The Salem Witch Museum

http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com

Theme: museum and tourism
Purpose: To provide information about the museum's resources as well as areas around Salem that played a role in the trials.
Author: Salem Witch Museum
Design Elements: A map of Salem has links to maps and places of interest relevant to other areas concerning the trials. The maps, one for instance of Essex County, seem to be simple and clear rather than overly detailed for those who do not know the area well.
Special Features: One particularly interesting link goes to the New England Historic Genealogical Society. At this link, one can type in the last name of an ancestor, and find out his or her role in New England history.
Authenticity: 3
Historical Accuracy: 2
Navigability:4
Scope: This site ranges from geographic links around Salem, providing maps and descriptions of places, to a narrative about the trials linked to a question and answer page concerning the trials. It is well rounded in subject matter, but tends to touch on important aspects of the trials without explaining them enough. This applies mostly to the historical narrative.
Overall Rating:

Abstract: The link to the Museum store does not merely provide information on prices and availability, but it also gives concise descriptions on the content found in books and videos. It provokes the viewer to further explore information about the Salem witch trials. The sites tour link provides a cyber tour of places relevant to the Salem witch trials. Opening with a map of Essex County, it gives links to several historical such as: Danvers, Peabody, Salisbury, and Boston. Information found in the links to these sites is brief and historical rather than sensational. Overall, the site is useful in knowing where to go when visiting Salem and surrounding areas. Its summaries of written sources and videos encourage its viewers to find explore the historical aspect of Salem's history. Perhaps this is the biggest virtue of the site because oftentimes sites related to tourism focus on maximizing entertainment. It seems to be an honest effort at provoking tourist interest while promoting a respect for the past.

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