Drop-in Art Making: Boreal-Inspired Patches at PEM

Know before you go In-person event Location: Create Space, Studio 1 Included with admission As you’ll discover in the new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pem.org/exhibitions/knowing-nature-stories-of-the-boreal-forest">Knowing Nature: Stories of the Boreal Forest</a>&nbsp;exhibition, 31% of the world’s forest is found in the boreal zone. Home to many species and a host of migratory birds, the boreal forest is also essential to regulating Earth’s climate. Spread the word about this vitally important forest by screen printing your own boreal animal and plant patch that you can wear and share with friends!

Peabody Essex Museum

Plein Air Watercolor Landscape Sketching

Know before you go In-person event Location: Meet inside the museum's Main Atrium The group will walk together to Derby Wharf (0.5 miles). Members $39; nonmembers $49; plus $30 for materials Ages 18+ There will be a break for participants to buy lunch at the Atrium Café or nearby in Salem. Celebrate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pem.org/exhibitions/making-history-200-years-of-american-art-from-the-pennsylvania-academy-of-the-fine-arts">Making History: 200 Years of American Art from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts</a>&nbsp;with an al fresco introduction to watercolor sketching! The session begins with a guided tour led by Jeffrey Richmond-Moll, PEM’s George Putnam Curator of American Art, who will offer an exclusive look at the iconic works in the exhibition. Afterward, participants will engage in a creative workshop led by artist Jessica Yurwitz of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.slowriverstudio.com/">Slow River Studio</a>. This class is perfect for beginners with no painting experience, or those returning to art after a break. All supplies are provided, and participants will take home essential materials so they can continue painting at home. In the event of rain, this class will take place in PEM’s Create Space Studios.

Peabody Essex Museum & Derby Wharf 

PEM PRESENTS: Artists For Humanity

Know before you go In-person event Location: Morse Auditorium and Morse Alcove Included with admission Join us for a presentation and reception celebrating the 2025 Artists for Humanity Fellows. These multidisciplinary artists will share new works made over the course of their fellowship in response to their own sustainability research and their preview of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pem.org/exhibitions/andrew-gn-fashioning-the-world">Andrew Gn: Fashioning the World</a>,&nbsp;on view at PEM beginning September 13.

Art is Love: A Talk and Concert at PEM

Know before you go In-person event Location: Morse Auditorium Included with admission; preregistration encouraged. This program includes moderately loud live music (amplified sound and percussion). Join us for an afternoon of music and dialogue exploring the creative process in contemporary songwriting and performance. This conversation among original works by artists Muriel Teodori, Kessada and Steve Nieve pays tribute to two of the most iconic figures in modern music: Tom Waits and Elvis Costello. Through conversation, live performance and personal storytelling, the trio invites the audience to reflect on the art of creation, the power of love and the eternal interplay between control and spontaneity in artistic expression. The Talk: Three Angles on Artistic Creation 1. What is the process of creation in art? Muriel Teodori explores the psychological and philosophical dimensions of creativity. 2. Improvisation: Does it really exist? Is improvisation truly spontaneous, or is it the result of years of structure and discipline? Steve Nieve draws from his classical training and rock experience to explore improvisation as both freedom and illusion. 3. Production: Can it be Perfect? Control or Freedom? In the age of digital tools and infinite takes, Kessada questions the obsession with perfection. The Concert: Art is Love Original songs are woven together with deeply personal interpretations of works by Tom Waits and Elvis Costello — two masters of storytelling through music. Each song, each note, is a continuation of the conversation.

