A key aspect of Maine Maritime Museum’s new mission is to reframe our consideration of maritime to include an emphasis on waterways and their local, regional, and global impact.   By definition, a waterway is simply any “navigable body of water.” While that includes our 3,000 miles of tidal coastline, it also encompasses the staggering number of Maine’s inland water sources. Maine alone has nearly 32,000 miles of river and over 60 0 lakes and ponds, meaning most areas in the state have a direct, often vital, connection to some form of water.

This spring, I shared with subscribers to the Rhumb Line, our biannual print newsletter, that the museum would reenergize around our mission, vision, and values. To that end, over the course of the last few months we have engaged in a collaborative and inclusive conversation, engaging staff, trustees, and volunteers to identify the ways we can better serve our community. I also asked our loyal Rhumb Line readers to share what stories are meaningful or inspiring—how can we better welcome you aboard?

We caught up with Teresa recently to learn more about event rentals at the museum. Teresa recently returned after pursuing other opportunities, and we couldn’t be happier to have her back at the helm! Q: What makes people interested in Maine Maritime Museum as a venue? 

  Pints on the Pier will be held September 9   BATH, Maine – The sixth annual Pints on the Pier, Maine Maritime Museum’s annual beer festival, will be held Saturday, September 9, from 4 to 7:30 pm. Held on the banks of the Kennebec River in the historic Percy & Small Shipyard, Pints on the Pier hosts breweries and cideries from around the state. This year’s lineup includes Bath Ale Works, Bissell Brothers, Black Pug Brewing, Flight Deck Brewing, Footbridge Brewery, Moderation Brewing Company, Olive Pit Brewing, Sasanoa Brewing, Sheepscot Valley Brewing, Trinken Brewing Co, and Urban Farm Fermentory. Tickets include tastings from all of the participating vendors and a commemorative glass (as applicable, while supplies last.)   Indie rock bands Darksoft and Dead Gowns, both of Portland, will provide the soundtrack for the event. Food vendors Maine Oyster Company, Black Salt, The Osprey, and Long Reach Kitchen & Catering will be on site serving everything from oysters to pizza to tempura cauliflower. Lawn games and giveaways will add to the fun. Pints on the Pier is generously sponsored by Data Defined and J.R. Maxwell & Co.   Tickets are $40 and available at MaineMaritimeMuseum.org. Museum members receive a 20% discount and tickets excluding alcohol are also available for $15.   To schedule an interview, a visit, or receive media passes, please contact Amanda Pleau, marketing and communications manager, at pleau@maritimeme.org or (207) 443-1316 x323. For more information, please visit MaineMaritimeMuseum.org.

2023 Albert Reed & Thelma Walker Maritime Symposium  Saturday, October 14, 2023 (Bath, Maine)  MAKING WAVES: Innovative Maritime Scholarship in a Post-Pandemic World    CALL FOR PROPOSALS  Scholars in Maine and around the world navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and its enduring impact to conduct maritime research with creativity and innovation. The 2023 Albert Reed & Thelma Walker Maritime Symposium seeks to foster an exchange of recent maritime research, recognize advancements in sharing inclusive maritime stories, and showcase new and developing access and public engagement practices with maritime collections. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, maritime scholarship with Black, Indigenous, and people of color experiences, gender and women’s studies related to historic and current maritime and shipping industries, local and global impact of Maine’s maritime culture and heritage, and digital scholarship designed to increase public use with maritime collections. The symposium is interdisciplinary and both emerging and established presenters from history, public history, art history, digital history, nautical archaeology, ecology and the sciences, maritime law, and affiliated fields are highly encouraged to apply.    Proposals  Proposals should include a one page CV/resume and an abstract of no more than 500 words. Please include this as one document or PDF file when submitting. Both paper and panel proposals are encouraged. Material should include information on all participants. Email proposals to Samantha Sauer, Director of Curatorial Affairs, at sauer@maritimeme.org by midnight, June 12, 2023 with the subject “2023 Symposium Proposal.” The program committee anticipates notification of status and sharing a draft program by July 7.    Travel Awards  A limited number of travel awards of $500 are available for graduate students, emerging scholars, and the precariously employed. Please note in your proposal if you would like to be considered for funding. Further information about the 2023 symposium will be available online in early summer 2023. Specific inquiries may be directed to Samantha Sauer at sauer@maritimeme.org.    About Maine Maritime Museum Maine Maritime Museum is dedicated to promoting an understanding and appreciation of Maine’s maritime heritage and culture. Founded in 1962 as the Maine Research Society of Bath, the museum’s campus includes over 20 acres along the Kennebec River. Established in 1973, this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the first symposium held at Maine Maritime Museum. The symposium continues to serve as an opportunity to connect, explore, and investigate the evolving field of maritime scholarship. Today the museum interprets and shares its collections with the Nathan R. Lipfert Research Library, educational programming, a boatshop, online resources and permanent and special exhibitions. 

April 23 – 29 marks National Library Week, an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities. Libraries come in all shapes and sizes: small and large, physical and digital, public and academic

Maine Maritime Museum Announces Opening of “SeaChange: Darkness and Light in the Gulf of Maine” Exhibit on February 3 New exhibit looks at the collective human impact on our shared oceans through the works of Maine artists and students in hopes of preserving aquatic ecosystems. BATH, Maine – Today, the Maine Maritime Museum announced the opening of its new year-long exhibit entitled “SeaChange: Darkness and Light in the Gulf of Maine” – on Friday, February 3. In partnership with Gulf of Maine EcoArts, this exhibit blends art with natural science, immersing visitors in the diverse ecosystem of Cashes Ledge, a remote underwater mountain range in the Gulf of Maine. The ledge is recreated through many different mediums including painting, sculpture and video projection.

Bath Savings sponsors free admission weekends in January, February, and March. BATH, Maine – As part of its ongoing commitment to improving accessibility, Maine Maritime Museum is offering free admission to all weekend visitors in January, February, and March of 2023 thanks to the generous and continued support from Bath Savings.

Samantha Sauer named the new director of curatorial affairs at Maine Maritime Museum. BATH, Maine – Maine Maritime Museum has named Samantha Sauer as its new director of curatorial affairs. Sauer is a mission-driven museum and cultural heritage professional with over 15 years of experience with museum, library and archival collections. She started her new position remotely in September but begins her role at the museum in-person on October 17.

STEAMbox Returns for 2022-2023 Come join us for our STEAMbox program, where you will explore maritime topics through hands-on learning in STEM + the Arts. Create, build and problem solve to figure out how large ships are able to float, or how animals survive in the winter. Pulling from our collections and our surrounding environment, you will learn about sailors’ lives from long ago and how some of the smallest organism on our planet can have the biggest impact on our lives. STEAMbox programs are generously funded by First Federal Savings, allowing us to offer these family programs free to the public. All workshops are held on Saturdays from 10:30-12:00pm. All ages are welcome, content level is appropriate for ages 5+. Preregistration is required, and opens one month in advance.   October 22nd: Shipwreck Detectives  Over 1,300 ships have wrecked off the coast of Maine, each with a story of danger, adventure, heroism, and tragedy. Explore our immersive “Shipwrecks and Salvage” exhibit to understand the technologies, risks, and preservation efforts involved in maritime archaeology, then dive into our historic shipyard to search for clues and solve the mystery of the wreck of an actual Maine Vessel. All ages welcome.  November 19th: Maine Fish and Gyotaku Prints  Maine has a long history of fishing from salmon and trout to whales and lobster. The fishing industry has evolved over the years and Maine has evolved with it. Come and learn about the fish that can be found from the Kennebec River to the Gulf of Maine and take part in a traditional printing technique from our sister town of Shariki, Japan. All ages welcome.  December 10th: Log Books and Bookbinding  Calling all future-captains and crew! Prepare for your future journeys by learning the importance of keeping a logbook to record your adventures. Take inspiration as you examine real logbooks from our museum collection and learn some bookmaking techniques to craft your own logbook from scratch. All ages welcome.  January 21st: Winter Estuary Ecology Walk  Frozen marshlands and snowy grounds make winter the best time to study, track and acquaint yourself with the remarkable animals of the Kennebec Estuary. Explore the most active sections of Maine Maritime Museum’s 20+ acre riverfront campus to identify, follow, and understand what animal tracks can tell us about this wildly diverse ecosystem. All ages welcome. This program will be hosted outside on museum grounds. Please wear appropriate winter gear.   February 11th: A Sailor’s Pastime: Scrimshaw/Knot Tying Being a sailor involved living at sea for years at a time. While it was adventurous and exciting, there could also be times of stillness. Whalers might have gone months without seeing a whales or port. So, what would a sailor do with all of that downtime? Come learn about a sailor’s life on the boats that sailed the world. Try your hand at carving scrimshaw or learning to tie knots. All ages welcome.  March 18th: How do Ships Float?! Ever wonder how the 6 mast, 450ft Wyoming boat kept afloat while carrying 6,000 tons of coal? Join us as we learn about and experiment with concepts such as density, buoyancy and displacement. […]

