Name: Salem as Muse: Lucy Cleveland, Author and Textile Artist
Start: 2026-05-23T10:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-23T12:00:00-04:00
Location: Peabody Essex Museum

Salem as Muse: Lucy Cleveland, Author and Textile Artist

Saturday, May 23, 2026 from 10 am—12 pm
In-person
Location: Morse Auditorium
Included with admission; preregistration encouraged.
Register Here: pem.org/events/salem-as-muse-lucy-cleveland?date=2026-05-23&time=10:00
In 2026, as part of the Salem 400+ initiative, PEM will present "Salem as Muse," a series of talks that highlight works represented in PEM’s collection. These programs will explore a diverse range of subjects that connect to the unique history and character of Salem, Massachusetts.
Curator-at-Large Paula Richter will give a presentation centered on Lucy Cleveland: textile artist, children's book author, 19th-century reformer and abolitionist. Born in Salem in 1780, Cleveland traveled to China and Indonesia with her husband, a sea captain, and published more than a dozen books. One of her artworks is on display in Salem Stories.
Lucy Hiller (Lambert) Cleveland , "There was an old lady who lived in a shoe.." (detail), 1840-1860. Paper, watercolor, linen, leather, silk, cotton, ink, wood. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Morck, 1998. 137846. Peabody Essex Museum. Photo by Lucy Cleveland.