First Church Tours
New for 2025!
Tours are being expanded, to be offered starting in August and running until early November.
This is an important and exciting fundraiser for our church and we greatly appreciate the support of every volunteer and visitor!
Organized in 1629, The First Church in Salem is one of the oldest churches in North America.
We look forward to sharing some of our history with you!
Basic Information
Self-guided tour: 20-30 min.
$10 per ticket
(Under 10 years old by donation)
Tickets and more details on our Ticketing site
Join us for an unforgettable visit to the First Church in Salem, one of two churches involved in our infamous Witch Trials of 1692. Find out the real stories of Rebecca Nurse and Giles Corey, two of our church members who lost their lives in the hysteria, as well as one of our ministers, who uttered some disturbing words at an execution. But, we are not only about the Trials. We have nearly 400 years of history within our walls, and you will learn about why our priceless stained glass windows are a claim to fame, our connection with the famous game "Monopoly", you can sit where Nathaniel Hawthorne sat in our meetinghouse, examine artifacts, and get access to areas of our building that are not normally open to the public. Take a photo with the actual remains of the original church building from 1629; one of Salem's most intriguing artifacts. There is no other tour like this in the city: authentic, accurate, and fascinating (and a little creepy!)
For Tour Guides
Last year, we welcomed about 725 people for tours. With expanded hours this year, we hope to have more than 2,000 visitors!
We will need four to six tour assistants from August through the first weekend in November. Shifts can be two hours to all day - that is up to the volunteer. Assistant needs include two people for the door and two more in the sanctuary to answer questions and greet people inside. This is a self-guided tour, so leading a tour is not necessary. We would also love to have a couple of energetic people on the streetside, inviting people in to take tours. Costumes in October are welcome.We welcome the involvement of community members who enjoy sharing Salem history with others. To sign up for a shift or check the schedule, visit the Sign-up Genius (coming soon).
Additionally, to support marketing efforts, we invite you to share the church’s social media posts about the fundraising effort on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also help by sharing our listings in Destination Salem and Haunted Happenings Magazine!