New exhibit looks at Maine’s coast through the lens of Winslow Homer as seen by artist Zach Horn

After an extensive search, Maine Maritime Museum’s search committee voted unanimously to offer Chris Timm the position as the museum’s new executive director.

How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love X-Rays Captain Warren of Maine, an 1855 oil painting by Italian artist Carlo Chelli, is still something of a mystery for the Curatorial team. This portrait went unsold at auction in 2020 and we were able to acquire it at a relatively low cost, especially given the pedigree of the artist. Chelli, more well known as a sculptor, has work on the Spanish Steps in Rome. Portraiture of visiting ship captains was probably a fairly worthwhile side hustle, especially in the busy port of Livorno.

In March of 2021, Mollie Jellison and her father Terry Geaghan found themselves in a pickle. Mollie had recently moved back to Maine with her family to start a restaurant with her father; they had a talented front-of-house team, a kitchen staff, and a vision, but suddenly, no location.

We officially declare May 14 the start of the 2022 summer season! Featuring free admission, discounted cruises, and guided tours, Community Day kicks off with members from each decade of the museum’s 60-year history raising the flags over the Wyoming evocation and a cannon salute at noon.

Welcome to Collections Corner! Back in November, we launched an IMLS grant-funded project to more fully catalog a large portion of our collection. The results will make it easier to find and learn about objects in the museum’s online catalog. Today, we will highlight something interesting that has been recently cataloged. 

In December of 2021, our Discovery Boatbuilding Program celebrated a historic milestone after more than 20 years: we hired a second educator. This new member of the team will not only bring a fresh perspective, but they will also allow Kurt Spiridakis, Director of Watercraft and Traditional Skills, to expand his focus on the museum’s extensive watercraft collection while continuing to oversee the Discovery Boatbuilding Program. Join us in welcoming Luke Small, our new Boatbuilding Educator!

When Ellen Whiting moved to Bath in 2015, the first neighbor she met insisted she visit Maine Maritime Museum. Ellen followed her advice and was impressed by the exhibits and buildings on what she calls “a stunningly beautiful campus.” She knew she would return again, at least at some point. But her neighbor had a vision and she encouraged Ellen to become a volunteer.

We are already dreaming about summer here at Maine Maritime Museum. Education staff is hard at work designing new experiences and bringing back old favorites (field trips!) for our longest-running summer program, Kennebec Explorers Day Camp, for rising 2nd-5th graders.

On Friday, October 11, 1850, insufficient cargo at Baltimore made it difficult for Bath captain John C. Lowell of the Sewall-owned John C. Calhoun to ensure a profitable voyage to New Orleans. His solution? To transport enslaved people for auction.

Did you know that the museum’s Business Partners represent all types of businesses? Attractions. Healthcare. Construction companies. Financial Advisors. Banks. Photographers. If you are looking for any kind of professional service, chances are, the list of our partners is a great place to look!

The museum recently completed a project focused on digitizing our collection of maritime log books with the help of funding courtesy of the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation! The goal of this project was to make a portion of our archival collection accessible online for anyone to research.

It’s officially holiday shopping season! As you make your gifting list this year, be sure to check out our retail Business Partners. You’re probably tired of hearing about supply chain issues and the mail taking longer these days, but it’s true. Shop early, shop small and local, and support the businesses that so generously support Maine Maritime Museum.

Selena McGonnell and Jackie Mazzone recently joined the curatorial staff as part of the two-year Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Museums for America grant-funded “Principal Collections Storage Inventory, Documentation, and Assessment Project.”

We encourage you to check out our Business Partners when you are planning your visit to the museum! Hungry? We have partner restaurants from Portland to Augusta. Planning a party? We can recommend some of the best caterers in the state.Need a place to sleep? Just need to decide if you’d like an oceanfront room or one downtown.

As part of an ongoing effort to increase accessibility for all, Maine Maritime Museum will now offer free admission for all visitors under 18. The museum has also partnered with Museums for All, a program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, to provide free admission to anyone with an EBT (electronic benefit transfer) card.

The Maine Maritime Museum was recently awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) “American Rescue Plan” grant totaling $56,498. The funds will be used to support both new and ongoing educational programs, including school programs that were paused during 2020.

Join us online Friday, October 22, for our first virtual symposium – Unfurl: A Virtual Symposium for Undertold Maritime Voices. Three speakers will investigate and give voice to the undertold maritime stories that advance our socio-political, environmental, and economic understanding of the maritime world, past and present.

Dr. Charles Burden (1933-2020) is almost synonymous with Maine Maritime Museum. One of the founders of the museum, Dr. Burden acquired and donated thousands of items to the collection. The Burden Collection, on view through December 5, showcases a sample of Charlie’s many contributions.

The Maine Maritime Museum is launching a nationwide search for an executive director. The museum formed a search committee of eight individuals, including trustees, staff, volunteers and residents of Bath, and plans to contract with an executive search firm to assist

September 11, bring a blanket or lawn chair and join us in the historic Percy & Small Shipyard for Pints on the Pier!  Sample some of Maine’s best beers, ciders, and kombucha, grab dinner from the on-site food trucks and take in the late summer sunset along the Kennebec River.

We are excited to announce that the museum was recently awarded a “Museums for America” grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The grant, totaling $160,519, will fund the “Principal Collections Storage Inventory, Documentation, and Assessment Project.”

During Mary E’s regular afternoon sail on July 30, the schooner Mary E suffered a knockdown, heeling over on its side, just downriver from the museum off Doubling Point Light on the Kennebec River. All 15 passengers and three crew were safely brought ashore

We’re excited to announce that food service has returned to the museum! Guests can now visit the Even Keel Cafe in the historic shipyard seven days a week from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Changing offerings include hotdogs, sandwiches, hot coffee, cold sodas, and baked goods. Stop by and see Laurel to grab a sandwich to go before you board your cruise!

Planning a family reunion, birthday party, or graduation celebration? Book a private charter on the cruise boat Merrymeeting for an unforgettable evening on the water! With plenty of space for up to 50 guests, the M/V Merrymeeting features an airy main deck, as well as open air upper deck and bow seating. Merrymeeting is equipped with two heads (restrooms) and a bar service area.

The popular Bath Iron Works Story: By Land & Sea tour is back for the 2021 season! This combination trolley tour/cruise includes a tour of the exhibit BIW: Building America’s Navy, a guided trolley ride past Bath Iron Works, and a one-hour narrated boat cruise. This experience offers an inside look at Maine’s iconic shipyard, and an incredible opportunity to view the world’s most high-tech vessels in the water. Seating is extremely limited; book your spot now!

We are so excited to partner with our friends at the Chocolate Church Arts Center for The Shipyard Concert Series! The CCAC will present five live shows (May-June) outside in the museum’s historic Percy & Small Shipyard. Bring your family, bring a blanket, and enjoy live music and the breeze off the Kennebec. Plus, book a ticket to any of these amazing shows and you’ll have the opportunity to add on admission to the museum (valid after 2 pm) for just $5!

