Peabody Essex Museum
The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts is the oldest continually operating museum in the United States. It was founded in 1799 as a place for local ship captains to display the curiosities they had collected abroad; now it is known around the world for its collection of Asian art. The original brick building abuts a magnificent glass atrium designed by Moshe Safdie, who also designed the iconic Marina Bay Sands resort and Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore.
Steve’s parents joined us for a tour of Yin Yu Tang, a late 18th-century house that had been disassembled in China and carefully re-assembled at the PEM. It had been home to the Huang family for eight generations, spanning 200 years. A staff member told us about a recent visit by family members; we tried to imagine how it would feel to see one’s childhood home reassembled in a foreign country. I wonder what kind of American house might be interesting to people in China?
There was time for just a quick look at the few of the galleries housing the museum’s vast collection. It was clear the PEM would be worth a repeat visit.
Admission to the Peabody Essex Museum is free with membership to a NARM institution.
