Regional American/Asian art & artifacts
Peabody Essex Museum (PEM)
Why locals love it
Designed by the world-famous architect, Moshe Safdie, the building itself is now an imaginative expanse of brick and glass--a weaving of the historic roots in cargo-ers passing through Salem and art curators' deft hands with exhibitions over time. The museum maintains its roots from the East India Marine Society and the Essex Historical Society.
Why you should visit it
The mission statement alone says it all: "to celebrate outstanding artistic and cultural creativity by collecting, stewarding and interpreting objects of art and culture in ways that increase knowledge, enrich the spirit, engage the mind and stimulate the senses" (as taken from the PEM site).
Special tip
Don't miss the light in the atrium and the garden restaurant.