Looking for fun family activities during April Break? Visit the museum! Explore your artistic side and get inspired by the historic surroundings by joining us for Plein Air Painting (April 20) or Charcoal Drawing (April 23) in the historic Percy & Small Shipyard! These casual workshops are included with museum admission and available while supplies last.

As a special thank you for supporting Maine Maritime Museum, we are offering all Members a FREE Shipyard & Lighthouses cruise in May 2021! One offer is valid per household, and the discount applies to those covered by the membership (Individual level, 1 person; Family level 2 adults/2 kids; and Sustaining level, 4 adults/2 kids).

Congratulations to Nola Vallade, a Morse High School 10th grader, who was awarded the third annual Nathan R. Lipfert Maritime History Award for her excellent essay, “Indigenous Fishing in Maritime Maine.” The Nathan R. Lipfert Maritime History Prize was created in honor of the museum’s Curator Emeritus Nathan R. Lipfert whose passion for maritime history served as a steward

The Skip and Gerry Orem Kennebec Riverwalk, an elevated boardwalk constructed on the museum’s south campus is now open. Skip, a devoted museum volunteer and trustee, and his wife Gerry had a vision of creating a unique opportunity for people to enjoy views of the Kennebec and discover the river’s history and significance.

Looking for something to do this summer? Maine Maritime Museum is searching for new volunteers to serve fun and exciting roles for the 2021 season. With outdoor, indoor, and independent opportunities available, the museum has offerings to suit everyone’s interests.

On February 20, we are kicking off a new in-person program series designed for parents and kids: STEAMbox Family Workshops! The winter/spring programs integrate STEM and creative arts skills into cohesive and hands-on learning experiences.

On December 18, fifteen middle-school students became the first class to complete Maine Maritime Museum’s innovative Alternative Expeditionary Learning Semester (AELS). The program, which launched in September, was created to provide a full-time, in-person school option for families in the community.

Sunday, December 13, join us to light up the holiday season! The Museum Store will be open late with unique gifts for everyone on your list – spend $50 and get a $10 coupon! The lobster trap tree is all set up, we have a new outdoor lighting display, with a nautical twist, of course, AND, from 4-5:30, bring the family for a drive-by “hi” with Santa!

‘Tis the season… to win an awesome array of gift cards! This raffle prize includes 28 gift cards to some of the museum’s Business Partners. Restaurants, retail stores, even heating oil – it’s all included in this incredible prize totaling $2,600.  That’s right, one lucky winner will take home all the gift cards!

2020 has certainly been a challenging year for all of us, and we want to celebrate the friends and neighbors who pulled together to keep Maine sailing through the storm. This October, Maine residents will receive 20% off all cruises*, including the Autumn Lights Cruise, which offers an up-close look at six of Maine’s iconic lighthouses.

We are so excited to welcome 15 middle-school students to the museum’s Alternative Expeditionary Learning Semester. Students in this special program will discover Maine’s maritime heritage through the museum’s vast collection and archives, exhibits, and working shipyard.

Love the museum? September is a great month to become a member! Members joining in September 2020 can book a Shipyards & Lighthouses cruise in October for 50% off.* PLUS, as a member, you’ll be able to enjoy the museum all year long.

This summer we’ve got some fun new ways to get out on the water! Friday evenings, Cruise Into the Weekend on a happy hour cruise leaving from the city dock at Waterfront Park in Bath! Kick back and enjoy the a complimentary beer, wine, or soda, as you cruise along the Kennebec.

Dockside tours of the 1906 schooner Mary E and guided tours of the Percy & Small Shipyard are now running daily! Every day from 12:30 to 2 pm, step aboard the historic Mary E and learn about her storied past from an on-board docent. And, get the inside story of the Percy & Small Shipyard on a guided tour

Hey families, your Fridays just got more fun! Fridays this summer from 10 am to 12 pm, join us for Port Pals, for a family-friendly tour of the world’s famous sea ports. Every Friday from July 10-August 14 we will feature a different port that Maine sailors visited on their journeys.

To the Maine Maritime Museum Community: We have watched the nationwide and worldwide protests against racism and other inequities of the past few weeks with anger, anguish, and empathy. The ensuing national debates have challenged us to consider how an institution such as ours can contribute

Great news: the museum is reopening to guests on Tuesday, June 2, 2020! Your visit may look a little different than a typical museum visit, but we have been hard at work planning some fun new ways to explore our 20-acre campus! Get all the details here. We can’t wait to see you!

Now for our next installment of Crafting Marine Creatures from Toilet Paper Rolls: check out this adorable seal! Get the instructions here, and share your seals with us on Facebook!

Maine Maritime Museum has awarded the second annual Nathan R. Lipfert Maritime History Prize to Morse High School junior Oscar Hennin. Hennin was awarded the $500 prize for his outstanding essay, “The Past and Present Use of Dams in Maine.”

How fun is this? Maine Maritime Museum has teamed up with one of our awesome Business Partners, Maine Street Design Co., to release a beautiful Sea Bags tote

Time to make lobster rolls! How cute is this craft?! Try it at home and show us your results on Facebook! Print out the instructions here: Toilet Paper Roll Lobster craft

As we enter week six, seven…eight?…of quarantine, we are all probably suffering from some form of cabin fever. I’m sure you have dusted that same bookcase three times already this week. You are starting to dream about where you will go when we’re all free to travel again.

Welcome back to Quaran-things, a blog that connects you to the museum collection in this age of quarantining. Today’s topic: boredom. A distinct side-effect of being in quarantine is that the days begin to blend together.

Explore the art in our collection! Take a closer look at some of the museum’s paintings and share what you find! Download or print this resource

Great news, Museum Friends! In accordance with the recently announced reopening plan, we are excited to welcome campers to Kennebec Explorers Day Camp this summer!

Welcome to Quaran-Things, an up-close look at objects from the museum collection that – in this age of social distancing and work-from-home – we may have a new-found appreciation. Such as your home coffee maker.

Until we can open the museum doors again to welcome you back, the museum staff is busy developing new ways to bring our world-class collections and awesome educational programming to you!

Join Collections Manager Kelly Page for a look at some of the interesting objects in our collection from the natural world! See more videos in the Exploring the Collection series here.

Let’s have some fun with our beloved figurehead Clarissa Ann! If you’ve visited the museum you’ve likely encountered this face in the galleries.

Support the museum and help combat boredom: shop the museum store online!

Have you explored the museum’s collections on Google Arts & Culture yet? Check out this fun I Spy game here, and see what you can discover!  

Collections Manager Kelly Page shares some of the interesting objects in the museum’s collections related to medicine at sea!

Now more than ever, please join us in supporting the awesome Business Partners that help support the museum!

Can you read a painting? Every painting tells a story, and artists add details that act as clues to reveal hidden messages. Give it a try! Open (or print) our Ship Portrait Scavenger Hunt (here), then find the painting Report Me All Well by artist Charles Robert Patterson on Google Arts and Culture (here). Look closely (REALLY closely) to find all of the clues hidden in this painting!

Dear Maine Maritime Museum Friends, We are all doing our part to help reduce the spread of coronavirus and I want to share the museum’s plans: Effective immediately, we are suspending public access to the Museum through April 30, 2020. All events scheduled within this timeframe have been postponed and will be rescheduled; our website will be updated as information becomes available.

After careful consideration, we have decided to postpone and reschedule Maine Maritime Museum’s Albert Reed and Thelma Walker Maritime Symposium, originally scheduled for April 4. This is in response to the COVID-19 situation and specifically two challenges: Many of our attendees and speakers are traveling nationally or internationally. In recent days, multiple state and private agencies have advised against non-essential travel, which forces our attendees and speakers to make a difficult decision. Governor Janet Mills has recommended the cancellation or postponement of all non-essential indoor gatherings of 250 or more people for the next 30 days. Out of an abundance of caution, we will be following this recommendation.

