Paula Richter, Curator of the Peabody Essex Museum, standing in front of an exhibit at the museum. Photo: Courtesy Peabody Essex Museum
SALEM (WBZNewsRadio) — A new self-guided tour is taking visitors in Salem through the history of the witch trials. Created by the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) as part of their 'Eerie Events' happenings, the self-guided audio tour begins inside the galleries before visiting six key sites in downtown Salem.
It's been more than 300 years since Salem Witch Trials, that led to the deaths of 25 innocent men, women and children. PEM holds the world's largest collection of materials from the trials, including original documents from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
The tour aims to provide a more holistic picture of what actually happened during the trials.
"We just want to make sure we don't forget what happened and the lessons of 1692," said Dinah Cardin, the host of the tour. The tour contains items like a 17th Century chair and a walking stick of one of the men who was accused of being a witch.
"The actual objects are a portal to understanding 1692 and the culture in which these events happened," PEM Associate Curator Sarah Chasse said.
The tour is approximately 90 minutes and is free with admission to PEM.
WBZ's Brooke McCarthy (@BrookeWBZ) reports:
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