This tremendous floating Naval Museum is truly a glimpse in the past that changed the world!…read moreIt's a very powerful and moving tribute to those in the Service of their County and for all of us need to reflect on their sacrifices to make us live Free! This Quincy BUILT Heavy Cruiser is permanently docked by Fore River Bridge! In 1994 came back home to her birthplace to stay! This Shipbuilding Floating Museum should not be missed!

The Salem is a very unique museum ship as it is the only US heavy cruiser from the WW II era still…read morein existence. There is a light cruiser up in Buffalo NY but that is a different class of ship. These heavy cruisers were really attractive ships back then and Salem was brought into service soon after the war ended. Her class of cruisers had the new rapid fire 8" guns that soon went out of style as we entered into the missile age. They were at the time the peak of naval gun technology. I visited the Salem on Sunday, the day after going to Battleship Cove in Fall River. This ship is only open on Fri, Sat and Sun and I was looking forward to visiting her since I have never been on a cruiser before (obviously). It was a little difficult finding her berth as it is located in an industrial section of Quincy. Parking spaces are few in their small main lot and then they have an overflow area that is also small. I was beginning to understand that with the small parking area and being only open on weekends that Salem doesn't get many visitors. Her berthing space is deplorable next to some old beached barges on one side that are junk. Onboard she is in the same shape as the ships at Battleship Cove. That means a lot of visible rust, very poor signage, no tour markers so you are on your own with their supplied map finding your way around. Going forward on the main deck I found grass growing in many of the screw holes on the teak deck. This ship is in poor shape and not suitable for the general public to tour it in my opinion. I am sure there a well meaning group of volunteers here but the maintenance schedule is so far behind they will never catch up with it. The ship needs a large infusion of money from state and local governments and/or private foundations to pay skilled shipyard workers to bring her back to glory. Considering her location and limited visiting hours unless something is done soon this ship will be lost forever and relegated to the scrap heap like all of her predecessors from WW II. That would mean no surviving heavy cruiser from that era and they would be a shame. I wish them luck but I am not optimistic. I hate writing this review. By the way the only reason I am giving Salem a 3 score and not a 2 like I did at Battleship Cove is because below decks they have several well appointed spaces dedicated to some of the other services and their members with nice exhibits in them. That part is reasonably well done.