Salem Witch Trials Memorial — Attraction in Salem

I'm a Salem resident and I am on a mission to tour all the local attractions AND places of relevance.

About this one:

The Salem Witch Trials Memorial was built for the tricentennial of the infamous trials, presented to the public in 1991 - by Arthur Miller! - and dedicated in August 1992.

It consists of granite walls with 20 benches, one for each victim (hanged and pressed to death, not the ones who died in prison), some engraving with the words of the accused, and locust trees, which supposedly are the type of trees used for the hangings.

It is a simple, somber and dignified memorial remembering the names of the victims, a great way to honor their memory and never forget.

It is conveniently located in downtown Salem, just behind the Peabody Essex Museum, in between the Charter Street Cemetery (aka The Burying Point) and the Samuel Pickman house, an historical house that is now Charter Street Cemetery's Welcoming Center (the graveyard and the memorial seat next to each other but no "witches" were buried here - you can also read my review of this cemetery).

The memorial is free and open all year round.

This been said, the Salem Witch Trials Memorial is nowadays a very touristy destination, often overcrowded, a bit trivialized by the constant flow of guided tours and such. But it is so easy to reach once you are already downtown and it makes such a quick visit - a couple of minutes tops - that there is really no reason not to visit it.

I'd recommend, unless you are already very familiar with the trials, to first visit any of the museums/attractions dedicated to the history of the trials, and then drop by this memorial for a more meaningful experience.

PROs

Very conveniently located, free, open all year round, pictures are allowed.

A simple, yet effective memorial, picture-worthy (kind-off). A way to honor the victims and never forget.

CONs

Unless it's off season, you'll probably find it quite crowded. A bit touristy. All the dead flowers makes it look unattended (which is not, and it is great that so many people want to leave something to honor the memory of the victims, don't get me wrong).

A NOTE ABOUT THE OTHER MEMORIAL IN SALEM -- Proctor's Ledge Memorial is the other Salem Witch Trials memorial, more recently built, located in the exact place where the executions were performed, a 15/20 minutes walk from downtown. It is similar in the way it remembers too the names of all the victims in a small, simple setting. In that review, I underline the fact that Proctor's Ledge Memorial is of remarkable historic relevance because of its location and I gave 5 stars, but I did no recommend to walk all the way there if you have limited time in Salem. To the memorial of this review I instead gave 4 stars but said that there is no reason not to visit it. This might seam contradictory 😊, but everything is a matter of priorities. If you are looking for a place to get familiar with the names of the victims and pay your respects, this memorial (the one downtown) is the perfect...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A hauntingly powerful experience—worth every moment.

Visiting the Salem Witch Trials Memorial was one of the most emotionally resonant experiences I’ve had in a long time. Our small tour group was respectful and engaged, which made a huge difference. There was a quiet reverence throughout the visit—no distractions, no performative reactions—just a shared sense of reflection and respect for the space and its history.

The memorial itself is heartbreakingly beautiful. Twenty cantilevered stone benches, each etched with the name and execution date of a victim, stretch out like silent witnesses to injustice. The design is subtle but deeply symbolic: locust trees, the last to bloom and first to shed their leaves, stand as metaphors for the stark injustice of the trials. The granite wall interrupts the victims’ final words mid-sentence, a chilling reminder of how their pleas fell on deaf ears A.

Standing there, you feel the weight of history pressing in. It’s not just about the past—it’s about how easily fear and scapegoating can override justice. The proximity to the Charter Street Cemetery adds another layer of solemnity. Tombstones loom quietly behind the memorial, as if still watching over the names carved in stone.

I appreciated that our guide didn’t rush us. There was space to sit, reflect, and even leave flowers if we wished. It felt less like a tourist stop and more like a sacred site. I would strongly recommend visiting with a guide who understands the emotional depth of the memorial and can offer historical context without overwhelming the experience.

This isn’t a flashy attraction, and it’s not meant to be. It’s a place for remembrance, for reckoning, and for honoring those who were silenced. If you’re looking for something meaningful, something that lingers long after you leave, this memorial is absolutely worth your time and money.

Just a note: please be mindful of the space. It’s not a place for selfies or loud conversation. It deserves quiet, reflection,...

Historically, Salem is a place of extreme sadness. A place which made its shocking mark in history based on lies, human ignorance, torture, desperation, injustice and death. Unfortunately, Salem today however is focused on the occult and witchcraft. Don't expect Salem to be a place of somber, significant historical learning and perhaps you can enjoy it then. Alas, Salem missed a golden opportunity to teach from history all who visit the danger of lies and mass hysteria and on a positive note, to love better and be thankful for an improved judicial system, among other things. History is there but it must be sought out and feels insignificant. Regrettably, the commercialization of witchcraft and the occult is much more abundant making it more of a tacky tourist trap than a valued memorial, historical sight. It's hard to imagine what the people who went on to die horrible deaths all the while proclaiming they were not witches would think of all of these witchy shenanigans. We went in October and it was far too busy. It was shoulder to shoulder, even in the streets. There were long lines everywhere, restaurants at capacity, shops were packed and it was all massively overdone for halloween, of course. We took public transportation because parking is a nightmare but it was standing room only on the T. Maybe visit at a different time of year for a different experience? We won't...