I love Salem, Massachusetts. It’s more than just the witch trials. There’s a huge maritime history and an incredible art museum, the Peabody Essex. I visited it a couple of years ago by myself, but it’s always nice to go with someone else. My friend Clarke hadn’t been to Salem in a long time and was eager to join me. Clarke and I sing in the Rockingham Choral Society together this year and both enjoy exploring museums. The museum in an eclectic collection of items from all over the world. Most of the curation is derived from the trading industry of the 19th century. However, some of the artifacts are modern and are quite creative.

One of our favorite exhibits was a piece that projects light patterns throughout the room creating an illusion that the room is vaulted and expanded.

Janet and I have recently binged watch many seasons of Project Runway so I was very interested in the section of the museum dedicated to fashion. While the show may be a competition, you learn a lot about the industry and the composition of garments. These pieces expanded on that knowledge, and provided insight to what I’ve watched on TV.

We finished the museum and strolled through the downtown area and ended up at the memorial to the executed witches. It’s a somber place filled with benches dedicated to each of the victims. It reminds us that we should always remember the past in order to avoid making the same mistakes in the present and the future. We had a great day enjoying art and history. Getting back to New England attractions feels nice.