The Peabody Museum of Salem (1915–1992), formerly the Peabody Academy of Science (1865–1915), was a museum and antiquarian society based in

Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem was one ...

. The academy was organized in part as a successor to the East India Marine Society (founded 1799), which had become moribund but held a large collection of maritime materials in a museum collection at the East India Marine Hall, built in 1825 on Essex Street. The Peabody Museum was merged with the

Essex Institute The Essex Institute (1848–1992) in Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by E ...

to form the

Peabody Essex Museum The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts, US, is a successor to the East India Marine Society, established in 1799. It combines the collections of the former Peabody Museum of Salem (which acquired the Society's collection) and th ...

in 1992. The East India Marine Hall, now embedded within the latter's modern structure, was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

in 1965 in recognition of this heritage, which represents the nation's oldest continuously-operating museum collection.

History

The Peabody Academy of Science (1868–1915), successor to the East India Marine Society, "was organized in 1868, having received funds ... from

George Peabody George Peabody (; February 18, 1795 – November 4, 1869) was an American financier and philanthropist. He is often considered the father of modern philanthropy. Born into a poor family in Massachusetts, Peabody went into business in dry goods ...

of London ... for the 'promotion of science and useful knowledge in the

county of Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

.'" It was incorporated by "Asa Gray, of Cambridge, William C. Endicott, of Salem, George Peabody Russell, of Salem, Othniel C. Marsh, of New Haven, ... Henry Wheatland, of Salem, Abner C. Goodell, junior, of Salem, James R. Nichols, of Haverhill, ... Henry C. Perkins, of Newburyport, and S. Endicott Peabody. The academy maintained a museum that displayed animals, fossils, minerals, and plants, as well as ethnological artifacts such as weapons, costume, tools, statuary, and musical instruments. In 1915 the Academy changed its name to the "Peabody Museum of Salem." As of 1949 the museum organized its holdings into three departments: ethnology, maritime history, and natural history. The museum's ethnology division included specimens from Hawaii, Japan, Marquesas Islands, and New Zealand. The museum displayed its collections in the East India Marine Hall, expanded in 1953 with the Crowninshield Galleries. Museum staff included Ernest Stanley Dodge and

Walter Muir Whitehill Walter Muir Whitehill (September 28, 1905 – March 5, 1978) was an American writer, historian, medievalist, preservationist, and the Director and Librarian of the Boston Athenaeum from 1946 to 1973. He was also editor for publications of the Col ...

. In 1984 the China Trade Museum of

Milton, Massachusetts Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Milton is an immediate southern suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. The population was 28,630 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Milton is located in the relatively hilly ...

, merged with the Peabody Museum. In 1992 the Peabody Museum merged with the

to form the

East India Marine Hall

The East India Marine Hall was built in 1824–25 for the East India Marine Society to house its collection. Design of the building has most recently been ascribed to

Thomas Waldron Sumner Thomas Waldron Sumner (1768–1849) was an architect and government representative in Boston, Massachusetts, in the early 19th century. He designed East India Marine Hall and the Independent Congregational Church in Salem; and the South Congregatio ...

. It stands on the south side of Essex Street and is now integrated into the body of the Peabody Essex Museum. As built, it was a two-story structure, faced in granite on the front (Essex Street facade), and brick on the sides, measuring about . The main facade has been preserved; it has six rectangular bays on the main floor and seven tall round-arch windows on the second level. The gable pediment is fully enclosed, with a round window in the tympanum. The interior of the building has been repeatedly altered over the years, losing a significant amount of original detail in the process. The first floor, which was originally occupied by retail businesses, was adapted as a museum space in 1867–69, following its acquisition by the Peabody Academy of Science. As part of this alteration, entrances on the main facade were closed off, and new entrances were added to the east and west. The first floor has since been completely integrated into the newer facilities built by the Peabody Essex Museum in the 2000s. The upper level of the hall, designed as a ballroom and auditorium space, has always been retained as a large open gallery, but lost a significant amount of historic fabric in the 1860s alterations. The hall was designated a

in 1965, and listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1966, in recognition for its unique place as one of the oldest continuously-used museum spaces in the United States.

References

Images

File:1879 museum map2 Peabody Academy of Science in Salem Massachusetts.png, Map of part of the Museum of the Peabody Academy of Science, 1879 File:1880 PeabodyAcademy VisitorsGuide SalemMA.png, Interior, Peabody Academy, 1880 Image:1869 Peabody Academy of Science SalemMA.png, Emblem of the Peabody Academy of Science, 19th century Image:PeabodyMuseum ca1910 SalemMA DetroitPubCo LC 1.jpg, Peabody Museum, Salem, Massachusetts, circa 1910s File:Peabody Museum Marine Room.jpg, Peabody Museum Marine Room, circa 1920 File:Peabody Museum Marine Room 1.jpg, Peabody Museum Marine Room, circa 1920 File:Peabody Museum half hulls.jpg, Peabody Museum

half hulls A half hull model ship (also known as a "half hull" or "half ship") is a wooden model ship featuring only one half of a boat's hull without rigging or other fixtures. Background Prior to the twentieth century, half hull model ships were construct ...

built between 1809-1870 of Salem ships File:1921 Peabody Museum of Salem Massachusetts logo.png, Logo, 1921

External links

* Digital Public Library of America
Items related to Peabody Academy of Science, Salem
an
Peabody Museum, Salem
various dates {{Authority control Museums in Salem, Massachusetts 1868 establishments in Massachusetts History of Salem, Massachusetts Ethnographic museums in the United States Maritime museums in Massachusetts Natural history museums in Massachusetts National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Salem, Massachusetts

History

East India Marine Hall

See also

References

Images

Further reading

Issued by the museum

About the museum

External links