Salem Maritime National Historical Park
Originally established in 1938 as the first National Historic Site in the United States, Salem Maritime National Historical Park consists of nine acres of land and twelve historic structures along the Salem waterfront, as well as a downtown visitor center. Located in the urban setting of Salem, the park preserves and interprets over 600 years of New England's maritime history and global stories.
About under an hour from Boston and 1.5 hours from Providence by car.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Park Grounds | Daily · All Day |
When to go
October draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Salem Armory ↗Passport stamp
In the Salem Armory Visitor Center, National Park Service staff and volunteers provide information on historic sites and other places of interest throughout the Essex National Heritage Area (ENHA). Visitors can learn more about Essex County from the exhibits.
- Waite & Peirce ↗Passport stamp
Waite & Peirce offers a curated selection of quality products that will help extend your park experience with maritime themed goods that hearken back to Salem's place in the history of global trade.
Explore
Things to do
- Become a Salem Maritime B.A.R.K. Ranger5-120 Minutes
Hello four-legged friends! Do you want to explore Salem Maritime with your leash-holding companions? Interested in getting your very own B.A.R.K. Ranger dog tag? We made it easy for your human to help you get one. Just follow the B.A.R.K.
Opens on the Park Service site - Create a Dominican Faceless Doll30-180 Minutes
Have you ever heard of Faceless Dolls (or Muñecas Sin Rostro)? Faceless Dolls were first created in the 1980’s by sculptor Liliana Mera Limé. Their lack of faces is what makes them a truly unique symbol of the Dominican Republic.
Opens on the Park Service site - Become a Salem Maritime Junior Ranger30-120 Minutes
The Salem Maritime National Historic Site Junior Ranger program is an activity based program offering visitors the opportunity to join the National Park Service "family" as Junior Rangers.
Opens on the Park Service site - Shop Waite & Peirce Souvenirs5-30 Minutes
Waite & Peirce: Authentic and Exotic Goods features gifts inspired by the bold spirit of Salem’s privateers and offers visitors a unique shopping experience.
Opens on the Park Service site - Watch the Sunrise from Derby Wharf1-3 Hours
Enjoy an East Coast sunrise from Derby Wharf! The horizon is broad and flat, providing an expansive view of Salem Harbor.
Opens on the Park Service site - Drive the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway3-6 Hours
Discover 90 miles of New England coastal life passing through Essex National Heritage Area and Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- "To the Farthest Ports of the Rich East" Lecture11/1906:30 PM · free · registration requiredSalem Armory NPS Visitor Center (2 New Liberty Street, Salem MA)
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
.jpg/960px-Crane_estate_(5).jpg)
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for New England
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Activities
Weather & climate
New England weather is unpredictable year-round. Monthly averages, in degrees Fahrenheit, are: January: 37 high, 20 low February: 40 high, 23 low March: 47 high, 30 low April: 57 high, 38 low May: 67 high, 48 low June: 76 high, 58 low July: 82 high, 63 low August: 80 high, 62 low September: 73 high, 55 low October: 62 high, 45 low November: 52 high, 37 low December: 42 high, 27 low
Questions people ask
Does Salem Maritime charge an entrance fee?
No. Salem Maritime is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
Is Salem Maritime open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Salem Maritime?
569,839 recreation visits in 2025, number 106 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Salem Maritime?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the weather like at Salem Maritime?
New England weather is unpredictable year-round. Monthly averages, in degrees Fahrenheit, are: January: 37 high, 20 low February: 40 high, 23 low March: 47 high, 30 low April: 57 high, 38 low May: 67 high, 48 low June: 76 high, 58 low July: 82 high, 63 low August: 80 high, 62 low September: 73 high, 55 low October: 62
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
More in Massachusetts
