List of museums in Maine facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Maine is a beautiful state in the northeastern United States. It's famous for its rocky coastline, delicious lobster, and stunning natural beauty. But did you know Maine also has many amazing museums? These special places collect and care for interesting objects. They share these items with everyone. You can learn about art, science, history, and different cultures. This list will help you discover some of Maine's coolest museums.

Awesome Museums to Explore in Maine
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Awesome Museums to Explore in Maine

Maine has many different types of museums. You can find places dedicated to art, history, science, and even unique collections. Here are some highlights:

Art Museums: See Amazing Creations

Bates College Museum of Art in Lewiston: This museum has a great collection of art. It often features works by artists from Maine, including famous painter Marsden Hartley.
Bowdoin College Museum of Art in Brunswick: Here you can see paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts from America, Europe, and other parts of the world.
Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville: This museum is known for its American and modern art collections. It's part of Colby College.
Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland: This museum focuses on American art. It also operates the Olson House in Cushing. This historic house was featured in many paintings by the famous artist Andrew Wyeth, including "Christina's World".
Ogunquit Museum of American Art in Ogunquit: This museum showcases American art. It's usually open during the summer months.
Portland Museum of Art in Portland: This large museum has American and European fine arts. It also includes the historic McLellan-Sweat Mansion.
Rufus Porter Museum in Bridgton: This museum celebrates the folk artist Rufus Porter. You can learn about his unique style.
Tides Institute and Museum of Art in Eastport: This museum explores art, architecture, and history. It has paintings, prints, photographs, and even Native American baskets.
University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor: This museum focuses on American art from the mid-20th century, especially works on paper.
Wendell Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor: This museum features beautiful wooden bird carvings by Wendell Gilley and other talented artists.

History Museums: Step Back in Time

Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor: Learn about the rich history, culture, and crafts of the Wabanaki people. They have two locations to explore.
Acadian Village in Van Buren: This open-air museum has historic village buildings. They show the cultural heritage of the Acadians. It's open during certain seasons.
Aroostook County Historical and Art Museum in Houlton: Discover local history here. You can see a historic kitchen, military items, and old photographs.
Bangor Museum and Center for History in Bangor: This museum focuses on local history, old photographs, clothing, and items from the Civil War. It's in the Thomas A. Hill House.
Blaine House in Augusta: This is Maine's Governor's Mansion. You can learn about its history as a historic house.
Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk: This museum covers local history, art, and culture. It's housed in five 19th-century buildings in southern Maine.
Burnham Tavern Museum in Machias: This late 18th-century tavern has strong ties to the American Revolutionary War.
Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site in New Harbor: This site has a museum with old artifacts. It also features a reconstructed fort and remains of a 17th- and 18th-century village.
Old Fort Western in Augusta: This 18th-century log fort has a house and store. You can see costumed interpreters showing what life was like back then.
Maine Historical Society Museum in Portland: This museum has changing exhibits about Maine's history, art, and culture.
Maine State Museum in Augusta: This large museum covers the state's history and culture. It also features Native American culture, natural history, and industry.
Museums of Old York in York: This is an open-air museum with nine historic buildings. These include the Old York Gaol (an old jail) and the John Hancock Warehouse.
Museums of the Bethel Historical Society in Bethel: This museum has eight exhibit galleries and nine period rooms. They are spread across two historic buildings.
Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester: This is a religious village that includes a Shaker Museum. You can learn about the Shaker way of life.
Washburn-Norlands Living History Center in Livermore: This is a living history center. It shows what life was like in the mid-19th century with a mansion, farm, and schoolhouse.

Science & Nature Museums: Discover the World Around You

Bar Harbor Whale Museum in Bar Harbor: Learn about whales and seals that live in the Gulf of Maine. They are currently looking for a new home.
George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History in Bar Harbor: This museum is part of College of the Atlantic. It explores the natural world.
International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland: This unique museum has exhibits about the search for animals whose existence hasn't been fully proven, like Bigfoot!
Kenneth E. Stoddard Shell Museum in Boothbay: This museum has a collection of shells.
L. C. Bates Museum in Hinckley: This museum has collections of natural history, archaeology, art, and Americana. It's located between Fairfield and Skowhegan.
Maine Mineral and Gem Museum in Bethel: Explore Maine's rocks, minerals, and gems. They also have meteors and fossils.
Maine State Aquarium in Boothbay Harbor: See local marine life in 13 tank exhibits. They also have two live touch tanks where you can feel some sea creatures.
Mount Desert Oceanarium in Bar Harbor and Southwest Harbor: These oceanariums focus on the lobster industry. They include a Maine Lobster Museum and a lobster hatchery.
Northern Maine Museum of Science in Presque Isle: Part of the University of Maine at Presque Isle, this museum has exhibits on biology, geology, and other sciences.
Nylander Museum in Caribou: This museum has collections of fossils, rocks, plants, insects, butterflies, and even mammals and birds.
Peary–MacMillan Arctic Museum in Brunswick: This museum is part of Bowdoin College. It features Inuit art and artifacts from the Arctic explorations of Robert Peary and Donald Baxter MacMillan.
Project Puffin Visitor Center in Rockland: See live video of puffins and other seabirds from Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge. Learn about seabird conservation efforts.

