The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) is one of the oldest continuously operating museums in the United States, located in Salem, Massachusetts. Founded in 1799, it traces its origins to the East India Marine Society, a group of Salem-based captains and supercargoes who collected artifacts and natural specimens from around the world during their voyages. The museum’s collection encompasses more than 1.8 million pieces, including maritime art and history, American art and architecture, Asian export art, Asian art and culture, and Native American art. PEM features Yin Yu Tang, a complete 18th-century Chinese house that was dismantled in China and reconstructed at the museum. In 2003, PEM completed a major $194 million expansion and renovation project, which significantly increased its exhibition space. In 2019, the museum underwent another expansion with a new 40,000-square-foot wing designed by Ennead Architects, bringing its total square footage to 307,000 square feet, making it one of the largest art museums in North America. The institution is notable for its combination of art, architecture, and culture, featuring both historical and contemporary exhibitions. PEM maintains a research library, the Phillips Library, which houses significant archival collections related to maritime history, New England life, and American art.