Salem Maritime National Historic Site provides many opportunities for visitors with disabilities. 

For Visitors with Mobility Impairments

The following visitor facilities are fully accessible to wheelchair users:

• The Salem Regional Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty Street
• • Wheelchair spaces are available at the front and back of the theatre to facilitate viewing of the 27-minute long orientation film “Where Past is Present” on the history of Salem and Essex County. Click here to view the film schedule.
• The Orientation Center at Salem Maritime National Historic Site, 193 Derby Street
• • The 18-minute-long film “To the Farthest Ports of the Rich East,” on Salem’s maritime history, is shown in the theatre in the Orientation Center. The seating in the theatre is not fixed, and can be moved to accommodate a wheelchair anywhere in the theatre. Please ask the ranger at the desk for assistance.

Accessible bathrooms are located:

• Inside the Salem Regional Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty Street
• Behind the Orientation Center, 193 Derby Street

The following exhibits and historic buildings at Salem Maritime National Historic Site are accessible to wheelchair users:

• All walkways are fully accessible.
• A computer monitor located in the Orientation Center provides a virtual tour of all the site’s historic structures, along with historical information and images not seen anywhere else in the park.
• The replica tall ship Friendship of Salem is fully accessible through a ramped gangway and a wheelchair lift from the main deck to the lower deck.
• The first floors of the 1675 Narbonne House and 1762 Derby House can accommodate non-motorized wheelchairs up to 26 inches in width. If you are interested in visiting these historic structures, please contact the site at 978-740-1660 at least 3 days in advance.
• The Scale House exhibit, behind the U. S. Custom House, is fully accessible.

For Visitors with Hearing Impairments

• At the Salem Regional Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty Street
• • The 27-minute long orientation film “Where Past is Present,” on the history of Salem and Essex County, has open captions.
  • Listening devices with French, Spanish, German, and Russian versions of the soundtrack are available by request at the front desk.
• At the Salem Maritime National Historic Site Orientation Center, 193 Derby Street
• • The 18-minute-long film “To the Farthest Ports of the Rich East,” on Salem’s maritime history, is shown in the theatre in the Orientation Center. The film has closed captioning. Please ask the ranger at the desk to turn on the closed captioning.
  • A computer monitor located in the Orientation Center provides a virtual tour of Salem Maritime, and includes audio commentary.

For Visitors with Sight Impairments

• An audio tour of Salem Maritime National Historic Site and a map formatted for a Braille printer can be downloaded from our web site for personal digital audio players.
• At the Salem Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty Street
• • Listening devices with audio description for the 27-minute long orientation film “Where Past is Present,” on the history of Salem and Essex County are available by request at the front desk.
  • Large print versions of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site brochure are available at the front desk
• At the Salem Maritime National Historic Site Orientation Center, 193 Derby Street
• • An audio tour of Salem Maritime National Historic Site is available on a listening device; the Braille map is still in production. Please contact Salem Maritime at 978-740-1690 at least 3 days in advance if you wish to use the audio tour.
  • Large print versions of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site brochure are available at the desk.