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Tips for Visiting the Maine State Museum with Children
Here are some tips to minimize the fuss and maximize the fun of your museum-going experience.
Before you even leave home…
• Make a plan. Check the museum’s website, mainestatemuseum.org, for hours, exhibit descriptions, events, and programs. With your family, decide in advance which exhibits are must-sees. You may be interested in one of the museum’s 30-minute educator-led programs. You will need to make a reservation in advance. Find out more here.
• Dress thoughtfully. Wear comfortable shoes! Be prepared for lots of walking and standing.
• Arrive early. Museums are less crowded in the mornings, and kids are less cranky.
Okay, everyone is at the museum, now what?
• Use the restroom and leave your coats, umbrellas, and bags in the coatroom. It’s hard to have a good visit if you’re not comfortable.
• Map your route. Grab a museum map. If you’re visiting with younger kids, plan to visit their chosen exhibit first. Let older kids navigate. Note bathroom locations.
• Go with the flow. Allow your kids to discover what interests them, even if it’s not on the schedule. Ask questions to stir their imaginations and keep them focused.
Save the Museum Store for last.
Souvenir-buying is one way to bring good memories home! However, it’s a good idea to make the Museum Store your last stop. Set spending limits. Encourage your kids to buy items that relate to the exhibits they saw.
Mix it up.
At the first sign of restlessness, take a meal or snack break in our Atrium or outside at one of the many picnic tables (remember, no food in the galleries). Or look for hands-on activities. Don’t forget to visit the Lunder Education Center, where curiosity and play are always encouraged!
Deepen your museum experience through discussion and at-home activities.
Build excitement
Visit the MSM at Home page on our website for activities and videos about the museum and objects in our collections.
Reading books together about related topics related to our exhibits is another way to build anticipation. Here are a few of our favorites:
Keep the Lights Burning Abbie by Peter Roop
Abbie Burgess and her family moved to Matinicus Rock, off the coast of Maine, in 1853 when her father became a lighthouse keeper there. On January 19, 1856, Captain Burgess went after desperately needed supplies for his family and oil for the lamps. He left Abbie in charge of the lights while he was gone. Soon after he sailed, a tremendous storm came up that lasted four weeks. During all that time, Abbie and her sisters cared for their sick mother, and Abbie kept the lights burning.
The Lobster Bill: How a Bill Becomes a Law in Maine by Cherrie MacInnes
Join a crusading crustacean and a group of third graders from Brewer, Maine, as they learn firsthand how a bill becomes a law in their state. This is the true story of how some intrepid elementary school students helped the lobster become the official state crustacean of Maine.
Baxter Bear and Moses Moose by Evariste Bernie
Baxter has a peculiar hobby for a Maine bear (he collects hats), and Moses is not your typical moose (he has cold feet), and each has a problem to solve. In this charming tale of friendship, Moses and Baxter learn about sharing and cooperation.
Andre by Lew Dietz
The saga of Andre, the world-famous harbor seal who captured hearts everywhere, comes alive in this unforgettable story.
The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen
Though inspired by the true story of a steamship carrying circus animals that sank in Penobscot Bay, The Circus Ship is silly, not sad. With lively rhymes and vibrant illustrations, Chris Van Dusen presents an entertaining story about the importance of community.
Thanks to the Animals by Allen Sockabasin
Little Zoo Sap and his family are moving from their summer home on the coast to the deep woods for the winter, traveling on a large bobsled pulled by big horses. When Zoo Sap falls off the sled unnoticed, the forest animals hear his cries and come to shelter him until his father comes back to find him.
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey (1914 – 2003)
In fresh and captivating pictures, the author-artist tells what happens on a summer day in Maine when a little girl and a bear cub, wandering away from their blueberry-picking mothers, each mistake the other’s mother for its own.
Keep the flames burning
Favorite moments
After your visit, urge your kids to share their impressions of the museum. What were their favorite parts? What cool facts did they learn? What would they like to know more about? If they could meet (or be) any person featured in the museum, who would it be?
Encourage your kids to continue learning and having fun through museum-related activities, such as bird watching, creating a paper quilt from construction paper and magazine pages, taking a nature walk, and pretending to be a Maine inventor by building your imagined invention out of cardboard and found objects.
