Peabody Essex Museum

Peabody Essex Museum
Peabody Essex Museum
The Peabody Essex Museum's main entrance
The main entrance to the museum
Peabody Essex Museum is located in Massachusetts
Peabody Essex Museum
Location in Massachusetts
Peabody Essex Museum is located in the United States
Peabody Essex Museum
Peabody Essex Museum (the United States)
Established1799 (1799)
Location161 Essex Street
Salem, MA 01970
Coordinates42°31′18″N 70°53′32″W / 42.52167°N 70.89222°W / 42.52167; -70.89222
TypeArt museum
AccreditationAAM, NARM
CollectionsAmerican art, Asian art, maritime art
Collection size1.3 million
DirectorLynda Roscoe Hartigan
Public transit access Salem Station Disabled access
Websitepem.org

The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts, US, is a successor to the East India Marine Society, established in 1799.[1] It combines the collections of the former Peabody Museum of Salem (which acquired the Society's collection) and the Essex Institute.[2][3] PEM is one of the oldest continuously operating museums in the United States [4] and holds one of the major collections of Asian art in the United States. Its total holdings include about 1.3 million pieces, as well as twenty-two historic buildings.[5]

After opening newly expanded spaces in 2019, PEM now ranks in the top 10 North American art museums in terms of gallery square footage, operating budget and endowment. The PEM holds more than 840,000 works of historical and cultural art covering maritime, American, Asian, Oceanic and African art, Asian export art, and two large libraries with over 400,000 books and manuscripts.[6]

  1. ^ PEM website. "Museum history". Retrieved 2011-02-16
  2. ^ Lord, Barry; Lord, Gail Dexter (2002). The Manual of Museum Exhibitions. Rowman Altamira. ISBN 978-0-7591-0234-7.
  3. ^ "Peabody Essex Museum | World-Renowned Art Museum in Salem, MA". pem.org. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008.
  4. ^ "Check Out the Peabody Essex Museum's New Wing—For Free!". 12 September 2019.
  5. ^ Peabody Essex Museum collections (Peabody Essex Museum, 1999)
  6. ^ Dobrzynski, Judith H. (28 January 2013). "A New Way Forward | Dan L. Monroe | Peabody Essex Museum | Cultural Conversation by Judith H. Dobrzynski - WSJ". Wall Street Journal.