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Category: Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens
Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Staff Happenings, Videos
Mystery Tusk: Searching for Elephants in the Maine Woods
Gary Hoyle, author and former Natural History Curator at the Maine State Museum, discussed his book, Mystery Tusk: Searching for Elephants in the Maine Woods, at the Friends of the Maine State Museum annual meeting on October 19, 2023. His illustrated talk described one of his great achievements for the museum: the 1993 excavation of […]
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News, Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Staff Happenings
Great Coat, Great Discoveries
Members of the public frequently contact museum staff with inquiries about items in the collection. Often, the resulting research leads to the discovery of new, exciting information. This is just what happened last spring when an individual contacted museum curator Angela Goebel-Bain to ask about measurements of a Civil War great coat that was donated […]
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News, Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens
A Flag, A Cane, and A Governor’s Best Friend
June 1, 2023 was the 100th anniversary of the death of then-Governor Percival Baxter’s beloved Irish setter, Garry II. The death of a Maine governor’s pet seems an unlikely event to note 100 years later. But Baxter’s actions following Garry’s passing made headlines around the country and are still remembered today. Baxter’s response to the criticism […]
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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 […]
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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.
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Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Videos
Behind the Scenes-Museum Storage
Do you ever wonder what happened to all those big objects that were on exhibit at the Maine State Museum? Before museum renovations could begin in 2022, staff had to dismantle exhibits and find space to safely store hundreds of objects. Many of these objects have been on exhibit for over 40 years. They had […]
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Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens
Maine’s Official Tourmaline Necklace Takes Two Tacks
One necklace in Maine shows great vision for the future as well as some degree of short-sightedness. The necklace, officially titled the Maine Tourmaline Necklace, was beautifully crafted by Maine artisan Addison Saunders using local gold and tourmaline. In 1977, the necklace was donated to the State of Maine and presented to the Maine State […]
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News, Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens, Staff Happenings, Videos
Mo Rocca, Samantha Smith, and the Maine State Museum
In December 2022, CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Mo Rocca came to Maine to learn about Samantha Smith. Curator Laurie LaBar describes the behind-the-scenes work that goes into preparing for a research trip. Watch the video below to learn more!
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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, […]
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Objects, Artifacts, & Specimens
Mi’kmaq Artisan Recalls Baskets and the Potato Harvest
“It’s sad to see the fields all grown up today where there used to be farms,” said Richard Silliboy, a Mi’kmaq artisan who specializes in making utility baskets. Basketmaking goes back for generations in Richard’s family. Richard’s mother Mary Ann used to make and sell potato baskets to farmers and businesses in Aroostook County. “One […]
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