Maine Maritime Museum is closely monitoring and implementing recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) regarding coronavirus (COVID-19). The museum will continue to remain open unless we are instructed otherwise. The museum’s maintenance staff has initiated precautions, including increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting all areas of the campus– both public space and offices—in an effort to maintain a safe and sanitary space for our guests. We encourage our staff and guests to follow the precautions outlined by the CDC and World Health Organization

We are excited to announce that the museum has joined The North American Reciprocal Museum Association, a network of more than 1,000 cultural institutions across Bermuda, Canada, El Salvador, Mexico and the United States. Join Maine Maritime Museum as a member at the Sustaining level ($150) or above, and you will receive member benefits (free or discounted admission) at all of the other NARM institutions! Become a member today: https://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/join-renew-membership/ Learn more about the NARM Association here: https://narmassociation.org/

Maine Maritime Museum houses a significant collection of more than 20,000 objects and millions of rare documents related to Maine’s maritime heritage and its direct global impact, from prehistory to the present. In addition to making its collection accessible through exhibitions and publications, the museum furthers its commitment to academic research by supporting emerging scholars through

Join us at the museum during February School Break Week (2/17-2/21) for a different family-friendly program each day from 10 am to 12 pm! Plus, thanks to a grant from the Leonard C. and Mildred F. Ferguson Foundation, admission is FREE! Here’s a look at our February Break programs: Monday, 2/17 Woodcarving & Scavenger Hunts: Learn the art of woodcarving

Thanks to a grant from the Leonard C. and Mildred F. Ferguson Foundation, Maine Maritime Museum is extending its free admission offer through February 29, 2020. A grant from the Davenport Trust Fund funded free admission for the month of January.  By late January, over 2,000 visitors had the opportunity to explore the museum free of charge.

In honor of Maine’s bicentennial, Maine Maritime Museum is excited to offer free admission for the month of January 2020. Thanks to a grant from the Davenport Trust Fund, admission fees will be waived through January 31, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the museum free of charge, including the new exhibit

On September 30, 2019, the 1906 schooner Mary E, Maine Maritime Museum’s flagship and the oldest Maine-built fishing schooner still sailing, was entered in the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.This recognition confirms the museum’s commitment to preserving the iconic vessel.

The holidays are just around the corner, and shopping in the museum store is an awesome way to check everyone off your list AND support MMM! There are a number of special events coming up at the store, so mark your calendars! November 9-13 Annual Book Sale: TONS of vintage and unique books, plus discounted merchandise, and more   December 1 Museum Store Sunday: we’ll be offering 10% off your purchase

As boating season comes to an end, consider this: does your boat still inspire joy in you? If not, perhaps it’s time to consider the wise (and increasingly popular) words of Marie Kondo “Keep only those things which speak to your heart.” Through our Boat Donation program, Maine Maritime Museum can help you find a home for your boat where it does spark joy for its new owner—not to mention the great benefits for you,

For sale: a beautiful Yankee Tender skiff built in the museum’s Boatshop! The boat is 12’3″ in length and is constructed from Maine cedar planking on oak frames. The Boatshop is offering the skiff at a reduced price of $1,200, and all proceeds support the museum’s programming, including the Discovery Boatbuilding youth program. For details, contact Kurt Spiridakis at (207) 443-1316 x334 or boatshop@maritimeme.org.

In partnership with Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Maine Maritime Museum will be presenting a special live feed broadcast hosted by NOAA research teams direct from the wreck of the steamship Portland. Choose between two engaging programs

Looking for a way to enjoy the fall foliage and river lighthouses this season? Hop on the Merrymeeting for a ride along the Kennebec! Aside from our hour long daily cruises, the museum is offering some specialty fall-themed options until the end of October. A returning fall favorite,

Say goodbye to summer in style with the annual Pints on the Pier brew fest on September 21, 4-7:30pm. Say hello to fall by sampling beer and cider from eleven local brewers as the sun sets on the bank of the Kennebec River! All these brewers bring interesting stories and flavors to the table. Tickets to this

There is still time to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win this beautiful boat! Originally built in Washington County in 1960 and restored by the Maine Maritime Museum Boatshop, this Whitehall pulling boat has an easily driven hull shape and is made of cedar on oak and bronze fasteners. Tickets are $5 each or five for $20 and proceeds

109 years ago today, Lieutenant John A. Lord, superintending constructor at Bath Iron Works, enjoyed a foggy morning commute to work.  Lord and his family were spending the summer in a “farmhouse cottage” in Westport, and Lord was commuting by water in his boat, the Tarpon. 

We’ve worked with the Maine Knife Company to create a one-of-a-kind special edition knife called The Mariner. This beautiful 8.25″ knife has a scrimshaw bone handle that honors Maine Maritime Museum’s flagship, the 1906 schooner Mary E and was handcrafted right here in Maine. It comes complete with everything you need to

We are excited to announce that the construction on our north (main) parking lot is nearly completed! The crews have now begun working on the south campus lot to improve our overflow parking areas. This is a huge step forward in the process of this very important multi-million dollar project that we are

Join us in celebrating Mary E’s birthday with a night you will never forget! Tickets include games, prizes, dinner, and dancing in the museum’s historic shipyard and will not be available after July 1st, so make sure you order them now!

June 21-23, be a part of the incredible action at Schoonerfest, Portland’s spring regatta for traditional sail. Sail aboard the museum’s 1906 schooner Mary E as we race (sort of) against the rest of the Maine’s schooner fleet. Or, kick back and relax on an evening sunset sail. Tickets are very limited, book early!

Hanover, a ship constructed by the Houghton Brothers in 1838, struck a sand bar in the mouth of the Kennebec River in 1849. The questionable decision of Captain Rogers to enter the river under stormy conditions led to the vessel’s demise – it broke apart in less

The summer season is here, which means the start of Seabase Delta: Aquanauts Academy, our new hands-on, family-friendly program offered Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 pm (June 4-August 22). Ever wondered what it is like to explore the ocean floor hundreds of feet below the surface?

We’re excited to announce a new sailing opportunity on the Mary E! Starting in June, guests can climb aboard the historic schooner for a sail down the Kennebec River. You’ll have a chance to help the crew set and trim the sails or just enjoy the scenery as you float past Bath Iron Works and two river lighthouses. Click here for more details!

On May 16, Maine Maritime Museum presented the inaugural Nathan R. Lipfert Maritime History Prize to Morse High School sophomore Liam Scanlon. Scanlon was awarded the $500 prize for his outstanding essay “The Recent Growth of Surfing on the Maine Coast.” The Nathan R. Lipfert Maritime History

118 years ago, Portland was a hub for importing and distributing sulphur and brimstone to paper mills, match factories, glue makers, and other manufacturers around New England.  Business was good, and the Union Sulphur Company, which shipped sulphur to Portland from its mines in Louisiana, was anxious to

The lands and people of Maine were hundreds of miles from the cannon blasts and military marches of the American Civil War that tore both earth and families apart between 1861 and 1865. But distance did not dull the pain of losing a family member or the elation of a hard-fought victory. Maine contributed more troops per capita

Starting June 5 we are excited to offer sailing trips aboard the 1906 schooner Mary E! The 2.5-hour Mary E Kennebec River Sail and Lighthouse Adventure will be offered Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 4 pm (June 5-September 28). You’ll sail past the site where Mary E was built and launched in 1906, get an up-close look at the river’s iconic lighthouses, and maybe even help the crew set and trim sails!

In its ongoing effort to be one of the best maritime experiences in the world, Maine Maritime Museum will break ground on a transformative 5-acre renovation this week. The “First Impressions” project encompasses a complete redevelopment of the front entrance and south side of the museum’s campus

The museum was recently named as one of ” New England’s 10 Unmissable Historical Sites” by Fodor’s Travel! We are honored to be included with the other outstanding organizations selected. Other recent accolades include being named the best museum in Maine by USA Today in 2018.  

111 years ago this week at Bath Iron Works, Edward O. Cutler was calculating how much it would cost to install an automated potato peeler in the scout cruiser USS Chester.  Calculating materials, labor, and company profit, he estimated $186.06 for the project.

Registration is now open for our super-fun summer day camp! Campers enjoy nature exploration, beach trips, crafts, cruises, and more! There are seven sessions of our five-day camp available. Learn more here!  

