Capturing Poseidon:
Photographic Encounters with the Sea
Dateline: 02/22/99
The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, presents an exhibit of more than 150 years of marine photography now through April 11. Titled "Capturing Poseidon: Photographic Encounters with the Sea," the show brings to life in period photographs the powerful turbulence and romantic call of the sea as captured by both famous and obscure photographers of the 19th and 20th centuries.
"Capturing Poseidon appeals to maritime enthusiasts, amateur and professional photographers, and people who appreciate fine art," says Daniel Finamore, Russell W. Knight Curator of Maritime Arts and History at the Peabody Essex Museum, in a press release spotlighting the exhibit. "What's particularly compelling about the show," he says, "is the contrast between photographs taken by famous photographers and images by amateur photographers. You can see fine portraits of yachts in carefully composed harbor scenes, contrasted with photos taken by a passenger in the midst of a squall or a sailor suspended high in the ship's rigging."
About the museum... The Peabody Essex Museum's collections focus on maritime art and history, Asian export art, Native American art, American architecture, Essex County natural history, and American decorative arts. The museum also owns and operates four historic houses, which are open for tours. The museum campus includes 30 galleries, a museum gift shop, and a cafe. Admission is $8.50 for adults, $7.50 for seniors and students, $5.00 for children ages 6 to 16, and free for children 5 and under. A family rate of $20 is available. Salem residents are admitted free with ID. The museum is closed on Mondays through Memorial Day. Directions are available online. Call (978) 745-9500 for more information.
While you're visiting Salem...
Dining: If you want to consume a prime rib that you'll remember for years to come, make sure to include a stop at Victoria Station on your itinerary. The restaurant is at Pickering Wharf and overlooks Salem Harbor.
Sightseeing:
Year-round, Salem takes advantage of its wicked past, serving up a variety of attractions that retell the history for which the town is best known. In addition, you'll find other great spots to visit that commemorate Salem's seafaring history and its literary connections.
Start your Salem adventure at the National Park Service's Salem Visitor Center. From there, it's easy to follow the Heritage Trail, much like Boston's Freedom Trail, a red line that takes you through town and past many of Salem's most popular attractions.
Head to the Salem Witch Museum for a compelling retelling of the accusations, hysteria, trials, and executions of 1692 through life-size dioramas. This might be a bit frightening for younger children but serves as a terrific orientation and introduction to Salem's blemished history. If you've not yet had your fill of witchy stuff, include the Witch Dungeon Museum on your tour, too. There, actors recreate the witch trials based on the 1692 transcripts.
The witch stuff is fascinating, but it's time to transition to some of Salem's other attractions. Get weaned off witches and onto Salem's sea-shaped past at the Salem Wax Museum of Witches & Seafarers. Meet many of the characters from Salem's past, realistically recreated in wax, and hear another retelling of the witch hysteria story via a multimedia presentation. A discount Hysteria Pass provides admission to both the wax museum and the Salem Witch Village (we're almost done with witches, I swear!)
The New England Pirate Museum has a fascinating collection of memorabilia from the days when notorious sea-robbers like Blackbeard and Captain Kidd terrorized the waters off Boston's north shore. Meet the famous rapscallions and hunt for buried treasure. Also make a stop at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. The waterfront site includes three wharves, the U.S. Custom House complex (where Hawthorne opens his novel, The Scarlet Letter), the Derby House, the Narbonne House, and the West India Goods Store. View a free movie detailing Salem's maritime past, and take a guided tour of the complex.
Don't miss my favorite Salem spot, the House of Seven Gables. Immortalized by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of Seven Gables is one of the oldest surviving 17th century wooden mansions in New England. If you're searching for spookiness, you'll love the home's secret staircase. The house in which Hawthorne was born is also located at the site, which is open for tours daily.
Other attractions you might find of interest include the Salem 1630 Pioneer Village; The Stephen Phillips Memorial Trust House, a federal mansion filled with artifacts; Pickering House, the oldest house continuously occupied by the same family; The Witch House (had to sneak in one more witch spot... it is Salem after all!), former home of witch trials judge Jonathan Corwin; and The Old Burying Point, Salem's oldest cemetery containing the graves of a Mayflower pilgrim and witchcraft trial judge John Hathorne, ancestor of Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Staying Overnight? The Hawthorne Hotel offers Salem Magic Packages that include discounts on shopping, attractions, and dining. Other places to stay in Salem include the Amelia Payson House, a restored Greek Revival B&B; the Coach House Inn, an 1879 Victorian sea captain's mansion with antique decor; The Salem Inn, comprised of three historic buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and the Stepping Stone Inn, built in 1846 for a naval officer and located in the heart of historic Salem. If you're looking for a more traditional "chain" hotel, I can highly recommend the Quality Inn King's Grant Inn in nearby Danvers, Massachusetts.
Enjoy!
More from New England for Visitors
Looking for more New England travel information? Start with the New England for Visitors Home Page, where you'll find current features and links to the best of the Net for all of your travel planning needs.
Don't miss our free email newsletter, New England NewsBeam, which keeps you up to date on what's happening in the region. Subscribe today!
Previous Features from your New England for Visitors Guide
Poseidon graphic from MasterClips Premium Image Collection.
