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About
The Maine State Museum is one of the nation’s oldest state-funded museums.
About the Maine State Museum
The Maine State Museum brings the state’s many stories to life. Through rich exhibits, engaging programs, and a growing collection, we explore Maine’s people, landscape, and history—from deep geological time to today’s communities.
Located in Maine’s capital city of Augusta, the museum serves as a vital cultural resource for students, scholars, lifelong learners, and anyone curious about the state’s past, present, and future.
A Resilient History
The Maine State Museum has roots stretching back to the 1830s. Its current form was shaped by a hard-won fight for public access and preservation in the 1960s when the Maine legislature established the museum as a permanent institution and Mainers passed a bond issue to build the Cultural Building and within it, the museum’s new home. Read the full story of The Museum That Would Not Die: The Strange Persistence of the Maine State Museum. Today, the museum operates as an independent state agency, with funding from the State of Maine, federal grants, private donations, and the Friends of the Maine State Museum. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or returning with fresh eyes, we invite you to discover how Maine’s stories connect us all.
Our Mission
The Maine State Museum shares what is meaningful about Maine and its place in the world—through exhibits, collections, and programs that inspire people to discover the state’s past, understand its present, and imagine its future.
As a state agency, the museum collects, preserves, researches, and exhibits materials that document the cultural, natural, and historical legacy of Maine. Our work supports education, scholarship, and public enjoyment.
Friends of the Maine State Museum
The Friends of the Maine State Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that partners with the Maine State Museum. They provide public outreach and advocacy, run the membership program, and help fund special projects for the Maine State Museum. Contact the Friends’ office at (207) 287-2304 or friends.museum@maine.gov.
The Maine State Museum Commission
The Maine State Museum Commission is a group of fifteen Maine citizens appointed by the Governor to oversee museum policies, prescribe duties of the museum director, establish museum admission fees, and generally supervise museum operations. The members of the Commission may serve up to two consecutive five-year terms and are appointed because of their special qualifications and interests in the several fields of museum activity.
The Maine State Museum Commission is currently led by Chair Michael Barrett and Vice-Chair Gay Grant.
Members of the Maine State Museum Commission
Richard Abramson – Portland, Maine
Michael Barrett – Belgrade, Maine
Gregory Desjardin – Auburn, Maine
Andrea Hawkes – Portland, Maine
Gay Grant – South Gardiner, Maine
Bonnie Newsom – Eddington, Maine
Roger Pomerleau – Hallowell, Maine
Earl Smith – Belgrade Lakes, Maine
Anne Witty – Georgetown, Maine
Stay Connected and Informed
Contact Us
Find contact information and connect with the Maine State Museum’s staff to ask questions, share feedback, or learn more about our work.
Museum Roundup Newsletter
Stay connected with the Maine State Museum through our newsletter—sign up to receive updates and explore our archive of past issues.
Policies and Guidelines
Find the Maine State Museum’s policies and guidelines for everything from appropriate social media engagement to the use of collection images.