February is the month when the price of a dozen roses triples and boxes of chocolates begin to line store shelves. Chocolate has been the candy of choice for generations of valentines. But why? The answer lies in a nebulous web surrounding the perception of luxury items, innovative marketing, and the power of cultural trends.

Authentic is a complicated word. How do you determine if something is authentic? Who has the authority to declare something authentic? What does authentic mean? The exact origins of the word can be traced to multiple languages. The Greek authentikos means “original.” Or to break it down

This week in 1898, the Bath ship Benjamin F Packard was enjoying a relatively calm mid-summer passage around Cape Horn.  Captain Zaccheus Allen’s son, Thomas, listed some of the highlights in his journal: “Jan. 7.  Wind from the Northward & Westward.  There was a large school of whale came quite

Maine Maritime Museum is joining other museums and cultural institutions across the country in offering FREE admission to federal employees and their immediate families during the government shutdown.

This is Maria Murphy’s description of Christmas at sea on the Bath-built ship Shenandoah in 1896. Her husband, Jim, was the captain. Their 19-year-old daughter, Jane, and 17-year-old son, Wilder, were also aboard; Wilder, who had grown up at sea, was working as third mate.

This holiday season, the museum is excited to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick to provide museum experiences to children in local communities. Your gift of only $10 will sponsor one child and their “Big” to spend the day at the museum any time over the next year.

Above, The Mary E’s tender, a Washington county peapod that received its first plank on Tuesday in the museum’s Boatshop. The two topmasts, which now have 16 sides and are approaching a round spar. The topmasts will be installed for the 2019 season. The aluminum frame custom-created by Hallett Sails

The newly restored schooner Mary E had a busy and successful first summer at MMM, welcoming thousands of visitors on board at our docks, visiting Boothbay and Portland, and even competing in her first race (she won second place)!

Would you like to win this beautiful painting? Purchase a raffle ticket and you may! Putting Mary E on Stands by artist Robert Beck commemorates the restoration of the Bath-built 1906 schooner at Maine Maritime Museum during the summer of 2017. (Original, 12″ x 16″, oil on panel.) You may remember Beck’s work from our 2016 exhibit Over East, an Artist’s Journal: Paintings by Robert Beck of the Contemporary Maritime Community.

Mary E was launched at Derecktor Robinhood Marina this morning! After swelling in the water for a week or so she will motor to the museum so that work can be completed.

Shipwright Andros Kypragoras checks out the new engine. Work on Mary E is ramping up as we gear up to celebrate her recommiosioning in June! Last week her engine, a 6B 210HP Cummins diesel generously donated by Cummins Northeast in Portland, was installed. Mary E‘s deck is now complete, and tjhe shipwrights have started constructing deck structures.

Shipwright Nick Totaro fastens a deck plank on Mary E. The pine planking comes from a stand of trees planted in Vermont in 1904. Mary E is moving along quickly, and soon the shipwrights will begin building the deck structures! 

To create a slightly more comfortable work environment for our shipwrights, the Highland Green Preservation Pavilion has been shrink-wrapped for the winter. Unfortunately this means that the restoration will not be accessible to visitors during the winter months. We look forward to opening the pavilion to guests again when the weather warms up this spring.

Shipwrights assess the first section of beam shelf, just bent and clamped into place. Each side will be made of three pieces scarphed together.  The beam shelf is 4” thick white oak, steamed for 4 hours so it can make the bend.

Shipwrights fair the insides of the frames in preparation for setting the beam shelf. The beam shelf is a longitudinal beam that supports the deck beams. Because of the length of Mary E, the beam shelf will be made of three pieces on each side of the hull.

Shipwright Aaron spiles the shutter plank on Mary E‘s starboard side. The shutter plank is a plank that fits between two other planks that are already fastened to the vessel. Planking often goes on from the bottom up and the top down simultaneously, so there is always at least one shutter plank per side. The shutter plank requires different techniques to clamp it to the vessel because the framing above and below it is less accessible due to the other planks bring there.

Boatshop volunteers mill a Mary E hull plank to thickness. Some planks came from white oak trees felled at Butler Head Preserve in North Bath.

The Boatshop has an abundance of restored boats to sell to make space in the shop! All available boats are listed below. For details, contact Kurt Spiridakis at 443-1316 x334 or boatshop@maritimeme.org. 1955 Galbraith Runabout with custom trailer (pictured above): $11,500 17′ lapstrake runabout Cedar planks on oak frames Varnished mahogany trim throughout All new plumbing & electrical 106hp 6 cylinder greymarine gas inboard engine New battery, new bilge pump, new gauges 15′ Whitehall-style pulling boat: $3,000 Maine-built circa 1980s Beam: 56” Maine cedar planking on oak frames Includes trailer

Mary E shipwrights cut a frame futtock using the museum’s ship saw. The saw was last used in the 1980s during the Apprenticeshop era, and was meticulously restored by museum volunteers over the winter of 2017. Circa early 20th century, the saw was manufactured by the L Power company of Philadelphia. A ship saw differs from a traditional working bandsaw in that when cutting bevels on a piece of wood, the entire upper arbor tilts to the desired bevel, and the table stays flat. This allows large and heavy timbers to go through the saw on a flat surface.

Great Island Boatyard and Kennebec Marine Services remove Mary E‘s engine with a knuckle boom crane. The GM engine will be replaced with a new factory reconditioned engine, generously donated by Cummins sales and services of Portland, Maine.

Five planks are fastened to Mary E‘s port side.  Also visible is the bottom transom plank, fastened in place with galvanized wood screws.  Where the hull planking meets the transom planking is a tricky miter joint, compounded by the necessary caulking bevel, which is barely visible.

The shipwrights began planking Mary E below the waterline at the stern.  Many of these planks need to be steamed to allow the 1 3/4″ thick white oak planks to bend into position.  The planks are fastened with galvanized spike nails and carriage bolts. At right, head shipwright Andros Kypragoras checks a bevel while making a new plank for Mary E.  Each plank must have a caulking bevel to accept oakum which will tighten the joint, and a plank bevel to mate tightly to the previous plank.

Shipwright Aaron Freeman fairs the stern framing in preparation for planking the hull.  Planking is set to start next week!

Shipwright Tim Clark fits the starboard knight heads on Mary E.

15-foot deck beams have been cut, planed, sanded, and oiled, and are awaiting installation sometime this fall.

Another beautiful Maine summer has flown by, but don’t worry… we have tons of exciting programs and events planned for the fall season! Starting in September, a few of our favorite seasonal tours are back: Bath Cemetery Tours and Lighhouse Legends and Lore Cruises. For both of these special programs we team up with Red Cloak Haunted History Tours to put a fun and festive spin on Maine’s maritime history. Tickets go fast, so book yours early!

Master Shipwright Andros Kypragoras lays out a new deck beam for Mary E.

The deck beams and bulkheads are completely removed, and the new sawn frames are braced off temporarily to keep the hull symmetrical. Shipwrights are now working to frame the stern of the vessel, which requires stock with lots of sweep to it.

The 2017 Mariners Award ceremony, honoring the Maine Boatbuilding Community, is completely sold out, but even if you won’t be there, you can still support the museum by participating in the online auction, the proceeds from which help support our traditional skills and boating related programs. There are some awesome auction items available, including a sail on the Schooner Alert, private class in the Boatshop, passes to the 2018 Masters Golf Tournament, and more!

The frame is almost complete for Mary E’s new transom.

Progress continues on the restoration of the Mary E! If you haven’t visited the museum yet this year, come get a bird’s eye view of the shipwrights at work from our observation platform!

Great news! These long, summer days give you even more time to explore the museum! Starting July 3, the museum will be open until 7:30 pm Monday-Thursday. That’s an extra 2.5 hours to tour the historic shipyard, check out the restoration of the historic schooner Mary E, or experience the incredible new exhibit Into the Lantern. Just one more reason this is the BIGGEST summer ever at MMM… don’t miss it!

