Maine Historical Society Museum
The MHS Museum features changing exhibitions and programs spanning more than five centuries of Maine life. Drawing from the extensive collections of the Maine Historical Society, original exhibits feature art, artifacts, and documents that vividly bring Maine history to life.
Current Exhibit
ZOOM IN: New Approaches to Maine History
June 25, 2010 through May 29, 2011
The exhibit celebrates the launch of Maine History Online, a major new interpretive section of the Maine Memory Network, and explores the rich ways that digital technologies complement and enhance the use of physical objects—and vice versa—in the telling of Maine history. Stories explored in the exhibit include: the widely popular Franco American snowshoe clubs formed by Louis-Philippe Gagné when he moved to Lewiston from Québec in 1922; Biddeford’s industrial transformation in the 19th century; peace movements in Maine; life at the Western Maine Sanatorium; and the experience of Maine prisoners of war (and German and Spanish POWs held here); among others. Read More.
Explore Past Exhibits.
Collections
The Museum's diverse collection of over 15,000 artifacts includes paintings, prints, and other original works of art, clothing and textiles, decorative arts, Native American artifacts and archaeological material, toys, tools, glass and ceramics, political memorabilia, militaria, and industrial and domestic artifacts that illustrate life in Maine.
Search the collections database to see our museum objects, photographs, autograph letters, some architectural drawings, and newspapers. This is a work in progress; please contact MHS collections staff at collections@mainehistory.org for the most complete and accurate research.
Research
Research access to the museum collections is available by appointment.
Contact the Curator at (207) 774–1822 x224 for more information.
Donating Historic Items
If you are considering donating museum artifacts or library items to the Maine Historical Society, please read our donation guidelines and review the MHS Collections Policy.