Salem Maritime Walking Tour & Pirate Museum
Explore Salem's seafaring past and authenticated pirate treasure
Duration
~2.5 hrs
Includes
Walking tour, pirate museum entry
Highlights
Explore Salem's maritime past, from global trade and privateers to piracy and shipwrecks. Continue the story at Real Pirates Salem, where artifacts from the Whydah wreck bring Black Sam Bellamy's crew to life.
- Discover how trade routes, privateering, slavery, and piracy shaped Salem's early port history
- Follow Black Sam Bellamy and Maria Hallett's story from fortune-seeking voyages to the Whydah wreck
- See authenticated pirate coins, jewelry, and weapons recovered off the Massachusetts coast
- Examine the story of the Whydah, a captured slave ship that later sank off Cape Cod
Itinerary
- Old Town Hall at Derby Square - Discuss Elias Hasket Derby, spice trade, old Salem
- Center Street - Point out historic oldest bank (Diehl-Marcus) and 1805 Custom House and discuss Front St as old waterfront
- Essex Street at Fountain/East India Hall - Show historic shore line of Salem, and discuss PEM as oldest museum/East India Marine Society
- Gardner-Pingree House on Essex Street - Discuss Capt. Joseph White murder, slave trade, etc.
- Hawthorne Hotel/The Common
- Narbonne House and Daniels House in passing on Essex Street - houses built during Salem’s 17th boom time
- Ye Olde Pepper Companie- Talk about Salem’s spice trade - possible stop inside to taste an authentic nautical sweet.
- House of Seven Gables on Derby Street - Hawthorne and the legendary nature of Salem’s stories
- Salem Historic Waterfront on Derby Street - Custom’s House, 1763 Derby House, Brookshouse Home, Derby Wharf, discuss Salem’s glory days as a seaport
- Stop at Congress and Derby Streets
- Explore the Real Pirates Salem at your own pace.
What's Included
- Guided maritime walking tour
- Real Pirates Salem museum experience
Important details
- Children 17 and under must be accompanied by a paid adult
- Tours operate rain or shine; dress for the weather
- Tours leave promptly at the scheduled start time, and late arrivals cannot be accommodated
- Participation requires acceptance of a liability waiver; a parent or legal guardian must consent for anyone under 18
- The required waiver grants the operator rights to use photos, video, and audio recorded during the tour
Cancellation Policy
Full refund with at least 24 hours' notice before the tour starts. Tours run rain or shine.
Product ID: B9ZSAR
FAQs
Parking can be difficult. On weekdays, plan to arrive at least 1 hour early to find parking. The MBTA garage at 252 Bridge St. is recommended.
Use a restroom before the walking tour. There are no restrooms along the route.
No printed reservation is needed for the maritime walking tour.
Meeting details
Outside Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square, Salem, MA 01970