The North Shore & Merrimack Valley area has a wonderful variety of fine museums & galleries.

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Sandy Bay Historical Society and Museum

40 King Street Rockport, MA 01966 Phone: 978-546-9533

Open: Mid-June-mid-September, Monday-Saturday, 2– 5 p.m. and by appointment

Period rooms; exhibits on local history, fishing, and granite industries; exhibition gallery.Admission charge.

The House of the Seven Gables

115 Derby Street Salem, MA 01970 Phone: 978-744-0991 Fax: 978-741-4350

Cross the threshold into one of the most famous structures in America & experience the countless surprises beneath its legendary gables.

Discover The House of the Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts. This seaside historic site showcases the seventeenth century Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, forever immortalized as “The House of the Seven Gables” by author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Professional guides welcome guests year round to explore Salem’s architecture, maritime history, and the literary legacy of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Admission also includes a visit to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Birthplace to learn more about how the author’s life and seaside gardens and a unique museum store. Open mid-January through December, 10:00am-5:00pm, with extended hours until 7:00pm, July-October.

Tsongas Industrial History Center at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum

115 John Street Lowell, MA 01852 Phone: 978-970-5080

Open: Call for appointment to visit

Activities and exhibits highlight the history of industry and industrial development in New England and the United States. Admission charge.

Wenham Museum

132 Main Street Wenham, MA 01984 Phone: 978-468-2377

Open: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; closed Mondays and major holidays

Museum of social history from 175h century to present. Claflin-Richard House (c. 1690); world-renowned doll collection, dollhouse, costumers, model trains, toys. Conant photography collection, family discovery, and changing exhibits. Admission charge.

Whistler House Museum of Art

243 Worthen Street Lowell, MA 01852 Phone: 978-452-1741

Open: Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

The birthplace of James Abbott McNeil Whistler. Exhibits of Whistler's and other's artwork. Open seasonally. Admission charge.

Witch Dungeon Museum

16 Lynde Street Salem, MA 01970 Phone: 978-741-3570

Open: April through November, daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

This museum features a tour of the dungeon where those accused of witchcraft were held. Reenactment of the trial is also part of the exhibits. There is an admission charge.
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Addison Gallery of American Art

180 Main Street Andover, MA 01810 Phone: 508-759-4015

Open: Labor Day – July 31, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m.; closed August 1 through Labor Day, Mondays and national holidays, December 24

Paintings, prints, sculpture, decorative arts, and photography by American artists from Colonial times to the present. Works by John Singleton Copley, Paul Revere, James Whistler, Edward Hopper, Frank Stella, and Alexander Calder displayed on a rotating basis. Admission is free.

American Textile History Museum

491 Dutton Street Lowell, MA Phone: 978-441-0400

Hours: Open year-round, Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed on holidays.

From spinning wheels to airplanes and power looms to baseballs, history really comes alive at the American Textile History Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, in Lowell. In the main exhibition, Textile Revolution: An Exploration through Space and Time, visitors can spin, weave, design, and recycle through an interactive experience that explores how textiles affect our lives. Watch how baseballs are made from wool, weave on a hand loom, and try on a glove designed for the NASA space program. Rotating special exhibitions exploring fascinating topics through textiles, from the glamour and grace of 1930s fashion to the stories of Vietnam vets.

Andover Historical Society

97 Main Street Andover, MA 01810 Phone: 978-475-2236

Open: Guided tours, Tuesday-Saturday, 1-4 p.m.; museum closed in August

This home, built in 1819, features 19th century artifacts and furnishings. A 19th-century barn is also on the property.

Bartlett Museum

270 Main Street Amesbury, MA 01913 Phone: 978-388-4528

Open: Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, Friday-Sunday, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.; holidays, 1-4 p.m.; other times by appointment

Museum features collections of horse-drawn carriages and Native American artifacts. Open seasonally. Admission is free.

Concord Museum

Cambridge Turnpike at Lexington Road Concord, MA 01742 Phone: 978-369-9763 Fax: 978-369-9660

Exploring historic Concord? Begin at the Concord Museum!

For a small town, Concord has a big history. From the “shot heard round the world” to the writers of the American literary renaissance, things have happened here, words have been spoken here and books have been written here which changed the face of a nation. Over time, Concord has become a symbol of liberty and intellectual freedom. And nowhere is that important heritage captured more dramatically than at the Concord Museum. An inspiring collection of American treasures includes the 1775 “one, if by land, two, if by sea” Revere lantern, Thoreau’s Walden desk and Emerson’s Study. Linger in engaging history galleries, enjoy the beauty of Concord antiques, and create your own memories with family-friendly activities. Open daily year round.