Transportation & Industry Museums: How Things Move and Are Made

Ashland Logging Museum in Ashland: This museum shows the history of logging. It has logging equipment, vehicles, and a replica log cookroom.
Boothbay Railway Village in Boothbay: Ride an authentic steam locomotive. Explore historic Maine buildings in a recreated village. See a collection of 60 antique cars.
Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor: This museum displays land transportation equipment. You can see tractors, farm equipment, fire trucks, motorcycles, and even cabooses.
Maine Air Museum in Bangor: Located at Bangor International Airport, this museum explores the history of aviation in Maine.
Maine Coast Sardine History Museum in Jonesport: Learn about the area's sardine canning industry. See old tools and machines used for canning.
Maine Forest & Logging Museum in Bradley: Discover the history of forestry in Maine. See an authentic reconstruction of a 1790s logging community.
Maine Forestry Museum in Rangeley: This museum has vintage logging equipment, chainsaw carvings, and paintings showing life in logging camps.
Maine Granite Industry Museum in Mount Desert: Learn about Maine's granite industry. See tools, photos, and old company records.
Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland: This museum has a large collection of lighthouse lenses and artifacts. It also features Coast Guard memorabilia.
Maine Maritime Museum in Bath: Explore a historic shipyard with 19th-century buildings. See a Victorian-era shipyard owner's home.
Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum in Portland: See old trains and artifacts from Maine's unique 2-foot (610 mm) gauge narrow gauge railroads.
Maine's Paper and Heritage Museum in Livermore Falls: Learn about the history of paper-making towns and mills along the Androscoggin River.
Owls Head Transportation Museum in Owls Head: This museum has a fantastic collection of airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, and motorcycles.
Patten Lumbermen's Museum in Patten: Dive into Maine's logging history with many interesting exhibits.
Raye's Mustard Mill Museum in Eastport: This is a working mustard mill museum. You can see how mustard is made and buy some too!
Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad in Phillips: Take a ride on this heritage railroad and see its historic equipment.
Seal Cove Auto Museum in Seal Cove: This museum has antique cars and motorcycles. It focuses on early cars from 1895-1917.
Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport: See mass transit vehicles like trolley cars, rapid transit trains, and buses.
Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington Railway Museum in Alna: This museum has a 2-foot (610 mm) gauge heritage railway and museum.

Children's Museums: Fun for All Ages

Children's Discovery Museum of Maine in Augusta: A great place for kids to learn and play with hands-on exhibits.
Children's Museum of Maine in Portland: This museum offers many interactive exhibits designed for children to explore and discover.
Coastal Children's Museum in Rockland: Another wonderful museum with engaging activities for young visitors.
Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor: This museum provides a fun and educational experience for children of all ages.

Unique & Special Interest Museums: Something Different!

Bryant Stove & Music Museum in Thorndike: This museum has antique stoves, toy cars, player pianos, and music boxes. It even has a doll circus!
Desert of Maine in Freeport: This is a 40-acre (16 ha) area of exposed glacial silt. It includes a sand museum and an agriculture museum.
Harrigan Learning Center and Museum in Milo: This museum has fossils, minerals, and Native American artifacts.
Lindbergh Crate Museum in Canaan: See a collection of items related to Charles Lindbergh. They are displayed inside the actual packing crate that carried his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, back to America!
National Museum of the Morgan Horse in New Gloucester: Learn about the history of the Morgan horse.
Northern Timber Cruisers Antique Snowmobile Museum in Millinocket: See snowmobiles from the 1960s and even a 1943 Toboggan.
Nowetah's American Indian Museum and Gift Store in New Portland: This museum has over 600 old Maine Indian baskets and bark containers.
Rangeley Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum in Rangeley: Explore outdoor sports like fly fishing and boating. See Paleo Native American artifacts and antique sporting equipment.
Stanley Museum in Kingfield: This museum celebrates the Stanley Steamer cars. It also has air-brush portraits and paintings.
The Telephone Museum in Ellsworth: See working telephones, switchboards, and old switching systems.
Umbrella Cover Museum in Peaks Island: This museum has a collection of over 600 umbrella covers! It's a truly unique place.
Wilhelm Reich Museum in Rangeley: Also known as Orgonon, this was the home of scientist Wilhelm Reich.