Lady of Salem Maritime Public Art Celebration

Lady of Salem is a seasonal public art exhibition of painted ship figureheads displayed on lampposts along the Essex Street pedestrian mall in downtown Salem. More than 17 figureheads, each created by a local artist, celebrate the city’s Golden Age of Sail. Figureheads were ornamental carvings mounted on the bowsprits of sailing ships to help identify each vessel, and the exhibition’s versions honor Salem’s maritime history in a form people can see while walking through downtown.

The Salem Beautification Committee launched the project in 2012 as a public-private collaboration that pairs artists with sponsors from schools, civic groups and businesses. Each artist paints and decorates a 33-inch molded fiber form, and every figurehead reflects some aspect of the era. In the late 1790s Salem was the richest city in America, with more than 50 wharves trading spices and textiles from Asia and the Caribbean.

What to Know

• The figureheads are on display from June through October.
• Salem’s city motto, “To the farthest ports of the rich East,” reflects the era the exhibition celebrates.
• The exhibition is listed by Destination Salem among things to do outdoors.