Have you ever wanted to see inside a Satanic Temple? If you live near Salem, Massachusetts, you’re in luck.
On Sept. 24, the Satanic Temple officially reopened its international headquarters in Salem to the public.
The Satanic Temple says its mission is to “encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense and justice and be directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will.”
The organization (which does not worship Satan) has made headlines for opposing the Westboro Baptist Church, supporting Planned Parenthood and pushing for “equal representation” in religious monuments on public property.
The headquarters have undergone renovations, explained Lex Corey, manager of the Salem Art Gallery, like having the floor reinforced so that it could withstand the weight of the eight-and-a-half-foot tall bronze statue of Baphomet, the goat-headed pagan god. (The statue which weighs one and a half tons.) The Salem spot is now open to the public just in time for Halloween.
What’s inside the Satanic Temple Headquarters?
If you plan to visit, here’s what awaits. Inside the headquarters is the Salem Art Gallery, which features the Baphomet statue, constructed by artist Mark Porter. (The statue was recently in Little Rock, Arkansas where the Satanic Temple had applied to have it stand alongside a Ten Commandments monument on the state capitol grounds.)
Also at the Salem Art Gallery will be a show of artist Rebecca Petrie’s work. The exhibit, called “Moon Magic,” runs from Sept. 24 to Dec. 21 and explores “the sinister veneer of the illumination of the night and colors seen beyond black,” per the Temple.
Aside from that exhibit, guests visiting the Satanic Temple will get to see the Veteran’s memorial monument created by artist Adam Volpe.
“This monument has the distinction of being the first satanic sculpture in American history ever to be approved for display on public property,” the temple said in a statement. “The statue was to be installed in Belle Plaine, MN, but approval was rescinded and that is now the subject of a pending legal battle.”
The art gallery will host events, as well, like the Black Mass ritual, an unbaptism ritual and “The Devil’s Dinner Party, a ritual-based fine dining experience hosted by the Satanic Chef, Adam Dodge.”
When asked about what the Black Mass ritual includes, Corey said that it’s “kind of a mystery.”
“We had one last year and that was an amazing turnout. I was fortunate enough to be in the room when it was going on, and it was an absolutely beautiful performance,” he said. “In general, it’s a perversion of a Catholic high mass, inverted. Certain words are changed and there’s no small degree of blashpemy, of course.”
On the Satanic Temple website, the organization says that it embraces blasphemy “as a legitimate expression of personal independence from counter-productive traditional norms.”
The gallery at the Satanic Temple hosts yoga, ritual candle making classes, lectures and movie nights, as well. See a full list of events here.
While a trip to Salem may not feasable for everyone, Corey noted, he hopes those who do make the trek have a good time at the Salem Art Gallery and Satanic Temple headquarters. People who do visit have loved it, he said, and having a brick and mortar location for the organization that also serves as a cultural space could help people connect with the Satanic Temple.
“It’s a place where people can see beauty,” he said, as well as “things that are little bit more adjacent to our campaigns, as far as lectures and events go.”
Participants pose during a metal yoga class, where metal music is played throughout the class, at the Satanic Temple in Salem, Mass. Photo: Getty Images
Salem Satanic Temple Hours
If you’re ready to see those sights, here’s when the Satanic Temple Headquarters, located at 64 Bridge Street in Salem, will be open to the public:
Sunday to Thursday 1 to 8 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 12 to 8 p.m.
October 26 to 31 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
