Education Programs: Tours

NPS photo

The U. S. Custom House in Salem was the workplace of famous author Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Maritime Tour: U.S. Custom House and Friendship of Salem

Duration: 1 hour

Cost: $3.00 per student, $5.00 per adult

Maximum group size: 50

This tour visits the U.S. Custom House, built in 1819 to house the offices of the U.S. Customs Service. During the height of Salem's East Indies trade, the Customs Service in Salem collected millions of dollars of taxes on incoming cargo, providing vital financial support for the new United States government. For three years, this building was the workplace of the famous author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne's experiences during his stint in the Custom House inspired his most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter.

Weather and ship availability permitting, the Maritime tour also visits Friendship of Salem, Salem Maritime's replica of a cargo vessel built in Salem in 1797. The tour visits the main deck and 'tween deck of the vessel to learn about the men who sailed all over the world to bring exotic goods back to Salem during the height of the East Indies trade.

For reservations or answers to questions about this program, please contact Education Specialist Maryann Zujewski at 978-740-1662