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08/29/09
30 years and still the same
by sperk at Citysearch
I went here when I was 10 and came back with my kids. They do a mock trial and take you into a dungeon with mannequins dressed in period costumes. The tour had not changed in 30 years. Neither had their explanation of the cause of the witch hysteria. They basically blame it all on Titubah, the Carribean slave of Rev . Parris. Most recent scholarship I think would dispute that theory. Parris was not well liked and needless to say his slave was coming from a position of virtually no power. Second, many of the people murdered lost their land to neighbors. There is also newer information about the possibility that the girls ate a mold that can cause hallucinations. At any rate, the lack of a scientific explanation for their illnesses (or faked illnesses - as the case may be) would suggest that the people in power were grasping at straws for an explanation. A couple of very misleading things. This is not the site of the dungeon. That was dug up and a building placed on the 50's. Also, all the museums in Salem are private and not run by any historical society. Salem has not done a good job of taking official ownership of this history. I would love to see a public historical museum and much less kitsch.
- Pros: dialogue taken from Salem witch trials
- Cons: Haven't changed anything in 30 years
07/14/04
Not horribly cheesy
by srta_jenn_98 at Citysearch
This is a very cool building, and be sure to read the signs along the walls of the performance space. The reenactment of the Salem Witch Trial offered by the actors at the Witch Dungeon Museum is good quality, but is only one scene. The tour of the dungeon gives visitors a good sense of how it was for the prisoners, but it's also very short.
- Pros: Quality acting, Interesting tour
- Cons: , Not a lot to see
