The House of the Seven Gables

The House of the Seven Gables is a historic mansion and museum on Salem Harbor, best known as the inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel of the same name. It was built in 1668 by merchant and ship-owner John Turner, and it describes itself as a national landmark dedicated to history, culture and community. Visitors tour the house, explore the seaside colonial revival gardens and relax on the waterfront lawn of a two-acre campus.

In 1910, Salem activist and philanthropist Caroline Emmerton restored the mansion and opened it as a museum and settlement house to support the local immigrant community. That mission continues today through The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association, which offers free English as a Second Language and citizenship classes and a platform for immigrant voices on the North Shore. The campus includes several historic buildings and cares for more than 3,000 works of art, furnishings and ephemera, plus an archive.

What to Know

• The campus was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 2007.
• Newsweek named it the top historical home tour in the U.S.
• After-hours candlelit tours called The Shadows of the Seven Gables explore the spookier side of the mansion.
• The museum posts special visitor information for October, Salem’s peak season.
• A museum gift shop on site sells souvenirs.