Over the decades Mary E’s stern has dropped significantly, and for the first time in forever, she is getting a transom-lift.  The shipwrights raised the bottom of her transom upwards of 12″ and will be building a new transom and reframing about 15′ aft.

Initial plans included replacing the deck, the bulwarks, and some topside planks.  Upon further review it was revealed that many deckbeams are rotted and must be replaced.  In addition, the transom is sagging and needs to be lifted up and out of the water.  This may require reframing the transom and the aft 15′ of the vessel.

Summer is just around the corner, and we are so excited for the 2017 season! Visit the museum this summer to see all of our incredible new offerings, from the restoration of the historic schooner Mary E to our all new immersive lighthouse exhibit Into the Lantern: A Lighthouse Experience! Plus, this year we introduced a new tour By Land and By Sea: The Bath Iron Works Story, which combines the BIW Story Trolley Tour and the Shipyards & Lighthouses Cruise for the ultimate BIW experience. And of course, our lighthouse and naure cruises are running every day of the week. There’s truly something for everyone at MMM!

On May 9, Mary E was trucked from Robinhood Marina to the Preservation Pavillion, where she’ll spend the next six months being rehabilitated by shipwright Andros Kypragoras and his team. Visit the museum for an up-close look at the restoration process!

Progress is being made on the Mary E Preservation Pavilion (generously sponsored by Highland Green)! Just in time, because tomorrow morning, Mary E will be hauled out in Georgetown, trucked to the museum, and unloaded at her home for the summer. Starting next week (May 15) shipwright Andros Kypragoras and his crew will be on-site working on the restoration of Mary E, which you can see all summer long in the shipyard!If you’re in Bath tomorrow morning around 10 am, you may see Mary E cruising up Washington Street!

Thanks to everyone who joined us to welcome Mary E home! Here’s some aerial footage from yesterday’s trip!

While Mary E rests patiently in Portland,  work continues on the Highland Green preservation pavilion.   The trusses arrived this morning, all 41 of them.  Next week we install the headers and braces, and the trusses soon after.   We also will be down-rigging Mary E.  Check back for exciting drone footage of these events, and don’t miss Mary E’s arrival this Sunday at 10am!

We are now hiring for the 2017 summer season! There are lots of positions available, from boat crew to camp counselors, to guest services associates. Join the MMM team and spend your summer at the museum! Find details on all of our available positions here.

Temperatures dropped overnight and we set off with a cool breeze and cloudy skies.  We passed the Isles of Shoals and knew we were getting close to Maine.  Seas were consistent and a crew member fell ill.  I received a lesson on Mary E’s plumbing, and we were able to test the emergency bilge pump.  We pulled in to Dimillo’s around 6:30pm, where we were greeted by two smiling employees who gave us access to showers, laundry, and wifi.  By far the friendliest port of the trip.   Plans were made to clean the vessel and prepare for her journey to Bath, which will begin Saturday morning at 10am.

After rough seas the day before, Monday was fairly mellow. Breakfast was Easter eggs dyed the night before.  We hit the Cape Cod Canal on the flood tide, and the gps  was reading 11 knots.  Residents waved as we passed, and we only encountered one tugboat along the entire canal.  The waters of Cape Cod bay were also fairly calm, and we pulled in to Gloucester just as the sun was setting.  The Captain and crew went to explore the town, and I prepared the meal.  The temperature was dropping, so we turned in early, hoping to leave by 0600 the next morning.

Today contained many weather elements: fog, sun, rain, wind, waves.  The Captain’s log sums it up: Winds 20-25 knots, gusting to 30. Seas 5-7ft. Rough passage. The picture shows what 5-7 foot seas does to Mary E.  A warm breeze in the evening helped dry out our bedding. The plan for tomorrow is to enter the Cape Cod Canal around 11am.   Weather permitting, we will stay the night in Gloucester.

Mary E officially began her journey home to the City of Ships this morning. Day 1 is complete: we are safe and sound in New London, Connecticut.  We set off at sunrise and motored throughout the morning.  By the afternoon we had a great 10-15 knot wind and were holding steady at 7.7 knots.  The rain didn’t start until we passed by the lights of Electric Boat in the early evening, and by 7:30pm Mary E’s dock lines were made fast and she was ready to relax after a long day of work.  Tomorrow the goal is to reach New Bedford, and the forecast looks promising.

As Mary E inches closer to arrival at MMM on April 23, we are continuing work on the Highland Green Preservation Pavilion.  This structure will house Mary E while she undergoes a rehabilitation this summer.  Posts are in, and the headers are fabricated and ready for installation. Trusses arrive next week.  Not a bad place to work on these balmy spring days!

We are building a structure to keep Mary E (and the crew) protected from the elements during her restoration this summer. We’ve officially begun construction of the preservation pavilion and dug some holes in the ground.  Which promptly filled with water.  Next steps are setting concrete pads and putting up the posts. Stay tuned!

Love the museum? Volunteer! Posted Wednesday, March 1, 2017 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum Did you know Maine Maritime Museum has a corps of over 250 volunteers who perform a wide range of jobs from greeting visitors, to maintaining the shipyard, to installing exhibits, to demonstrating how wooden sailing vessels were launched? To learn more about our awesome group of volunteers, join us at one of our recruitment parties! Tour Guide and Greeter Recruitment, Wednesday, April 5, 4-6 pm General Recruitment, Thursday, April 13, 4-6 pm. Contact Sarah Timm, Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator, at 443-1316 x350 or timm@maritimeme.org to learn more.

Posted Thursday, March 9, 2017 by Katie MeyersinMary E This spring, the historic schooner Mary E, believed to be the oldest Bath-built wooden schooner still afloat, is coming home to Maine Maritime Museum. Built in Bath in 1906 by shipbuilder Thomas E. Hagan, and restored in Bath in 1965 by William R. Donnell II (on the grounds of what is now Maine Maritime Museum), Mary E is a two-masted clipper schooner with a sparred length of 73 feet. This is the last of 69 vessels built by Hagan and representative of the type of vessel that would have been seen all over the coast of Maine in the 1900s. She is now the oldest wooden fishing schooner built in the state of Maine that is still sailing. Mary E will be arrive at the museum in spring 2017, and she will be restored on the museum’s campus this summer, giving visitors the opportunity to witness historic shipbuilding techniques first hand. Following completion of the work, Mary E will be docked at the museum, serving as a historic vessel accessible to everyone. Mary E will also serve as the ambassador of Maine Maritime Museum and the City of Ships, traveling to events up and down the coast.

Big news at the museum! Our board of trustees has approved the acquisition of the historic vessel Mary E, believed to be the oldest Bath-built wooden vessel still afloat. She is also the oldest fishing schooner built in the state of Maine that is still sailing. Built in Bath in 1906 by shipbuilder Thomas E. Hagan (in a Houghton shipyard where BIW is today), and restored in Bath in 1965 by William R. Donnell II (on the grounds of what is now Maine Maritime Museum), Mary E is a two-masted clipper schooner with a sparred length of 73 feet. Mary E will be delivered to the museum in spring of 2017, and the restoration work started by her current owner, Matt Culen of Pelham, N.Y., will be completed on the museum’s campus, giving the public the opportunity to witness historic shipbuilding techniques first hand. Following completion of the work, Mary E will be docked at the museum, serving as a historic vessel accessible to everyone. Mary E will also serve as the ambassador of Maine Maritime Museum and the City of Ships, traveling to events up and down the coast. Learn more!

Posted Monday, December 12, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum On December 12, 2016, the museum broke ground on construction of a new 600-square-foot gallery space that will house an immersive lighthouse exhibit, Into the Lantern: A Lighthouse Experience. Opening in summer 2017, the exhibit will house the second-order Fresnel lens that that once guided ships into Portland, Maine, from the east Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse tower (formerly known as Two Lights). The lens in the exhibit is the original ca. 1874 Fresnel lens that was in the east lantern until 1991. Into the Lantern: A Lighthouse Experience will be the first exhibit of its kind to include a 180-degree media projection system with time-lapse videography of the active panorama of the Gulf of Maine, simulating the experience of standing in the lantern (the room at the top of a lighthouse tower where the lens is located) by showcasing changing views of Casco Bay as seen from the tower. Into the Lantern is anticipated to open in June 2017. Caption: Preparing to break ground on construction of the new gallery are Patty Grennon, Cape Elizabeth Town Council; Steve Caulfield, chairman of the museum’s board of trustees; Chris Hall, the museum’s curator of exhibits; and Jamie Garvin, Cape Elizabeth Town Council.

