(musings on our trip to the Bay State-Part II)
Salem, Massachusetts is northeast of Boston on the coast. The highlight of our trip there was the Peabody Essex Museum (pem.org). The museum has something for everyone, from Asian contemporary art to native American art to a natural history exhibit (with live bats). There is a snack bar and we took a museum tour break there to fortify ourselves. Our small family group only had time to sample some of the museum’s treasures. Here are a few photos:
Yin Yu Tang Home Outer Wall
This house was the familial home of the Huang family in Huang Cun, Anhui Province. It was built in the 1790s and was the home to eight generations. The name Yin Yu Tang means “The Hall of Plentiful Shelter.” It was last occupied in 1982. The whole house was dismantled and shipped to the U. S. as part of a “cultural exchange agreement.” About 40% of the objects inside belonged to the Huang family.
Kitchen Outside Courtyard
Image On Courtyard Wall
Interior Room
View Of Upstairs From Courtyard
Visitors can go upstairs and visit the rooms in the upper floor.
Interesting Chinese Statue In Hall Adjacent To The Old House
“Magic Crow” by Rick Bartow (2014) In The Native American Art Exhibit
“All The Flowers Are For Me”
Art projected on walls of museum room by artist Anila Quayyum Agha
Although I only took “mind photos”, one exhibit keeps coming back to me. A small room showing many examples of illustrations from the book Moby Dick. From early editions to comic books. One was a book of t-shirts, each illustrated with single lines from the novel. The exhibit is called: Draw Me Ishmael: The Book Arts of Moby Dick.
The creativity of artists never ceases to amuse me and fill me with hope.
Within walking distance of the Peabody Essex Museum is the historic Charter Street Cemetery. The oldest burying ground in the U. S. is what the brochure says, but that ignores the burying grounds of the Indigenous People….just saying…. There is the grave of a person who came over on the Mayflower and other early townspeople. Nearby are monument memorials to the victims of the 1692 Witch Trials.
All of these victim memorials had offerings of flowers, fruit, coins and other tokens. The victims are honored and remembered.
If you ask people what they think of when you mention Salem, Massachusetts, they are likely to say “The Salem Witch Trials.” There is a whole museum dedicated to this history and if I get back up there I will check it out. So many things to see, so little time.
This is a fitting place to end for today. Happy Halloween!
(Photos by B. McCreary)
Natural Musings 
So interesting, Betty. And great timing. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks Sarah!
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Wow! I would love to go to this museum and to others in the area.The Yin Yu Tang house is fascinating. The few examples of other art you included also are intriguing. Good point about the early colonist graveyard. And the memorials to the ‘witches’ that suffered and died is a sad reminder of the many instances where innocent scapegoats are targeted because of misguided fear. Thanks for this. Marcia
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Thank you Marcia! There is so much else to see there, too. One of the most interesting art museums I have ever been to. And much more to see in Salem too.
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Magic Crow inspired me to learn a bit more about Rick Bartow … I’ll be on the lookout for more of his art in the future
and interesting to note, a good friend is beginning research with an eye to writing a novel about the Salem witch trials (she just published The Weight of Cloth set in 18th century Charleston, South Carolina)
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Hi Liz,
Glad the photo of the art inspired you to learn more about the artist. I did a google search and learned some. And, interesting coincidence about your writer friend’s new book subject. I just checked out the story description of The Weight of Cloth and am going to get a copy!
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Thank you Dee! I hope you enjoy your visit there as much as I did! Oh! I read the story line of your book The Weight of Cloth and am going to get a copy.
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I did comment twice. Do you mind deleting the second one?
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So nice to see you going to a place I have been, near my old stomping grounds of RI/MA. I think I was in Salem (if you don’t count past lives) about 50 years ago. With a whole day to wander my friend and I went to many museums and memorials. I did have an overriding interest in the witch history so that was our main focus. It was there that I learned the poor women weren’t burned at the stake, as popularly thought, but hanged. Or imprisoned. In any event, it was one more horrible occurrence in our country’s history. I always enjoy your blogs so much. I see this is part II so I think I missed part 1 but will go look for it. Hope all is well with you!
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Thank you so much Tricia! Yes, there is a part one and there will be a Part 3 next month…if not sooner. Am guessing you are looking at more positive things on the internet today…Am going to try and be positive and do positive things…got out in the garden today and tended to living things…Planted one potted plant in garden and repotted 2 others.
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