Maine Maritime Museum

The mission of Maine Maritime Museum is to promote an understanding and appreciation of Maine's maritime heritage by collecting,preserving,exhibiting and interpreting materials related thereto.

Description:
Maine's maritime history is told here daily through gallery exhibits, an historic shipyard, educational programs, and narrated boat cruises to points of historic significance and natural beauty. In the galleries exhibitions of paintings, photographs, ship models, dioramas, tools and furniture artifacts explore the maritime history of Maine. In the Morse and Shipbuilders' Galleries the exhibit tells the stories of shipbuilding, ocean and coastal trade, fishing, and life in coastal Maine. Other galleries feature changing exhibitions drawn from the Museum's vast collections of art and artifacts which illustrate the rich heritage of Maine's relationship with the sea. The Museum Bookstore and Gift Shop is a great source for maritime memorabilia, books, and unique Maine-made gifts for all ages. Open year 'round from 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

History:
Maine Maritime Museum has been in existence since 1962 and has occupied its present home since 1989, when the Maritime History Building opened and its former site, Sewall House, was closed. In 1975 the Percy & Small Shipyard was donated to the Museum, which then began a program of restoring the buildings to their original appearance. Construction of the Jewett Building took place in 1982 to house historic small craft and large artifacts, and reconstruction of the former outfitting wharf of the Percy & Small Shipyard took place a year later. The Donnell House and shipyard property adjacent to the Percy & Small Shipyard were donated to the Museum in 1981. In 1985 the Leon L. Bean Building was moved to the Donnell property from the north end of town, and now houses the Museum's Lobstering and the Maine Coast Exhibit. The major wharf south of the Percy & Small yard, which had serviced three shipyards which had occupied the site, was rebuilt and made available for use by visiting vessels in 1994. The restoration of Donnell House was begun in 2005 and opened to visitors.

Contact person: Ann Harrison, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (207) 443-1665

Address:

243 Washington Street Bath, ME 04530 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org

Last updated on December 17, 2008