Museum

Georgia Made This: Scavenger Coin Hunt

Georgia Wrenn was born and is being raised in the Witch City of Salem, Massachusetts, where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year.

Are you quick enough to find one of Salem's rarest keepsakes of 2024? Join the search for hidden gold coins designed by 13-year-old resident Georgia Wrenn in the city's 6th annual coin hunt! Georgia’s Salem-centric brand Georgia Made This features her artwork and celebrates all things spooky and whimsical. One gold coin will be hidden every Saturday and Sunday during October. Clues that lead to the historic hiding places will be released at noon on those days on Georgia’s Instagram page. Follow @GeorgiaMadeThis and @PeabodyEssex to join in the fun! Sponsored by the Peabody Essex Museum.

When: 
Weekends in October 2024 Clues at Noon

Marblehead Fall Fair

Join Discover Marblehead and Marblehead Massachusetts Museum for the Annual FALL FAIR

Join Discover Marblehead and Marblehead Museum for the annual FALL FAIR! It's sure to be a fun day with Bubble Bar Boston and Bent Water serving up the drinks, Mad-Dogz making her delicious hot dogs, music by Paul Simonelli, Acorn Gallery Students drawing portraits and an amazing line-up of artist vendors selling their beautiful work. Free admission! Rain or shine. Free Admission!

When: 
Saturday, October 5, 2024 10am-3pm

Annual Plum Island “Jetober” Fest

Jetoberfest is hosted by Plum Island Airport RC Club at the Plum Island Air Field in Newburyport Massachusetts!

Plum Island Airport RC Club's JetOberfest is almost here! Come on out and join the fun at the Plum Island Airport for 4 days of Nonstop RC Jet action (Turbine and Ducted Fan Jets, no props or rotors for this event please). Pilots from all over the Northeast and Canada will make their way to our little slice of heaven to WOW the crowds with some amazing machines.

When: 
Thursday-Saturday, October 10-12, 2024 10am-5pm

Indigenous Peoples' Day Open House at MFA

Free Admission for Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston Massachusetts

to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the MFA. This year, we’re offering free admission—including access to “Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore”—for Massachusetts residents. Enjoy gallery tours, engaging family art-making activities, and more! Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes and honors the heritage of Native Americans and Indigenous peoples and the histories of their many nations and communities.

When: 
Monday, October 14, 2024 10am-5pm

Lynn Museum Fall Festival

Come to the Lynn Museum for a special family-friendly fall fundraiser to support the mission of the Lynn Museum & Arts Center! Get into the fall spirit with this outdoor event featuring free carnival-style games, facepainting, touch a truck, hands-on activities, youth-friendly museum tours, and raffle prizes for all ages. Food will be available for purchase, and there will be a beer garden for those 21+.

When: 
Saturday, September 21, 2024 Noon-4pm

Lynn Museum Trails & Sails Free Admission

The Lynn Museum Will offer free admission during Trails and Sails in Massachusetts!

Come to the Lynn Museum and Historical Society for free admission on during Trails & Sails! As part of Trails & Sails, we are offering complimentary visits to The Museum between 10 am and 5 pm on Thursday, September 19, Friday, September 20, Thursday, September 26, and Friday, September 27. Stroll through one of our exhibitions celebrating Lynn’s history, tackle our gallery scavenger hunt, draw a favorite artifact, or enjoy a book from The REAL Program.

When: 
Thursdays, September 19 & 26, 2024 10am-5pm
Fridays, September 21 & 27, 2024 10am-5pm

Spirit of ’76 & WPA Murals Tours

The famous painting 'The Spirit of '76' by Archibald Willard at Abbot Hall in Marblehead Massachusetts

Did you know the famous painting The Spirit of '76 painting resides at Abbot Hall in Marblehead? Take a guided tour of Abbot Hall, Marblehead’s fourth town meeting hall, whose corner stone was laid in 1876, the nation’s Centennial year. Be inspired by the life-size “Spirit of ’76” painting, explore historical scenes in WPA murals painted in 1934, and more. A different program in Abbot Hall is offered the following weekend.

When: 
Sunday, September 15, 2024 2-3pm
Location: 

Falconry & The Medieval World | Hammond Castle

Bring your kids to the Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts for a live falconry presentation

Falconry is the sport of hunting with a trained bird of prey. It is also the demanding art of training a predatory bird that is by nature wary of people to hunt cooperatively with a human partner. Although the sport has a 4,000 – year history, its glory days were indisputably the medieval period.  While this presentation centers around live birds used in falconry, it is not a flight demonstration but a history-rich look at an ancient sport. Focusing on the medieval period, it explains the characteristics of the birds of prey used, how the sport reflected the lifestyle of the time, and the historical reasons behind falconry’s rise and fall.

When: 
Sunday, August 20, 2023 10am-2:00pm

Self-guided Tours at Hammond Castle Museum

Take a self-guided tour of Hammond Castle in Gloucester as part of Trails and Sails!

Hammond Castle Museum was built in the 1920s by inventor John Hays Hammond, Jr. as a home for his extensive collection of medieval artifacts and his research laboratory.Guests may explore the breathtaking building and grounds of Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester and take a SELF-GUIDED tour offering new insight into the inventor that was one of the North Shore’s most dynamic residents. Guests should plan 60 minutes to explore the Museum. We look forward to your visit!

