Don’t miss out! Today, it’s your last chance step Into Salem’s Past!
For this exhibit, Old Town Hall in Salem will be transformed into a living, breathing journey through four centuries of local history — and everyone is invited.
History Alive, Inc. is planning a free public exhibit featuring 40 remarkable Salemites who shaped the city between 1626 and 1936. The collection highlights a diverse range of people from across Salem’s long and layered past, brought to life through displays, audio-visual presentations, and hands-on experiences.
But this is far more than a traditional exhibit. Visitors will find a photo station stocked with period costumes and props, where they can dress up as real figures from Salem’s history and step — however briefly — into another era. The space is designed as an interactive timeline, with multiple entry points into the Salem story so that visitors of all ages and interests can find their own way in.
One of the most distinctive features of the exhibit is that it will be built in public. Costume and prop makers will work right in the space, constructing parade materials in real time. Community members and volunteers are welcome to roll up their sleeves and help build elements that will eventually appear in Salem’s August 1st Heritage Days Parade — making the creative process itself part of the experience.
That parade will also feature History Alive company members drawn from communities across the North Shore, including Beverly, Danvers, Haverhill, Peabody, Rowley, Lynn, Salem, Swampscott, and Marblehead, alongside a volunteer cast of Salem residents. The procession is designed to reflect Salem’s full community, with participants of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and ages taking part.
At least two creative staff members from History Alive will be present during all open hours to engage with visitors and keep the space lively.
The exhibit is part of Salem’s broader 400+ anniversary celebrations — a milestone marking more than four centuries since the city’s founding. History Alive’s contribution is a reminder that Salem’s story isn’t just about one moment in time, but about the many people, across many generations, who made it what it is today.

History Alive, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing local history to life through performance, education, and community engagement. Sonnet 4.6