Temporary Exhibits

Courtesy of the Essex National Heritage Area

Ann Wilson's photo of the Essex Shipbuilding Museum in winter was the first place winner in the "Winter Wonderland" category

Essex National Heritage Area Photo Contest Winners

The Essex National Heritage Area and Hunt's Photo and Video annual photo contest winners are on display at the Salem Visitor Center. For 2008, judging was in three categories: "Winter Wonderland," "On the Trail," and "Trails and Sails." The winners of the three categories, as well as Steve Harrington's grand prize-winning photograph of Derby Wharf, will be on display in the Visitor Center through April. For more information about the 2008 photo contest, and rules for the 2009 photo contest, visit the Essex National Heritage Area web page.

Courtesy of the Essex National Heritage Commission

A detail of The Merrimack, one of the three murals commissioned to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Essex National Heritage Area.

Essex National Heritage Area Murals
As part of the Essex National Heritage Area’s tenth anniversary celebration, local artist Julia Purinton created three murals reflecting the region, each about six feet high by twenty feet long. The Seacoast depicts the coast, including the Salem Custom House and Friendship. The Merrimack reflects the industries of the Merrimack Valley and Lynn, including the Saugus Iron Works. Conservation depicts the farmland, wetlands, and rivers of the region. The production of the murals was made possible by the support of Eastern Bank, MassInnovation LLC, The Trustees of Reservations and the Essex County Greenbelt Association.

NPS photo

Part of the early settlement exhibit in the Regional Visitor Center.

Exploring Essex County
Explore nearly 400 years of history in Essex County through the permanent exhibits at the Regional Visitor Center! Learn about the homes and lives of the earliest European settlers to the region, see a model of the Salem waterfront during the Age of Sail, and look at the faces of the men and women who built the industries of Essex County.

In 1996, the U.S. Congress designated Essex County a National Heritage Area because of the rich historical and natural resources of the region. Click here to visit the Essex National Heritage Area web site and learn more about Essex County. This page will open in a new window.

Courtesy of Thomas P. Moran

Historic uniforms of the Second Corps of Cadets. Left and right, officer and enlisted uniforms, c. 1875. Center, the 1785 uniform of the commander of the Second Corps of Cadets.

The Second Corps of Cadets
For over two hundred and twenty years, the Second Corps of Cadets has served this country with honor. Founded in 1785 as the Salem Cadets, the unit was originally an officer's training corps. Today, the Second Corps of Cadets is Battery B of the 101st Field Artillery of the Massachusetts National Guard.

The exhibits in the breezeway and in the Regional Visitor Center highlight the history of this distinguished unit of the Massachusetts National Guard. The Regional Visitor Center is housed in the drill shed of the old Salem Armory, the former home of the Second Corps of Cadets.