When: 
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 10am-3pm

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Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 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

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Step Inside the Historic Custom House

Take in the views of this prominent building where Nathaniel Hawthorne once worked and the U.S. Custom Service operated. This Custom House was built in 1819 and housed offices for the officers of the U.S. Customs Service, as well as an attached warehouse, the Public Stores, used for the storage of...
9:30 am to 4:30 pm

Discover the Highest Point on the Essex Seacoast!

Take a Trails & Sails hike to the top of Powow Hill in Amesbury Massachusetts!
Come join Amesbury Trails for a guided hikeup Powow Hill, at the summit of the highest peak on the Essex County Seacoast! This narrated hike will include the historical background of the area and descriptions of the features and landscapes encountered along the hike. Enjoy exploring a variety of...
10:00 am

Sing & Dance with the Music Man

Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...
10:00 am to 10:45 am

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

Step Aboard the Friendship of Salem

Permission to come aboard the Friendship of Salem is granted at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!
Explore the FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM, a replica tall ship based on a 1796 Salem vessel at Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
1:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

The Backyard Growcery

Join Backyard Growers at Burnham's Field in Gloucester Massachusetts for a weekly Farmer's Market
Stop by Gloucester’s new weekly farmers market, the Backyard Growcery, managed by Backyard Growers. The Backyard Growcery is located at Burnham's Field, an urban park near Gloucester’s thriving waterfront, and features small-scale North Shore farmers, bakers, a seafood vendor, an artisanal pizza...
2:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Topsfield HomeGrown Market

Come to Topsfield Massachusetts Common for a homegrown market on the Wednesdays through July
The mission of the HomeGrown Market is to provide the Topsfield community with a series of family-friendly events that emphasize supporting local and offer the opportunity for Topsfield and surrounding North Shore farmers, gardeners, artisans, creators, performers, musicians, nonprofits, young...
4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Stargazing at Mendel Observatory

Mendel Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night
The Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night (weather permitting) starting at dusk or 7:30 pm, whichever is later.  When special astronomical events of interest occur (total lunar eclipses, etc.) the Obs
7:00 pm

Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor

Paddle around Rockport Massachusetts Harbor for FREE as part of Trails and Sails
Come join North Shore Adventures and Outdoor Center for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water...
10:30 pm

Trails & Sails

Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.
Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 14-29, 2024 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in...
7:00 am to 10:00 pm

Saturday, September 27

Make a Car or Boat Craft at APL

Kids are invited to come the Amesbury Public Library to a Car or Boat to take home!
Bring the family to create a 3D car or an origami boat in a bottle. All supplies will be outside and enjoyed during the Annual Car Show in downtown Amesbury in the quiet of the Library programming area. Build, decorate, and enjoy some books about transportation!
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Farmstead Cheese Tour

Tour Valley View Farm's goat cheese operation as part of Essex Heritage's Trails and Sails in Topsfield Massachusetts!
Visit Valley View Farm to learn about Essex County's largest farmstead goat cheese maker. See nubian goat herd, learn about cheesemaking, see the cheese cave and sample cheeses. Cheese and farm products available to purchase.
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Overlooking the Essex River Tour

Tour Cogswell's Grant Coastal Farm in Essex Massachusetts as part of Trails & Sails
On this walking tour, explore the landscape history at Cogswell’s Grant in Essex, Massachusetts, from the presence of indigenous people through the colonial period to the present. Walk through hayfields down to the salt marsh and the Essex River, discover the rich history of the people and families...
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

CoastSweep Cleanup at Salisbury Beach

CoastSweep seashore beach cleanup at Salisbury Beach Massachusetts
As part of COASTSWEEP Beach Cleanup, volunteers are encouraged to come to Salisbury Beach State Reservation to help in the statewide effort to
11:00 am

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

Children’s Business Fair in Wenham

Could a Ten Year Old Invent the next Uber? Find out at the Hamilton Wenham Children’s Business Fair in Massachusetts
Step into a world of imagination, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit, all powered by kids! At this one-day marketplace, young entrepreneurs ages 8-18 years old will showcase their creativity and grit as they launch real businesses they’ve built from the ground up.
11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Climb Up Gloucester City Hall Tower

Take a Free tour of Gloucester Massachusetts City Hall's renovated tower as part of Trails and Sails 2024!
Experience the WOW factor when you climb up Gloucester’s City Hall clock and bell tower and emerge at the bell level. Views, weather permitting, are awesome. Members of Gloucester’s City Hall Restoration Commission will be on hand to inform you of the history of this architecturally significant...
12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Step Aboard the Friendship of Salem

Permission to come aboard the Friendship of Salem is granted at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!
Explore the FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM, a replica tall ship based on a 1796 Salem vessel at Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
1:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

Nature’s Myth and Folklore Storytelling Series

Learn about colonial medicine at Pioneer Village in Salem Massachusetts
Come to Pioneer Village for a craft and storytelling event that shares tales of natural folklore and wild wisdom from around the world. These stories inspire an appreciation for different cultures as well as encourage engagement with the natural environment.
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm
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