Salem Public Schools Announces Destination for Salem Days 2025
Read Trust to fund admission, ferry transport to New England Aquarium throughout September
SALEM (Aug. 13, 2025) – The Norman H. Read Trust has announced the New England Aquarium as the destination for 2025 September Salem Days.
Salem Days, which provides free admission and transport for the students of Salem Public Schools and Salem Academy Charter School to some of Boston’s most sought-after and frequented destinations each year, is generously funded through the Norman H. Read Charitable Trust.
SPS and Salem Academy students and families will be provided a limited number of free tickets – on a first-come, first-served basis – to the Aquarium throughout the month of September. In addition, students are provided free round-trip transport via ferry on Saturday, Sept. 6 and Saturday, Sept. 13.
The ferry, which takes roughly 35 minutes, departs Salem at 10:30 a.m. (students and families are strongly advised to arrive 15 minutes early), and departs Boston for Salem at 2:30 p.m. Capacity of the ferry is 145 and admission is determined on a first-come, first served basis.
The Aquarium is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and weekends 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
This offer is valid only for residents of Salem, Mass., during the month of September 2025. Proof of Salem residency (such as a valid driver’s license or photo ID card showing a Salem address) is required at the Aquarium box office.
Salem Days is on point with the District’s Strategic Plan, particularly its core principle of elevating learning. Last year, more than 900 students and families took advantage of Salem Days, the destination for which was the Museum of Science.
The New England Aquarium is located at 1 Central Wharf in Boston. For more information, visit neaq.org/visit or contact publicrelations@salemk12.org.
About the Norman H. Read Charitable Trust
For more than 30 years, the Norman H. Read Charitable Trust’s mission has been to support excellence in science education by expanding innovative programming that nurtures a love of science in students, teachers and Salem residents. The Trust has constructed learning labs and continues to provide student scholarships, fund STEM coaches, sponsor the annual Read Family Science Night, and host a month of free museum access for all Salem residents. In the last five years, the Trust has granted more than $3 million dollars to support science education across district schools.
About Salem Public Schools
Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district in Salem, Massachusetts, a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Our leaders and our teachers are passionate about education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement with equity and social-emotional needs as the lens through which we view our work. We respect and value the racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity of our students and their families, and have a strong commitment to the Salem community. Salem Public Schools staff unconditionally serves each of our 4,000 students across 11 schools regardless of ability or language.
