About

The Salem Museum is larger than it looks, with exhibits on five floors. At the heart of the Museum is the 1845 Williams-Brown House, which was originally situated along the Great Wagon Road. Exhibits trace Salem's history from early Virginia Indian settlements and Salem's founding in 1802, to Salem's involvement in the Civil War plus more recent history.

Guests enter the Museum through a formal herb garden. The Museum's Gift Shop features local crafts and hard-to-find books of regional interest. The Museum's research library is open on Fridays--call ahead to confirm. Adjacent are two cemeteries dating back to the late 1860s, picnic areas, and a playground where children can run off steam. Ample free parking. Take a walking tour of historic Salem, and enjoy lunch at the White Oak Tea Tavern located in Salem's oldest home, which is owned and maintained by the Salem Museum.