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Daily Tours

Ends of the Earth Group Tour

Daily Tours

We offer daily gallery and house tours for every age and audience. Choose from a brief, focused discussion about a single work of art, tours designed just for families and a unique look at spectacular homes built worlds apart. Tours are included with museum admission. Tickets are available at the admissions desk. Please note that space is limited and tours are subject to availability. For detailed information on this month’s tours, please visit the Calendar.

  • Family Gallery Exploration
    Family Gallery Exploration

    These short, 30-minute gallery adventures are designed just for families. Each weekend’s theme includes plenty of hands-on activities. Recommended for families with children ages 5 and up.

    September-June:
    Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 am

  • Art in Focus
    Art in Focus

    Learn how to look closely at a single work of art. Docents explain how to approach artwork, absorb the overall impact and narrow your investigation to the details. These 15-minute guided discussions feature something new each month. Check the Calendar for information.

  • Collection Highlights
    Collection Highlights

    Enjoy lively discussions about distinctive objects in the PEM collection, from Cleopatra’s Barge to N.C. Wyeth’s painting of family life aboard ship or the delightful Chinese moon bed. You’ll never see art in quite the same way again.

    Daily at 11:30 am

  • Salem Historic Houses
    Salem Historic Houses

    Explore American architecture and decorative arts in the John Ward (ca. 1684) and the Gardner-Pingree (1804) historic houses. The John Ward House is one of the area’s finest surviving 17th-century buildings. With its steeply pitched gables and diamond-paned leaded windows, it is an outstanding example of First Period architecture. The Gardner-Pingree House, an elegantly proportioned Federal-style structure, is one of Salem architect Samuel McIntire’s finest and best-preserved designs.

    Tues-Friday, 12:30, Saturdays and Sundays 12:30 and 2:00

  • Special Exhibitions
    Special Exhibitions

    Explore a current special exhibition or one aspect of the PEM collection. Ask at the information desk for the tour of the day.

    Daily at 1 pm

  • Yin Yu Tang and Gardner-Pingree
    Two Merchant’s Homes: Yin Yu Tang and Gardner - Pingree

    The Chinese house at PEM and the Gardner-Pingree House were both built by wealthy merchants around the same time — almost 8,000 miles apart! See how the architecture and art in each of these early 19th-century houses reflect the personal wealth, taste and cultural values of their owners.

    Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at 2:45 pm

  • Setting Salem’s Table: Three Centuries of Cooking and Dining
    Setting Salem’s Table: Three Centuries of Cooking and Dining

    Discover the flavor of life in Salem’s past. Explore kitchens and dining areas from three centuries, seeing how global trade and cultural exchange combined with native ingredients to create a unique New England cuisine.

    Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

  • From Shelter to Showpiece: Three Centuries of Salem
    From Shelter to Showpiece: Three Centuries of Salem

    What does a home’s style say about its inhabitants? Visit three historic houses to witness the artistry of architecture and furnishing. See how home design and decoration communicate changes in technology, values and culture.

    Daily at 12:30; Wed and Fri at 2 p.m.

  • Elegance and Innovation in Federal-Era Salem

    Explore the powerful trends in furniture and architecture that swept through Salem in the early 1800s. Examine decorative arts and furnishings in the museum’s galleries. Then see similar items as part of daily life in the exquisite Gardner-Pingree House.

    Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday — 11:30 am