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Meet Maine here.

Visit

Meet Maine here.

Image of a humpback whale skeleton.

A 3,800-pound, 45-foot long adult humpback whale skeleton suspended from the Maine State Museum’s new 4,130-square-foot whale gallery as part of the upcoming exhibit, Vector: A Whale’s Life in the Gulf of Maine. Photo by Sweet Thunder Productions.

What’s Been Going On at the Museum?

 

An Update on the Cultural Building’s Renovation

Are you missing the Maine State Museum? You are not alone. Many people have expressed frustration that the museum has been closed for so long and will not open until 2026.

You can, however, join us for exhibit Preview Tours May 27 through June 2 to see the work in progress on new exhibits slated for 2026! 

The reasons for this long timeline? The renovation of the Cultural Building, the 55- year-old structure that houses the State Museum, State Archives, and State Library, has been much more complex than anyone expected. The Cultural Building’s needs required a down-to-the-bones rebuilding to comply with new building codes, achieve energy efficiency, create a safe and stable interior environment, provide better accessibility, replace worn-out finishes, and upgrade technology systems.

The general contractor for this massive renovation project is scheduled to finish in June 2025. Museum staff will then jump into action to implement plans for new exhibits and a family-friendly education center. It will be an all-hands-on-deck effort to pack, transport, and unpack stored museum collections, assemble exhibit cases, paint, install interactives, and re-establish museum workshops and labs.

Many thanks to Maine people and visitors for the continuing support and patience during this lengthy process. Museum staff are excited to unveil a sparkling, dynamic, engaging, and more comfortable Maine State Museum. Stay tuned!

New Exhibits Taking Shape

A Behind the Scenes Look at Construction in Progress

The Museum Staff in Action

Museum staff have been busier than ever in planning the new exhibits and educational interactives that will be unveiled with the museum’s phased reopening. Take a look at just a few of the tasks that staff have tackled to continue current services or prepare for new ones.

Maine State Museum