National Historical Parks · Massachusetts
Salem Maritime National Historical Park
National Park Service source material · single source. Source dates and reuse information are available beside each field.
Check the official park website for current access, conditions and visitor information.
Introduction
Background: 1
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.
Geography
Designation: 2
National Historical Park
State or territory: 3
Massachusetts
Park Map - Salem Maritime National Historical Park: 4
Map scope: Salem Maritime National Historical Park
Map of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site in Massachusetts. The historic site is shown in green, surrounding areas in beige, and roads in white.
History and culture
People: 5
At Salem Maritime, we celebrate the people who shaped our history. These individuals walked the streets of Salem, worked in the counting houses, businesses, and mills, and sailed around the world on vessels that left from the city's wharves. Elias Hasket and Elizabeth Derby were members of one of the most successful merchant families in 18 th century Salem. Nathaniel Hawthorne set many of his famous stories here. African-Americans, free and enslaved, worked on the ships and in the homes of Salem, and in the early 19 th century some from Salem became leaders of the abolitionist movement. Polish immigrants moved to Salem for economic opportunities in the mills, and became a vital part of the 20 th century makeup of the city.
Places: 6
"A sense of place" is a phrase often used to describe New England, where families can spend generations in the same house, and some of the earliest historic preservation programs in the country began. The places of Salem Maritime tell their own stories, from succeeding residents of the Narbonne House leaving their marks on the house, to the Revolutionary discussions that happened in the parlors of the Derby House, to the wharves that witnessed dramatic changes in trade over the course of two and a half centuries.
Stories: 7
History is all around us. Stories are the big picture…or a snapshot in time. They provide the basics–who, what, where, when, why, and how. Stories explore the human experience and society. They can complicate, maybe even upend, our understandings of history. At Salem Maritime National Historical Park, we aim to engage visitors with the multi-faceted stories of Salem and maritime New England, and their place in a global society. We hope these stories inspire you to engage with your community and the world!
Collections: 8
Museum collections associated with a national park generally fall into three categories: museum objects that have a connection with the site, archaeological artifacts that were found in digs on the site, and archives of documents that are associated with the site. Salem Maritime National Historical Park collects objects that relate to the buildings at Salem Maritime and the people who lived or worked in them, as well as books and manuscripts related to the history of Salem’s maritime trade.
Slavery and Freedom: 9
The history of Salem Maritime National Historic Site is deeply tied to the slavery and freedom of people of African descent. The work of recovering this history is a collective process. Four threads that have emerged from examining this history are: (1) Salem’s role in the global and local economy of slavery, (2) the life, love, and labor of enslaved and freed people, (3) Black resistance, liberation, and the struggle for equality, and (4) the end of slavery which left many people in an ambiguous state between enslaved and freed. Watch this 8-minute video to learn how staff of Salem Maritime engaged with the community, students, academic and independent scholars, activists, and educators to understand and share this critical history. This page is a work in progress and will continue to evolve as additional resources are developed.
Storytelling with Art: Dominican Faceless Dolls: 10
Salem Maritime National Historic Site partnered with North Shore Community Development Coalition (North Shore CDC) to co-create Dominican Faceless Dolls . The exhibit shares Salem stories of migration and Caribbean culture with artwork by residents of the Point neighborhood (also known as El Punto).
For almost 400 years, Salem has connected with Caribbean people, trade goods, ideas, and cultures. These and other global connections continue to shape landscape, community, and culture in Salem. Dominican Faceless Dolls invites us to explore these connections, practice storytelling through art, and consider the power of our intersecting identities.
Collection Spotlight: 11
Not all of Salem Maritime's important artifacts are as tall as the Friendship of Salem or as heavy as the brick Custom House . For a historian, sometimes fascinating stories can be found in small items as well.
In the Collection Spotlight, we will focus on some of the smaller treasures in our collection. We have the opportunity to examine objects that are either too fragile to display or are on display but worthy of more examination. Through photography and presentation of research, our museum staff and interns provide an in-depth exploration of these items.
History & Culture: 12
Salem Maritime National Historic Site promotes the maritime history of New England and the United States, and preserves part of the historic waterfront in Salem, Massachusetts. The park's wharfs and buildings tell the story of the development of colonial port towns, the importance of global trade to the early economy of the United States, and the connection between maritime trade and growing industrialization. We invite you to explore the people, places, and stories of America's first national historic site!
Visitor centers and places
Salem Armory: 13
The Salem Armory Visitor Center is open daily from 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM from the spring through the fall.
Places to explore
Things To Do: 14
We invite you to explore Salem Maritime National Historical Park! The national park’s grounds, trails, gardens, and wharfs are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The park's historic buildings, tours, and programs operate on a seasonal schedule. View our Calendar to learn more about our on-site special programming. Are you ready for your next adventure?
Park Hours All buildings and programs are free (All buildings closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day) September 21 - November 14 Derby Wharf and Park Grounds Around Historic Structures Open 24/7 Salem Armory Regional Visitor Center Daily 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM Waite and Peirce Park Store Daily 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM Custom House Wednesday - Sunday 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM Public Stores and Scale House Wednesday - Sunday 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM (Weather Permitting) Narbonne House Wednesday - Sunday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Central Wharf Restrooms Daily 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Visitor information
Visitation
Sources & field notes
Source records (18)
Select a numbered reference to open a source card. Retrieval dates describe this edition’s source capture, rather than an independent verification or the date of the underlying information.
Background · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Designation · National Park System directory. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.
State or territory · National Park System directory. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.
Park Map - Salem Maritime National Historical Park · National Park Service, Harpers Ferry Center. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source scope
- Salem Maritime National Historical Park
- Download
- Official map PDF ↗
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Public domain; NPS map
- Rights
- Public domain; NPS map
People · People — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- March 6, 2023
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Places · Places — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- January 3, 2022
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Stories · Stories — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- August 12, 2025
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Collections · Collections — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- August 12, 2025
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Slavery and Freedom · Slavery and Freedom — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- August 24, 2022
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Storytelling with Art: Dominican Faceless Dolls · Storytelling with Art: Dominican Faceless Dolls — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- June 21, 2022
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
Collection Spotlight · Collection Spotlight — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source page last updated
- January 5, 2022
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party content may have separate rights.
History & Culture · National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party material may have separate rights. No images copied.
Salem Armory · National Park Service park structured data. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored U.S. government work is generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Things To Do · National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored U.S. government work is generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Physical Address · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Mailing Address · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Telephone · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Recreation visits · National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics. Open source ↗
- Information date
- 2025
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Methodology
- NPS reporting unit; annual total is the sum of 12 monthly recreation visit estimates.
- Reporting unit
- Salem Maritime NHP
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.