Fakes, Forgeries, and Facsimiles
This interactive exhibit will look at the techniques that museum professionals use to authenticate artifacts—provenance research, connoisseurship, UV analysis, and hyperspectral imaging. The exhibit will also explore the complex ethical issues surrounding authentication. Using tools and information hidden throughout the … Read more
As Yet Untitled – in collaboration with Bowdoin College
This fall, Maine Maritime Museum and Bowdoin College’s Africana Studies Department are embarking on a new collaboration that will investigate the complexities inherent in an underrepresented aspect of Maine maritime history: the Atlantic slave trade. The project will culminate in … Read more
The Burden Collection
Dr. Charles Burden (1933-2020) is almost synonymous with Maine Maritime Museum. He set up the first exhibits in 1964, fundraised for the museum’s various iterations and locations, and acquired thousands of items that he in turn donated to the museum … Read more
Arthur Beaumont: Art of the Sea
Arthur Beaumont: Art of the Sea celebrates Beaumont’s long career as the US Navy’s Official Artist. These 53 paintings and drawings of mostly US Navy subjects cover his more than 50-year career. Beaumont received his commission as a lieutenant in … Read more
Percy & Small Shipyard: Celebrating 50 years of Museum Stewardship
2021 marks the 50th anniversary of Maine Maritime Museum’s stewardship in preserving the Percy & Small Shipyard site, and the stories that shaped American shipbuilding. … Read more
Snow Squall: An American Clipper
Renovated in 2021, this permanent exhibit houses the last remaining example of an American clipper ship. Launched in Portland in 1851, Snow Squall –like all clippers — was built for speed with a sharp, narrow hull, and an enormous amount … Read more
Sidney Chase’s Eye
Illustrator, writer, painter, and photographer Sidney Marsh Chase (American, 1877-1957) contributed widely to Maine’s maritime culture.… Read more
Broadside: The Power of Print in the Maritime World
The printed image moved ideas and beliefs faster than a clipper. From sailing cards to shellback certificates, mass-produced images shaped the maritime world.… Read more
Sustaining Maine’s Waters: Understanding the Changing Gulf of Maine
The Gulf of Maine and its watershed are unique. They have played a large role in the state’s development and humans have played a large part in how they have changed.… Read more
A Sailor’s Treasure: Sea Chests & Curiosities
Sea chests provided a secure place for sailors to store their personal belongings—from everyday essentials to exotic curios. This exhibit examines the function and decoration of these chests and allows visitors to take a glimpse of the items that could … Read more
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