 2016!

Get your hands dirty while learning about plants and mini habitats in this terrarium workshop. A member of the Niche Urban Garden Supply team will be on hand to guide you through the process as you design a one-of-a-kind terrarium to take home. Come early or stay late to enjoy the exhibition Sizing it Up: Scale in Nature and Art, where you can also check out Vaughn Bell’s mega-terrarium -- Metropolis before the exhibition closes on September 19th.

When: 
Saturday, September 17, 2016 2-3pm

American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isles of Shoals

PEM Captures island allure through the eyes of America's leading impressionist painter. American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isles of Shoals. On view July 16 through November 6, 2016. The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) presents American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isles of Shoals, the first exhibition in more than 25 years to focus on Hassam's paintings of Appledore, the celebrated Maine island.

When: 
On view July 16 through November 6, 2016

Salem Arts Festival - Friday

Downtown Salem comes alive with art for the annual Salem Arts Festival with art perfromances livemusic great food and family fun!

The 8th annual Salem Arts Festival will be held June 3-5th.  The popular free event will feature over 80 artists and performers, and includes a variety of art, music, dance, and theatre performances. The family-friendly festival also includes art-making for all ages, artisan vendors selling their creations, and a temporary public art installation.

When: 
Friday, June 3, 6 pm to 9 pm
Saturday, June 4, 11 am to 6 pm
Sunday, June 5, 10:45 am to 6 pm
Location: 

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Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts offers farm-based Summer Programs for kids ages 5-15

Superbowl of Birding 2026

The Superbowl of Birding 2026 is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, Massachusetts
The Superbowl of Birding is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, MA. During a 12-hour period, teams of birders of all ages and abilities seek to amass the greatest number of avian species, to earn the most points based on the rarity of the birds recorded. Teams...
5:00 am to 5:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation

Nice and Easy winter hike at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
Join the Park Interpreter for this weekly guided hike! Each trip will highlight natural and historic features unique to Breakheart. Hikes are moderately paced and range from 2-3 miles over sometimes uneven and rocky terrain. Best for ages 8 years and up. Meet at the Visitor Center.
9:30 am to 11:30 am

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Animal Tracks | Family Nature Series

Essex County Greenbelt teams up with North Shore Nature Programs for a wildlife hike in Ipswich Massachusetts!
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This event with North Shore Nature Programs is geared toward families of all ages who would like to learn about the signs and tracks that animals leave behind!  We will explore outdoors and look at tracks, chewed sticks, scat, nests, beaver constructions and more! Waterproof and warm...
10:00 am to 11:30 am

CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes

Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Tuesday, March 3

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
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