Maine State Museum July Roundup

July 2024

Decorative image with the text "Museum Roundup/ News and Updates from the Maine State Museum"

The Latest...

The Friends Want to Know What's In Your Attic!

Now is your chance to find out more about what’s in your attic! On Thursday, July 18th, from 1-4 PM, the Friends of the Maine State Museum, in partnership with Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, invites you to the second annual What Ya Got There? Appraisal Fair and Silent Auction.

Learn about your heirlooms, enjoy the historic Viles Mansion, and bid at a silent auction featuring special items from local merchants and donors, including a beautiful pair of silver earrings from Spirit House and a $75 gift certificate from LL Bean. You may bid online before the event.

The fair takes place at Viles Mansion, 71 Stone Street in Augusta. For a small donation participants may sign up for one to three appraisals or to be a spectator. Parking is limited so all attendees must register for a time slot. Reserve your spot online or call 207.287.2304.

Sterling silver earrings from Maine-based jewelry maker Spirit House are one of the featured items in the What Ya Got There? Appraisal Fair silent auction.

What's Been Going on at the Museum?

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 the early months of 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, and upgrade technology systems.

A sub-contractor cuts steel studs to support new drywall.

The general contractor for this massive renovation project is scheduled to finish in December 2024. 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!

Click here for behind-the-scenes photos

A Tree to Grow in the Lunder Education Center

Exhibit preparator Ryan Walker (left) and exhibit designer Brewster Buttfield (right) smooth and shape plaster “bark” on a white pine tree sculpture planned for the museum’s new Lunder Education Center.

Once completed, painted, and installed, the tree sculpture will be the centerpiece of the museum’s first-ever early learning area. Children will be able to explore inside the tree and out as they are encouraged to think like a scientist, learn about the forest environment, and discover animal and plant habitats.

The area will also feature a colorful background mural and animal sculptures by Maine artist Rebekah Raye, whose work on the project is funded through grants from the Fisher Foundation and Elsie and William Viles Foundation.

Did you miss last month's Roundup? You can always read back issues here.

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