In short, they were a group of humble, hardworking migrants from Eastern Europe who established the village of Salem in the mid-1700s. Today the village has been painstakingly restored into Old Salem Museum & Gardens, one of America’s most immersive and authentic historic sites.

Visitors will find more than 100 historic buildings across the district’s 100 acres, many of which are staffed with costumed interpreters and open to touring. You can watch skilled artisans demonstrate age-old trades, savor the aroma of freshly baked Moravian cookies, and experience the reverence of Moravian traditions that shaped the city's identity. The result is a living history spectacle akin to a mini-Colonial Williamsburg that Travel + Leisure called “America’s Hidden Colonial Gem.” Just minutes away, Historic Bethabara Park tells the story of the Moravians’ first North American settlement, surrounded by picturesque trails and gardens.

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