Opening Celebration: Knowing Nature at PEM

Know before you go In-person event Location: Main Atrium, Create Space Studios Included with admission The exhibition gallery will be open for self-guided exploration from 10 am–5 pm. ABOVE IMAGE: Wolf © Tom Walker. All Rights Reserved. Join us in celebrating the opening of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pem.org/exhibitions/knowing-nature-stories-of-the-boreal-forest">Knowing Nature: Stories of the Boreal Forest</a>, on view in The Dotty Brown Art &amp; Nature Center! Meet one of the featured artists as she creates new quillwork art, explore a boreal forest discovery cart and take part in forest-related hands-on activities! Tree Trek 11 am–Noon | Meet in front of the museum Preregistration required. Join PEM’s Garden and Grounds team to discover the incredible trees that are part of our campus, a newly accredited&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pem.org/gardens/arboretum">Level II Arboretum</a>. The Caterpillar Lab 11 am–3 pm | Create Space 1 Join The Caterpillar Lab in an open exploration of the incredible world of New England caterpillars, some of which are also found in the boreal forest — including monarch butterfly caterpillars! This drop-in will feature a variety of live caterpillars in various stages of development. Educators from The Caterpillar Lab will share incredible but true stories about these creatures' strange and surprising adaptations, and there will be plenty to see and touch. Check out some little-known native critters munching on their food plants right in front of you. You're sure to see something new! Woven Quillwork Demonstration by Elizabeth James-Perry (Aquinnah Wampanoag) 11 am–3 pm | Main Atrium Join Aquinnah Wampanoag artist Elizabeth James-Perry for a demonstration of quillwork: a Native American art form that uses porcupine quills to decorate clothing, jewelry and other objects. James-Perry is also a restoration ecologist, and she will discuss how she sustainably harvests and prepares natural materials (including plant dyes) for her artworks in&nbsp;Knowing Nature&nbsp;and beyond. Drop-in Art Making: Air Plant Wire Sculptures 11 am–3 pm | Create Space 2 Using a rock, wire and air plants, create a unique nature sculpture to enjoy indoors! Boreal Short Film Showings 2 pm-4 pm | Morse Auditorium

PEM Reads: Nothing More of this Land

Know before you go In-person event Location: Morse Auditorium Included with admission Join Joseph Lee (Aquinnah Wampanoag), author of&nbsp;Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power, and the Search&nbsp;for Indigenous Identity&nbsp;for an author talk and Q&amp;A that sparks conversations about Indigenous history and identity and raises awareness of contemporary Indigenous issues. Before Martha’s Vineyard became one of the most iconic vacation destinations in the country, it was home to the Wampanoag people. Today, as tourists flock to the idyllic beaches, the island has become increasingly unaffordable for tribal members, with nearly three-quarters now living off-island. Growing up Aquinnah Wampanoag, journalist Joseph Lee grappled with what this situation meant for his tribe. He asks how the community can continue to grow and more broadly, what it means to be Indigenous. About the Book In&nbsp;Nothing More of This Land, Lee weaves his family story into a panoramic narrative of Indigenous life around the world. He takes us from the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard to the icy Alaskan tundra, the smoky forests of Northern California to the halls of the United Nations and beyond. Along the way, he meets activists fighting to protect their land, families clashing with their own tribal leaders and communities working to reclaim tradition. Together, these stories reject stereotypes to show the diversity of Indigenous people today and chart a way past the stubborn legacy of colonialism. The author and Q&amp;A will take place from 2–3 pm, followed by a book signing and reception from 3–4 pm.

Yoga and Meditation in the Galleries at PEM

Know before you go In-person event Location: East India Marine Hall Members $5; nonmembers $10 Advance tickets are required; space is limited. Please note that this session will begin with meditation, followed by yoga. This class is designed to be accessible to all ages and abilities. No prior experience with yoga or meditation is necessary – all are welcome! Limited seating will be available in the gallery during meditation. Sealed water is permitted in the gallery during yoga and meditation. We recommend that you wear comfortable clothing and silence your phone or devices for this program to get the most out of this mindfulness practice. Join us for a morning of yoga and meditation! Deepen your breath and take in the serenity of the historic East India Marine Hall during a yoga class led by Soul City Yoga. Then, stick around for a special guided mindfulness session in the gallery from 10:15–10:45 am. About the Gallery East India Marine Hall was built using local Cape Ann granite in 1824-25 by the architect Thomas Waldron Sumner. It was the headquarters for the East India Marine Society, PEM’s founding organization. This group of 22 sea captains and traders sailed all over the world from Salem and started the oldest collecting museum in America in 1799. East India Marine Hall is the historical and physical heart of the museum; over time, added gallery spaces have surrounded it. Recently restored to its original elegance, the building is a National Historic Landmark. East India Marine Hall currently houses nine carved ship’s figureheads that are juxtaposed with amplified music and sea ballads as a part of Scottish artist Susan Philipsz’s exhibition <a href="https://www.pem.org/exhibitions/susan-philipsz-if-i-with-you-would-go">If I With You Would Go</a>. Philipsz uses sound to heighten awareness of space, emotion and memory. Her choice of a song about a young woman lured away to sea is a mythical and cautionary echo of the mercantile and maritime history embodied in this historic hall. Observing art can induce a “flow state” of mindfulness and activate the same part of the brain that more traditional mindfulness practices, like meditation and yoga, do. Join us on the first Sunday morning of every month (second Sundays for holiday weekends) in a guided practice of “mindful looking.” Come be still, relax and connect more deeply with artworks from PEM’s collection.

