About half an hour south of Gloucester, the Salem Witch Museum explores the history and events surrounding the witch trials of 1692. Contemporary court records give chilling details about the accusations, trials and eventual executions. Dioramas and other displays provide additional information about life in 17th-century Salem and the different participants in this strange chapter of colonial American history. The museum also examines the nature of “witch hunts” and public hysteria on a broader scale.