Stay up to date with our newsletter
Category: Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Staff Happenings, Videos
Humpback Whale Skeleton-Maine State Museum Exhibit
These two humpback whale skeletons are currently being cleaned and prepared for exhibit by Whales and Nails, a company located in Seal Cove, Maine. The Skill and knowledge behind Whales and Nails is Dan DenDanto. A senior scientist with Allied Whale at the College of the Atlantic, Dan has been cleaning, restoring, and articulating whale […]
Read more »
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens
Coming Together
In May 2023, members of the Tartre family gathered from across the country – California to Maine – to reconnect over a christening gown and accessories that they each wore on their baptism.
Read more »
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Videos
Exploring Exhibits & Objects up Close: Back to Nature Exhibit
Celebrate the museum’s Back to Nature exhibit which opened almost 50 years ago! Join us in saying goodbye to an old friend! The Maine State Museum’s beloved Back to Nature exhibit opened almost 50 years ago. The natural scenes were painstakingly created or collected one plant and creature at a time. In this behind-the-scenes video, […]
Read more »
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Staff Happenings, Videos
MSM Freezer for Conservation
The Maine State Museum is up and running with an important, though at first glance surprising, new collections care tool – a walk-in freezer, with over 750 cubic feet of space and the ability to reach temperatures below -10 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezer has found its home in the museum’s natural science collection storage space. […]
Read more »
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Videos
Museum Moments: The Ice Box
The rise in the use of ice by individuals was in part due to the improvements in ice boxes, specifically incorporating insulation and circulation for better food preservation. By the mid 1800’s the ice box was commonly found in middle class American homes. The Kennebec River dominated the ice harvesting industry in Maine, providing more […]
Read more »
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Staff Happenings, Videos
Behind the Scenes-Irish Elk Antlers
Major work to remove asbestos from structural steel beams throughout the museum has meant careful work in advance to remove objects and specimens from display so that they remain safe and protected. Displayed high on a wall on the entrance floor, the museum’s stunning set of Irish elk antlers, with a spread of nearly nine […]
Read more »
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Videos
Behind the Scenes- Industrial Objects
Major work to remove asbestos from structural steel beams throughout the museum has meant careful work in advance to remove objects and specimens from display so that they remain safe and protected. Get a behind the scenes look at the changes afoot. See the remarkable work of Auburn-based company Cote Crane and Rigging, as they […]
Read more »
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Videos
Behind the Scenes-Shipbuilding & The St. Mary
Shipwrecked on her maiden voyage, the St. Mary never made it to California after setting out from Phippsburg, Maine. Step onto the St. Mary, one of the last square-rigged ships built in North America. Through the shipbuilding tools left behind, discover a little bit about the people who helped build this 242 foot long vessel. […]
Read more »
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Staff Happenings
‘Maine Quilts’ Book Launch with Author-Curator Laurie LaBar
Author-Curator Laurie LaBar gives a peek between the covers of her book Maine Quilts: 250 Years of Comfort and Community. Laurie shares a few of the engaging stories and beautiful images in the book, which marks the first published and long-awaited study of Maine quilts. The book, co-published by the Maine State Museum and Down […]
Read more »
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Videos
Behind the Scenes-Object Conservation-Ice Harvesting & Granite Quarrying
Exhibit changes provide opportunities to examine collections that have been on long-term display. Objects Conservator Teresa Murphy takes us behind the scenes for a close up look at some tools that were in the Ice Harvesting and Granite Quarrying exhibits. Some of these objects were on display for 40 years! Watch the video below to […]
Read more »