Cushing House Museum

98 High Street Newburyport, MA 01950 Phone: 978-462-2681

Open: Individuals and groups under 10 people, May 1-October 31, Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday, noon-4 p.m.; closed holidays

This mansion, built in 1808, features antique furniture, artwork and a carriage house. Open seasonally. Admission charge.

Custom House Maritime Museum

25 Water Street Newburyport, MA 01950 Phone: 978-462-8681

Open: Call ahead for hours of operation

Follow the history of maritime Massachusetts through the exhibits at this museum. Open seasonally. There is an admission fee.
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DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park

51 Sandy Pond Road Lincoln, MA 01773 Phone: 781-259-8355

Open: Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on selected Monday holidays. Call ahead for seasonal changes in hours.

Museum of modern art focuses on New England artists. There is an admission fee, but the outdoor sculpture garden is free.
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Hammond Castle Museum

80 Hesperus Avenue Gloucester, MA 01930 Phone: 978-283-7673

Open: Late April to late June, Saturdays and Sundays only, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; late June to Labor Day, daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Labor Day through April

John Hays Hammond, Jr. built his medieval-style castle between the years 1926 and 1929 to serve both as his home and as a backdrop for his collection of Roman, medieval, and Renaissance artifacts. Visitors to Hammond Castle Museum may explore the castle on a self-guided tour of eight rooms including the great hall, indoor courtyard, Renaissance dining room, two guest bedrooms, the inventions exhibit room, and the tower galleries. Visitors may also enjoy the beauty of the castle grounds and a view of the Atlantic shore line.

Heard House Museum

54 South Main Street Ipswich, MA 01938 Phone: 978-356-2811

Open: Memorial Day through Columbus Day, Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.– 3 p.m.; Sunday 1-3 p.m.

Built in 1800, this home contains a collection of antique furniture from China and Colonial America. Visitors will also find a display of carriages. Admission charge.
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Lowell Heritage State Park

160 Pawtucket Blvd Lowell, MA Phone: 978-369-6312

Lowell boasts a remarkable network of 19th-century canals created to provide power to the bustling textile mills that operated along the water's edge. Today the buildings remain and continue to evoke the sense of a great industrial city. Visitors can participate in activities, including canal rides, and explore exhibits about Lowell's role in America's industrial history presented in conjunction with the Lowell National Historical Park. A Victorian garden in the heart of the downtown area, and over two miles of landscaped esplanade, summer concerts, and swimming and boating in the Merrimack River are additional attractions at this popular park. The swim area is managed by the City of Lowell from July to August.
The Rourke Brothers State Boat Ramp, Route 113 (Pawtucket Blvd.) is open seasonally to the public to provide boating access to the Merrimack River. The boat ramp (managed by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation) is composed of 42 trailer lots, 2 HP trailer lots, 18 car top lots, and 2 HP car top lots. There is no fee to use the use the ramp or to park. The entrance to the boat ramp is directly across from Tyco Electronics, Inc. located at 1011 Pawtucket Blvd. and is one-half mile west of the Rourke Bridge.
Recreational opportunities: Accessible Restrooms bicycling paths, boating, boat ramp, canoeing, fishing, hiking, historic site, scenic viewing area, swimming, visitor's center, walking trails.

Lynn Museum & Historical Society

590 Washington St. Lynn, MA 01901 Phone: 781-581-6200

Open: daily, year-round, noon-4 p.m. daily throughout the year, closed holidays

Four rooms exhibit items tracing Lynn's history over a span of 100 years, from 1776 to 1876. Admission charge.

National Heritage Museum

33 Marrett Road, Route 2A Lexington, MA 02421 Phone: 781-861-6559

Open: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

American history exhibits; films, shows, and concerts; permanent exhibit on freemasonry and the American Revolution. Admission is free.

New England Quilt Museum

18 Shattuck Street Lowell, MA 01852 Phone: 978-452-4207

Open: May through December; Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; closed Mondays and major holidays

The New England Quilt Museum presents, interprets, and celebrates American quilting past and present. Admission charge.

Paper House

52 Pigeon Hill Street Rockport, MA 01966 Phone: 978-546-2629

Open: April 1 to October 31, daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

This home and everything in it are entirely made out of newspaper. Open seasonally. Admission by donation.

Peabody Essex Museum

East India Square Salem, MA 01970 Phone: 978-745-1876

Open: Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day

Exhibits feature Asian art, history and ethnology, also maritime history. There is an admission charge.
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