Nature Immersion & Dreamscapes in Ropes Mansion Garden

Know before you go In-person event Location: Ropes Mansion Garden, 318 Essex St, Salem $5 members; $10 nonmembers Slow down, unplug and awaken your senses on a guided nature immersion in the Ropes Mansion Garden. The program will begin with a facilitated journey through the senses, inviting rest and wandering. Then, explore the colors and shapes you observe in the garden through watercolor "dreamscapes.” All the prompts, ways of sharing and participating are optional and open to interpretation. Art supplies will be provided. Note: We will be sitting on the ground for a portion of this program. Please feel free to bring a mat, towel or pillow. We recommend bringing sunscreen and a closed container of water.

PEM Create Night: Dream Vision Boards

Know before you go In-person event Location: Main Atrium and&nbsp;Building Dreams&nbsp;Exhibition Gallery $10 members, $20 nonmembers Join us for an evening of mindful creativity that celebrates the recent opening of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pem.org/exhibitions/jung-yeondoo-building-dreams">Jung Yeondoo: Building Dreams</a>! Go on a curator-led tour of the exhibition and then bring your dreams to life by exploring a visual manifestation practice. If you could create a visual representation of your wildest dreams, what would it look like? Think about your dreams and bring them to life through the use of photographic media and collage. Photo: Jung Yeondoo. © Ahn Sangkyum. Courtesy of the Jung Yeondoo Studio.

PEM Pride: Rainbow Rager

Know before you go In-person event Location: Main Atrium $35; $20 Salem residents Guests must be ages 18 and up, with valid ID, in order to attend. This program includes amplified music, live music (singing), participants dancing and jumping on a hard floor and flashing or strobing lights. Festive neon attire is encouraged, but wide-brimmed hats and masks that fully cover the face are not permitted in the museum. No glitter, please. Tipping performers is encouraged; please come prepared. Join us as we celebrate our cherished LGBTQIA+ community this Pride Month in partnership with Miz Diamond Wigfall and other local drag artists! Our after-hours dance party and drag show will feature refreshments, a cash bar with specialized cocktails and mocktails, music by DJ Maxine Harrison and a fantastical immersive photo booth by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lightwitch.com/">Courtney B Hall, the “Light Witch”.</a>&nbsp;Enjoy a start-studded a drag show hosted by Miz Diamond Wigfall and Maxine Harrison, featuring Buster Pants, Dick Kayin, Miss Michael, Peewee Vermin, Chanel The Angel, Chola Spears, Geya Jenda, Julie J, Izzy Ready, Kelly Shoes, Killah Croc, Lilly Rose Valore, Misster, Tequila Cowboy and Violencia!

76 Days Adrift Film Screening and Q&A

Know before you go In-person event Location: Morse Auditorium Included with admission Recommended for ages 13 and up. This film is in English with English subtitles. Join Daniel Finamore, Associate Director–Exhibitions and the Russell W. Knight Curator of Maritime Art and History, for a screening of&nbsp;76 Days Adrift, the gripping film based on Steve Callahan's harrowing survival at sea. Hear firsthand from Callahan and Executive Producer Robert Sennott as they discuss the making of the film, the emotional and physical challenges Callahan faced during his 76-day ordeal and the deeper themes of resilience and the human spirit. This intimate Q&amp;A offers a rare opportunity to explore the incredible story behind this extraordinary tale of survival — a story perfectly suited to Salem, a city steeped in maritime history, where the spirit of exploration, endurance and the sea has shaped its rich heritage. 76 Days Adrift&nbsp;is 105 minutes in length.

