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Pricing information

Reception
$5,500 starting price
Reception
$5,500 starting price

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Attributes highlighted by couples

Quality catering
Unique aesthetic style
Guests comfort
Amenities

About

On WeddingWire since 2009

The Peabody Essex Museum is a bright and spacious wedding venue located in Salem, Massachusetts. The main focus of this museum is to connect people to one another through art and culture. With worldwide relationships both past and present at play throughout this venue, PEM is an intriguing place to secure a lasting bond with your partner.

Facilities and Capacity

This monumental building features a bright and spacious atrium, art galleries, and tranquil gardens. The expansive Atrium can host up to 270 guests beneath an impressive sky-light ceiling. Boasting a large open floor plan, this abundance of space is ideal for wedding receptions. The East India Marine Hall lends an element of sophistication to any event within it. The room is consistently flooded with light due to its large Renaissance-era Palladian windows. This space offers a selection of venue options from intimate art gallery spaces to dignified ballrooms.

Services Offered

The professional staff at PEM are available to help plan events and assist couples on their special day to ensure that everything runs smoothly. The museum has an exclusive catering company for celebrations hosted at the venue. Their caterers can work with clients to create a personalized menu that suits individual budget requirements. This venue is also available to host engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, and wedding receptions. Setup and cleanup, lighting equipment rentals, and tables and chairs are provided by The Peabody Essex Museum.

History

The Peabody Essex Museum was founded in 1799 with the hopes to broaden its visitors’ knowledge of one another and the world around them. This museum displays some of the earliest art discovered in America, Australia, and the Pacific islands. These exhibitions are arranged to show guests the connection between specific artistic and historical artifacts and their cultural traditions. As one of the nation’s oldest museums, PEM was among the first to gather pieces of work from across the globe and display them.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$5,500

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$5,500

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Chairs
Clean Up
Set Up
Tables

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

1

Describe your venue:

Museum

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Engagement Party
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Clean Up
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Outside Vendors
Wifi

What event items are available?

Chairs
Lighting
Tables

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access
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5.0 out of 5 rating
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
98 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.9 out of 5 rating
97% Recommended by couples
D
Diane G. Sent on 12/20/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Stunning and Unique Venue!

We chose PEM because it was so different from all the other Wedding Venues that we had ever been to. Natalia is an amazing coordinator that helps bring your wedding vision to life. My husband and I, along with our guests, were blown away when we saw the reception room on our wedding day (the lights, flowers, decor, setup, etc!) - there were a lot of WOWS! There are also so many cool spots for wedding photos. Our guests raved about the food ( short ribs and salmon). We are SO HAPPY we chose PEM as our wedding venue.
A
Ariella H. Sent on 11/16/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Picture Perfect PEM

If you are looking for a nontraditional, absolutely stunning wedding venue, please look no further than the PEM. Getting married in an intimate and elegant setting set the tone for our special day. Natalia is the most knowledgeable and easy person to work with. She was always there to answer our questions, hop on a call, or let us tour the venue multiple times. Natalia also has such a calm presence that is so comforting when wedding planning is so stressful. We always felt like everything would be okay after talking to her. The staff and security were also so kind to us and our guests. Everything about this venue was absolutely perfect.
G
Gabbi T. Sent on 12/26/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing Venue!

Natalia was fantastic! As a wedding planner planning her own wedding, my fiance and I were looking for a venue that was unique and spoke to us, but also one that had extensive experience with the intricacies of running a wedding.  Natalia and PEM ticked all of these boxes, along with being such an incredibly beautiful building, and an experience that our guests will never forget. Natalia was with us through the whole process, toured us through the space, gave our parents a second tour, and let us come by as much as we needed to plan out our ideas. She was even there overseeing the set up on our day, and made sure to check in with us! Even as a functioning museum having many rules to protect the art, they always worked with us to be as flexible as possible and offered us solutions as needed. We loved our whole experience, and love that we can come back and visit our wedding venue anytime :) Thank you to the whole PEM team, and especially Natalia! 
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Awards

98
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2013 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2012 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2011 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2010 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

4 Endorsements
Ceremonies & Passages Ceremonies & Passages Wedding Officiants

Lovely arts based venue. Professional staff.

Lisa Love Experience Lisa Love Experience Wedding Bands

What a spectacular venue. From the friendly staff to the great food to the amazing energy and sites in the museum. I must say this has been one of my favorite places to perform at.

The Feds Weddings The Feds Weddings Wedding Photographers

Wonderful location and great staff!

Map

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Peabody Essex Museum frequently asked questions

Peabody Essex Museum includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • Clean Up
  • Set Up
  • Tables
The space offered by Peabody Essex Museum for wedding events is known for:
  • Museum
Peabody Essex Museum offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
Peabody Essex Museum offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Engagement Party
  • Rehearsal Dinner
Peabody Essex Museum offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
  • Outside Vendors
  • Wifi
Peabody Essex Museum offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Chairs
  • Lighting
  • Tables
Peabody Essex Museum is recommended by 100% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 5.0, with the same score awarded for quality of service, flexibility, value, professionalism and average response time.

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