A big art and culture museum in Salem, certified Sensory Inclusive with KultureCity, with a limited number of sensory bags (noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools and verbal cue cards), staff trained each year for sensory needs, and same-day re-entry.
Thursday through Monday, 10 am to 5 pm; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. PEM closes at noon on Saturday, November 7, and reopens at noon on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
“PEM is certified Sensory Inclusive™ and partners with KultureCity to promote an accessible and positive experience for visitors with diverse sensory needs.”
“A limited number of sensory bags, equipped with noise canceling headphones, fidget tools and verbal cue cards, are available at the Visitor Resource Center for people of any age who may feel overwhelmed by the museum environment.”
“The annual KultureCity certification process ensures that PEM staff members are trained on how to recognize and best serve guests with sensory needs, including how to appropriately and safely handle a sensory overload situation.”
PEM's own pages give two places for the sensory bags: the accessibility page says the coatroom, and the families and visit pages say the Visitor Resource Center, opposite the Admissions desk and just inside the museum entrance.
To reserve a KultureCity sensory bag, use the Accommodation and Accessibility Form two weeks in advance. Questions: information@pem.org or 978-542-1623.
Before your visit, you and your kid can download the free KultureCity app to see the museum's sensory features and how to access them.
PEM says all of its event pages include sensory considerations, such as noise levels or strong smells. Drop-in art making runs Friday to Sunday and holiday Mondays in the Create Space studios; weekend and holiday sessions are suitable for ages 4 and up, Friday sessions are recommended for 10 and up.
Admission: adults $25, seniors 65 and up $23, students with ID $15, Salem residents free. The visit page lists youth under 16 as free, and the families page says youths 16 and under are free. Special exhibitions cost nothing extra; Yin Yu Tang: A Chinese Home needs a separate, timed ticket.
Parking: the Museum Place parking garage on New Liberty Street, the MBTA Commuter Rail Garage at 252 Bridge Street, the South Harbor Garage at 10 Congress Street, the municipal lot on St. Peter Street, and limited on-street parking. Accessible parking is in the paid garage on New Liberty Street, across from the National Park Service Visitor Center. The New Liberty Street and Charter Street entrances are available for wheelchair drop-offs.
By train: the MBTA Commuter Rail (Newburyport/Rockport line) to Salem station, about half a mile away.
Bags 18 x 13.5 x 10 inches or larger need a security inspection and pass to go into the galleries. Backpacks and backpack baby carriers can't be worn on your back. Umbrellas stay in the coatroom or a locker. Lockers and cubbies are near the Visitor Resource Center, free, first-come, first-served.
Strollers to borrow: the accessibility page says from the coatroom, and the families page says a limited number at the Visitor Resource Center. Strollers and large bags aren't permitted inside Yin Yu Tang.
Two gender-neutral family restrooms are on the ground level, and most restrooms have changing tables. The Atrium Café has child-friendly and gluten-free options, 10 am to 5 pm on open days.
Leashed service dogs are welcome; under Massachusetts law only dogs and miniature horses count as service animals.
