Salem Museum of Torture

The Salem Museum of Torture is an attraction in the heart of Salem that displays authentic instruments of torture alongside life-size displays of historical criminal punishments. Visitors pass through the “dungeon doors” into exhibits on devices of the Inquisition and beyond, including the guillotine and the iron chair, and learn how these methods rose and fell over time. The museum bills itself as bloodcurdling and invites those brave enough to enter.

The museum describes its purpose as education and preservation: by showing these grim objects and their stories, it aims to shed light on the depths of human cruelty and encourage a more compassionate future. It continues to build its collection and invites people who own artifacts, antiques or historical items related to medieval torture or dark history to offer them for sale, with submissions reviewed by the museum’s historians.

What to Know

• Tickets can be bought online or in the museum’s gift shop.
• Sellers should submit clear photos, a description and an asking price for items the museum might buy.
• The museum’s motto is “For within darkness, there is knowledge to be gained.”