On Thursday, December 29, travel with the Council on Aging to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. Depart the COA in our van at 9:00 am. Return by 3:30 pm. Cost: $38. The PEM collection offers outstanding works primarily from the 1700s to today: paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, textiles, architecture and decorative objects. More than a million works of art and culture — many of them the first to be collected in this country — offer experiences unique among American art museums. The 40,000-square-foot expansion features three new floors of dedicated gallery space. The atrium café is available for lunch and many local restaurants are within walking distance. Reservations are required, contact the COA at coa@wayland.ma.us or 508-358-2990.