We spent 3 days in Salem, and I planned way ahead trying to get as complete picture as possible - witch trials, history, maritime, & pirates. After reading all the reviews of all the pirate-related tours & museums, I chose this one.
It was truly amazing! It is a museum based around a real pirate ship wreck off the coast of New England that has been found and is in the process of being excavated - underwater archeology. About 1/3 of the artifacts and treasure have been recovered from the wreck thus far, and many were on display. It was fascinating to see the artifacts & doubloons themselves, as well as see exhibits and hear about the lives of individual pirates, the culture of pirating, life aboard a pirate ship, and the impact that pirating in New England had on the the growth of Salem, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812.
We took the Directors Tour led by one of the men who was actually part of the excavating team! This was a tour not to be missed! It is factual, interesting, and current as well as historical. It is not a "hokey" experience just designed for tourists. Absolutely put this on your itinerary if you are looking to get a whole historical perspective of Salem, beyond just the witch trials. It is a real museum. I highly recommend the Director's Tour! (It is handicapped accessible.)