PEM Pride: Celebrating Queer Narratives in Film

Know before you go In-person event Location: Morse Auditorium Included with admission Recommended for ages 13+ Join us for an afternoon discussion of queer narratives in film and media with special guests and local experts who are actively uplifting and representing the LGBTQIA+ community in their work. First, the Panorama Queer and Trans Film Festival returns to PEM with a special screening of select short films created by LGBTQIA+ filmmakers and directors. Then, Peabody TV presents an episode of the new reality TV series following Salem’s local drag/performing artists collective, the Hometown Queeros. After the screenings, stick around for a talkback panel moderated by PEM’s Lillian Santiago, featuring Panorama’s Creative Director Mac Allen, the Queer Videography team and Peabody TV’s Associate Director of Education Randyll Collum. Learn about how these experts tell queer and trans stories through filmmaking, and explore the importance of queer narratives, storytelling and representation in film and media.

NEW Exhibition: Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend

Often called the unicorns of the sea, narwhals have fascinated people across cultures for centuries. These highly recognizable creatures spend their lives in the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. Dive deeper into the world of these unique ocean dwellers and learn about their changing arctic ecosystem through firsthand accounts of scientists and Inuit community members. Hear soundscapes of the Arctic and narwhal vocalizations and touch an 8-foot-long cast of a real narwhal tusk. This family-friendly exhibition in The Dotty Brown Art &amp; Nature Center is part of PEM’s Climate + Environment Initiative. ​​ Follow along on social media using #NarwhalsatPEM Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend&nbsp;is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. This exhibition at PEM is made possible by Carolyn and Peter S. Lynch and The Lynch Foundation. We thank Jennifer and Andrew Borggaard, James B. and Mary Lou Hawkes, Chip and Susan Robie, and Timothy T. Hilton as supporters of the Exhibition Innovation Fund. We also recognize the generosity of the East India Marine Associates of the Peabody Essex Museum and the support and guidance of the Art &amp; Nature Center Visiting Committee.

Salem Arts Festival at PEM

Know before you go In-person event Location: In front of the Main Entrance on Essex Street | Garden Atrium Saturday and Sunday: 11am to 3pm Free Celebrate the Salem Arts Festival at PEM with a weekend of special events! On Saturday, June 7, join us for free art making on Essex Street. We’ll be hosting the traveling art studio Creative Wanderings for mosaic making outside PEM’s front door. We’ll also be joined by Artists For Humanity, a Boston-based organization that trains and employs teens in creative fields of work and aims to transform communities through creative expression. Join them to help make a collaborative mural! On Sunday, June 8, PEM will host a special pop-up photobooth inside the museum. Inspired by the opening of&nbsp;Jung Yeondoo: Building Dreams, Artists for Humanity designed an experience to let you step into your dreams. <a href="https://www.salemmainstreets.org/">Salem Main Streets</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.creativecollectivema.com/">&nbsp;Creative Collective</a>&nbsp;organize the Salem Arts Festival with support from Salem State University Center for the Creative and Performing Arts, the Peabody Essex Museum and many more sponsors.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Where

peabodyessexmuseum

Experiences

Drop-in Art Making: Boreal-Inspired Patches at PEM

Plein Air Watercolor Landscape Sketching

PEM PRESENTS: Artists For Humanity

Art is Love: A Talk and Concert at PEM

Opening Celebration: Knowing Nature at PEM

PEM Reads: Nothing More of this Land

Plein Air Watercolor Landscape Sketching

Yoga and Meditation in the Galleries at PEM

Nature Immersion & Dreamscapes in Ropes Mansion Garden

PEM Create Night: Dream Vision Boards

PEM Pride: Rainbow Rager

76 Days Adrift Film Screening and Q&A

PEM Pride: Celebrating Queer Narratives in Film

NEW Exhibition: Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend

Salem Arts Festival at PEM