Bring the Maine State Museum to You!

Did you know museum educators are available to travel around the state – virtually? Schools, homeschools, libraries, and individuals are invited to book a variety of interactive online programs for grades K-12 or adult learners. Both presentations and workshops are available.

Note – these programs are live, not pre-recorded. They work for both in-person classrooms (shared on a screen or projector) and remote learning (join on individual devices).  

Standard program times are Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Evening hours available upon request.

Choose a virtual presentation

Virtual presentations are free of charge. They are hosted on the Maine State Museum’s Zoom Webinar platform. Recommended length is 45 minutes. Students will have opportunities to interact with MSM educators through polls, chats, and activities. Click here to request a presentation. No minimum or maximum group size. Participants can join from multiple classrooms/locations simultaneously.

Presentation topics: 

• Logging Camps, River Drives, and Sawmills (Grades 2-12; Adult)
  An exploration of what life was like in a 19th-century Maine logging camp and the dangers of river drives. We will examine some of the machinery involved in the harvesting and transporting of timber.
• Ice Harvesting on the Kennebec (Grades 2-12; Adult)
  An introduction to the history and tools of ice harvesting on Maine rivers. We will learn about the science behind keeping food cold and discuss the economic significance of one of Maine’s most successful 19th century businesses.
• Formation of Rocks and Minerals (Grades 2-12; Adult)
  We’ll examine significant rock and mineral specimens found in Maine. Emphasis is placed on the formation, identification and historic uses of these rocks and minerals.
• Life Under a Log: Maine Reptiles and Amphibians (Grades K-6)
  We’ll talk about the characteristics of specific reptiles and amphibians found in Maine. Students are encouraged to compare and contrast these characteristics to those of other Maine animals.
• Sail Making and the Story of the ST MARY (Grades 2-12; Adult)
  This program examines the techniques and history of sail making and shipbuilding in Maine. We will talk about the science behind harnessing wind power and discover the story of the ST MARY, one of the two last wooden square rigged sailing ships built in North America.
• Landing the Lobster: Sustainable Lobstering in Maine (Grades 2-12; Adult)
  Learn about the early history of the lobster industry and discuss the techniques and economic significance of lobstering in Maine today. We also take a closer look at the lobster’s anatomy and life cycle.

Choose a primary source workshop

Virtual workshops are free of charge. They are hosted on the Maine State Museum’s Zoom platform. Recommended length is 60 minutes. Students will practice observing and analyzing primary sources from Maine’s past. This is an active and interactive workshop using Google Jamboard, and student responses will guide the direction of the conversation. Click here to request a workshop. Minimum of 3 participants required. Participants can join from multiple classrooms/locations simultaneously. 

Workshop Topics: 

Maine’s Bicentennial – Slavery and Maine (4-12)

• Students investigate Maine’s connections to the global slave trade through artifacts, images, and documents.

Maine’s Bicentennial – Statehood and the Wabanaki (Grades 4-12)

• Students explore images, documents, and artifacts to uncover a small piece of the story of the impact Maine statehood had on Wabanaki people in the 1800s. 

• Students explore the ideas and decisions that shaped the early state of Maine. 

Maine’s Bicentennial – Power of Maine’s Vote (Grades 4-12)

• Local artifacts, images, and documents tell the story of early elections in Maine history. 

Maine Industry (Grades 4-12)

• Explore different industries that had an impact on Maine’s past and present.

Freedom & Captivity: Native American Boarding Schools (Grades 4-12)

• The impact of “Indian residential schools” on Wabanaki children, shown through local and national images, documents, artifacts, and sound recordings.

Freedom & Captivity: The History of Incarceration (Grades 4-12)

• The history of incarceration in Maine through student exploration of local images, documents, artifacts, and sound recordings.

Freedom & Captivity: Maine’s WWII Prisoner of War Camps (Grades 4-12)

• The story of German POW Camps in Maine during World War II, explored through local images, documents, and artifacts.

• Uncovering some of the ways Maine has faced past pandemics through local images, documents, and artifacts.