Salem Halloween 2025: Visitor Center Reopens Despite Government Shutdown

SALEM, MA — A collaboration between the city of Salem and several historic, commercial and community organizations has resulted in the reopening of the Salem Armory Regional Visitor Center amid the ongoing government shutdown.

The information center had been closed for a week following the suspension of government funding.

Mayor Dominick Pangallo told Patch last week that talks were underway to reopen the information and bathroom facilities during the Halloween crunch if the federal shutdown lingered.

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The city and Destination Salem worked with Essex Heritage, the Salem Maritime National Historical Park, and Eastern National to reopen the center, with funding assistance from The Salem Witch Museum, The Salem Wax Museum, the Peabody Essex Museum, Eastern National, Creative Collective and Destination Salem.

The National Park Service Visitor Center will be open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Destination Salem Executive Director Ashley Judge said the Visitor Center will be sustainable until Nov. 2 through the current funding collaboration, or when the federal government shutdown ends.

"We want to recognize the extraordinary collaboration that made this happen," Judge said in announcing the reopening. "Salem steps up time and time again — to protect our businesses, our visitors, and our residents.

"With the Central Wharf and Artists Row bathrooms open as well, there’s no reduction in restroom or visitor information access for our guests this season."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)