Posted Monday, December 5, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum Thursdays in December (December 8, 15, and 22) we will be keeping the doors to the museum open late for Magical Evenings with Santa! From 5 to 7:30 pm, visit the museum for only $5 adults/ $3 ages 6-12. Visit with Santa, explore Captain Christmas’ Magical Boatshop, and enjoy an extra 10% off in the museum store (that’s 20% off for members!) The museum store has tons of great holiday gifts, including toys, books, staff favorites from Stonewall Kitchen and Sea Bags, and guest services associate Sarah Ward’s pick: the 2017 Dahlov Ipcar calendar! Remember, admission is not required to shop the museum store!

Posted Wednesday, October 26, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Boatshop, wooden boat Built in Massachusetts in 1994, this 12-foot Whitehall-style pulling boat was lovingly restored in the Boatshop and is now ready for a new home! For details contact Kurt Spiridakis, Director of Watercraft and Traditional Skills, at  207-443-1316 x 334. This boat was generously dontaed to the museum by Ken Crocker.

Posted Monday, September 26, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum This fall, Maine Maritime Museum is excited to partner with Farnsworth Art Museum, Boothbay Railway Village and Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta to introduce Maine’s Pumpkin Trail, a collaboration that includes family-friendly activities along a 50-mile stretch of Maine’s coast from Bath to Rockland running through the end of October.  Learn more about all of the awesome fall events in the Midcoast by following Maine’s Pumpkin Trail on Facebook!

Posted Wednesday, June 15, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Boatshop, boat building, wooden boat Thanks to the hard work of our seventh and eighth-grade Discovery Boatbuilders, the Boatshop has two Yankee Tender skiffs for sale! The skiffs are 12′ 3″ in length and weigh about 140 pounds.  The boats are planked with Maine cedar on sawn oak frames with 3/8″ marine plywood bottoms.  All proceeds from the sale of these skiffs go to support future boatbuilders. Price:  $1,200, plus 5.5% sales taxComes with: Bronze oarlocks, sockets, and a pair of 6′ softwood oars. Trailer not included. Please contact the Boatshop for details: 207-443-1316 ext. 334 or boatshop@maritimeme.org

Posted Thursday, July 21, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum August 1 & 2, the museum is excited to host America, a replica of the vessel that started the America’s Cup tradition in 1851, when she makes a port visit to Maine Maritime Museum as part of her North American voyage as the official ambassador of The America’s Cup. Visitors can tour this magnificent 139-foot vessel August 1 & 2 from 10 am to 3 pm. Ticketing information can be found here. Looking for a more in-depth America experience? Next Level Sailing is offering evening sails on America down the Kennebec on August 1 & 2. Details are available here. We will also be offering a lecture on August 1 to coincide with America‘s visit: The History and Evolution of the America’s Cup. Troy Sears, owner and captain of the schoonerAmerica, will lead a conversation about the America’s Cup and engage existing fans about the past, present and future direction of this 166-year old sporting event. More information on the lecture can be found here.

Posted Wednesday, August 3, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Boatshop, wooden boat For sale: a beautiful 15-foot John Gardner Peapod built in the Boatshop! This boat is built of Maine cedar planking on oak frames, has a 58-inch beam, and includes two 9-foot spruce oars. Price is $8,000, for details, contact Boatshop Manager Kurt Spiridakis at boatshop@maritimeme.org or 207-443-1316 x 334.

Posted Wednesday, June 1, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Boatshop, boat building, wooden boat This year marks the 20th anniversary of the museum’s Discovery Boatbuilding Program! During the school year, two groups of seventh and eighth-grade students spend one day a week at the museum’s Boatshop developing an understanding of basic woodworking techniques, wood technology, and thinking in three dimensions, and eventually go through every process of building a 12-foot, flat-bottom skiff. The Discovery Boatbuilding Program is designed to put students in a working environment that emphasizes and develops each student’s personal growth, teamwork, leadership, responsibility, and problem solving.   Maine Maritime Museum was an early pioneer in utilizing boatbuilding as a vehicle to teach STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), a concept that is now mirrored in numerous programs across the country. The Discovery Boatbuilding Program utilizes the museum’s rich maritime history and working Boatshop to teach an innovative and hands-on curriculum. To celebrate this incredible milestone, a special exhibit, 20 Years of Discovery Boatbuilding, will feature photos, videos, and personal stories from alumni and staff. The exhibit will be on view June 4 to September 18. For a closer look at the completed skiffs (which will be for sale in the coming weeks), join us at a launching ceremony! Launches will be held in Woolwich and South Bristol, and the public is welcome to attend. June 13, 9 am, Nequasset Boat Launch, Woolwich June 14, 10 am, Bittersweet Landing Boatyard, South Bristol

Posted Monday, April 11, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, summer camp Making plans for the summer? Send your son or daughter to one of four sessions of our Kennebec Explorers Day Camp, collaboratively led by Maine Maritime Museum and the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust. Campers enjoy boat cruises, kayaking expeditions, arts & crafts, and so much more! The five-day sessions run June 20-24, July 18-22, August 1-5, and August 15-19. Learn more about Kennebec Explorers Camp here.

Posted Tuesday, January 5, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum Registration is now open for our 2016 sailing, safety, and navigation classes! Don’t miss out on these popular courses, reserve your spot today. All of the details are available here.

Posted Thursday, January 14, 2016 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Lobster exhibit Are you one of the thousands of people who have experienced Lobstering & the Maine Coast since it’s opening last summer? The exhibit offers an inside look at one of Maine’s most important, complex, and ever-changing industries. If you’d like to receive the regular updates on the state of Maine’s lobster industry and support research and education to help sustain Maine’s most iconic fishery, support our friends at the Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance. Donations of $25 or more include a subscription to Landings, the monthly newsletter of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association.

Posted Wednesday, December 9, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Boatshop, boat building, wooden boat Who wouldn’t like to find this beautiful boat under their tree?! This 14-foot Whitehall-style pulling boat, built in the Maine Maritime Museum Boatshop, is constructed from Atlantic cedar planking on oak frames with pine thwarts and 56″ beam, and could be yours by Christmas for $5,995. For details, contact Boatshop Manager Kurt Spiridakis at boatshop@maritimeme.org or 207-443-1316 x334.

Posted Tuesday, December 1, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum December 1 is #GivingTuesday, a day to inspire generosity, celebrate the spirit of the holiday season, and give thanks to all of the donors who generously support Maine Maritime Museum. To celebrate, we asked some of our donors, “Why do you give?”  To give a year-end gift in honor of #GivingTuesday, click here. Thank you, and happy holidays!

Join Our Volunteer Team! Did you know Maine Maritime Museum has a corps of over 250 volunteers who perform a wide range of jobs from greeting visitors, to maintaining the shipyard, to installing exhibits, to demonstrating how wooden sailing vessels were launched? If you would like to learn more about our awesome group of volunteers, join us at one of our recruitment parties! Tour Guide Recruitment Party: Friday, April 1, 4-6 pm General Volunteer Recruitment Party, Wednesday, April 6, 4-6 pm Learn more about all of our volunteer opportunities here, or contact our Volunteer Coordinator Katy Taylor at 207-443-1316 x350 or volunteer@maritimeme.org.

Posted Monday, October 26, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum Opening November 14, Wavelength: The Story at Signals at Sea, will explore the history of maritime communications. Signal flag interactives, an engine room telegraph, and demonstrations of actual Morse code transmissions will make Wavelength a can’t-miss experience. Get all the details here!

