VIDEO: Gordon's Salem Museum Brings Witch City Stories to Life

A museum that will be run by had a preliminary opening Thursday evening at the in Salem.

Residents and history enthusiasts gathered to preview exhibits and hear from those who have been working to bring the past to life at what will be called the Salem Museum.

"This is an exciting day for all of us…What you are seeing is very much a partnership between the city of Salem and Gordon College," said K. David Goss, a Gordon College assistant professor of history and director of the college’s Institute for Public History who serves as the museum project director. "We're very happy we've been given the opportunity to create this special kind of community-based museum."

The effort has been a two-year collaboration between historians and designers to create the museum at Salem's Old Town Hall, a property that is managed by Gordon College.

"It's a culmination of a lot of work," said Gordon College's Dean of Global Education Clifford Hersey. "We want to make it as accessible as is possible for the community to walk through 400 years of history and then go from here to so many other wonderful museums and places around town."

Also speaking at the event were Curator Mary-Ellen Smiley and designers Ken Harris and Debra Glabeau of Great Island Design.

Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll also attended the event.

Harris said the museum is working to develop an online community to provide a forum where people can readily share their Salem stories.

The museum is slated to open officially on June 11.

Check out our video for a sneak peek at the Witch City's newest museum run by Gordon College.