Posted Monday, November 16, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum Kick off the holiday season with a full day of festive fun at the museum on Saturday, December 5! From 1-4 pm, we’ll be hosting our second annual free family day at the museum, which will include face painting, ornament decorating, and appearances by Captain Christmas and Santa Claws! Then, from 4:30-6:30 pm, leave the kiddos at home and join us in Long Reach Hall for The Spirit of Maine: Holiday Rum Tasting,  a history of distilling in the Pine Tree State and a guided tasting of Maine-made rums. At 6:30, everyone is invited to gather in the Percy & Small Shipyard to view the first ever lighting of New England’s largest sculpture: Wyoming. Learn more about all of our upcoming events here.

Posted Tuesday, September 29, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, exhibit In Sight: Prints by John Wissemann of BIW and Bath’s Working Waterfront will open in the Marjorie W. Kramer Gallery on October 24, 2015. “The Bath Iron Works Series,” an outgrowth of a previous series called “The Working Waterfront,” includes colored pencil on multilayer mono-prints of the BIW shipyard and related waterfront. Learn more about this unique exhibit here.

Posted Thursday, September 24, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Lobster exhibit Friday, September 25 is National Lobster Day and we are going to celebrate! Follow the Lobstermobile on a “Maine Adventure,” then meet us at the museum at 3 pm to party with the Lobstermobile and explore Lobstering & the Maine Coast, the state’s largest and most comprehensive exhibit on lobstering! Get all the details here.

Posted Friday, August 28, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Mariners Award Maine Maritime Museum was pleased to honor Maine’s marine pilots and the two commissions that oversee them, the Maine Pilotage Commission and the Port of Portland Board of Harbor Commissioners, with the 2015 Mariners Award at a ceremony held at the museum August 26. The Mariners Award is presented annually to an individual or organization that has made extraordinary contributions to Maine’s maritime heritage and significantly impacted the state’s culture and economy. Learn more here.

Posted Thursday, August 6, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum To coincide with the opening of Lobstering & the Maine Coast, we are offering a lecture and film series for visitors looking to further explore some of the themes included in the exhibit. We are excited to welcome a range of lobster industry experts to share their expertise on topics ranging from biology to processing, science to sustainability. Learn more about all of our upcoming lectures and films here.

Posted Monday, June 15, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum Learn the stories of the prominent shipbuilders who helped build Bath on our trolley tour of the city – Historic Bath: The City That Ships Built. Our guide will share the history behind some of Bath’s most recognizable homes, and the families who resided in them. Tours start June 16 and run Tuesdays, Thursday and Sundays at noon. Get all the details here.

Posted Thursday, May 28, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Boatshop, wooden boat Tickets are now on sale for a chance to win our 2015 raffle boat: this beautiful 15-foot Whitehall pulling boat! Get all the details (and your tickets) here.

Posted Tuesday, May 26, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum The museum recently celebrated the unofficial start to the busy summer season with an annual tradition: raising the flags on the Wyoming masts! It takes a few minutes for the 20-foot flags to make the 120-foot journey up the masts, so enjoy this high-speed look at the process.

Posted Monday, May 18, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Lobster exhibit The Lobstermobile, which has been making its way up the East Coast since last week, is scheduled to arrive at the museum Tuesday, May 19, around 11 am, and we’ll be hosting a welcome home/retirement party to celebrate its arrival. Please join us to welcome the Lobstermobile to Maine! The Lobstermobile was generously donated to the museum by Orlando, Fla., restaurant Boston Lobster Feast and will be on-hand to help us celebrate the grand opening of Lobstering & the Maine Coast on Sunday, July 26!

Posted Friday, May 15, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum Thanks to a generous donation from Orlando, Fla., restaurant Boston Lobster Feast, the museum will soon be welcoming the Lobstermobile to help us celebrate the opening of Lobstering & the Maine Coast on July 29! After 15 years of service in Florida, the Lobstermobile will be retiring to Maine and is scheduled to arrive at the museum in the afternoon on Tuesday, May 19. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to track its journey up the East Coast!

Posted Wednesday, May 6, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum Is your 7 to 11-year-old looking for some fun, outdoor adventures this summer! Register now for our Kennebec Explorers Day Camp! We offer four five-day sessions of camp, which is collaboratively lead by Maine Maritime Museum & Kennebec Estuary Land Trust.  Your child will explore Merrymeeting Bay by kayak, tour the Kennbec on a boat cruise, learn about the maritime history of Maine through hands-on activities, and have so much fun! Space is very limited, and advance registration is required. Get all the details here!

Posted Thursday, April 30, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Bath Iron Works Back for 2015: our popular Bath Iron Works Story Trolley Tour! Hear about the history of this famous shipyard and learn how the most advanced ships in the world are constructed. From the 1937 America’s Cup defender Ranger to the Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyer DDG 1000, BIW has always been a leader in building the most advanced ships afloat. Your tour begins with an introductory video that takes you behind the scenes to detail the building process and features the employees who take great pride in constructing the Navy’s most advanced warships. You will then board the trolley for a rolling tour through Bath, past the BIW yard where your guide will fill you in on some of the most interesting tidbits of history that occured in the yard and explain just what it is you are viewing, highlighting key elements that can be seen in the shipyard. Make your reservations now, this tour is often a sell-out!

Posted Wednesday, May 20, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, Bath Iron Works Learn the inside story of BIW, reserve your seat on our Bath Iron Works Story trolley tour! Tours are running Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 12 pm and Saturdays at 10 am. Get all the details here.

The Boatshop will have two Yankee Tender skiffs available for delivery or pickup starting June 23, 2015. These skiffs are built by 7th and 8th graders in our Discovery Boatbuilding Program, who attend Woolwich Central School and South Bristol School. The Yankee  Tender is 12′ 3″ in length and weighs about 140 pounds.  She  is planked with Maine cedar on sawn oak frames, with a 3/8″ marine plywood bottom.  All proceeds from the sale of these skiffs go to support future boatbuilders. Buy before June 1 and you can specify paint colors! Price:  $1,200 Comes with: Bronze oarlocks, sockets, and a pair of 6′ softwood oars. Please contact the Boatshop for details: 207-443-1316 ext. 334 or boatshop@maritimeme.org

A special offer for museum members from our friends at The Schooner Heritage: Join Capts. Doug and Linda Lee aboard their beautiful schooner Heritage for any of the first three trips of the season, and they’ll donate $33 per passenger back to MMM. Plus, the Capts. Lee will be offering a 5% discount for all Maine Maritime Museum members (and guests who book with them) on any Heritage cruise in 2015. It’s a great way to enjoy the beauty of Maine’s maritime heritage while supporting it at the same time! http://www.schoonerheritage.com

These guys work fast! Kurt Spiridakis, Boatshop manager, says, “Getting into all the nooks and crannies to paint a lapstrake boat can be tricky with just a paintbrush, so we decided to employ the services of a volunteer’s spray gun. Because the boatshop is now so well insulated and airtight, we needed to use an outside air supply for breathing. Luckily we decided to paint a similar color as the original, so the paint went on nicely with two thin coats.” Follow what’s going on in the Boatshop here.

Posted Thursday, March 5, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum Vote for MMM and our Discovery Boatbuilding Program could win a donation of up to $10,000! PC Construction in Portland has chosen the Discovery Boatbuilding Program to be one of 10 nonprofits in their contest, “Building Communities: PC Construction Gives Back.” The top three winners, determined by number of votes, will receive donations totalling $15,000! Please vote here!

Posted Friday, February 27, 2015 by Katie MeyersinMaine Maritime Museum, exhibit Welcome to the Maine Maritime Museum blog! We are gearing up for the busy summer season, so check back regularly for updates on new programs, tour schedules, special events and more. New this weekend, our latest exhibit, Ingrained: The Art of the Shipcarver, opens in the Kramer Gallery. Ingrained includes some beautiful and rarely exhibited work from Maine shipcarvers, as well as a collection of tools and the workbench of renowned Newcastle carver Edbury Hatch. Among the ornate and interesting artifacts included in the exhibit is this pattern used to design figureheads, which was found in a barn in Bath. Stop by this weekend and be one of the first to view this unique exhibit!