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
Family Record of Samuel and Lydia Libby, 1830 - Maine Historical Society Collections
Art of the People: Folk Art in Maine
June 27 through December 30, 2008
For years, people in Maine have made quilts, samplers, rugs, carvings, portraits, and other types of decorative, personal, or useful objects as a way to express their feelings and record important moments in their life - a marriage, a graduation, a death of a loved one. These beautiful and historic artifacts provide a window into our past. The materials they used, their artistic style or technique, and their sense of design are the essence of these wonderful objects, and invite us to explore the dynamic nature of everyday life in Maine.
Art of the People draws from the extensive collections of the Maine Historical Society. Over 70 museum artifacts will be on view, featuring carved powder horns, decorative quilts, finely made samplers, colorful portraits, and other historic paintings. Find out more about this current exhibit.
The exhibit is part of a statewide collaboration of eleven museums that have created the Maine Folk Art Trail and are presenting exhibits of their collections during the summer and fall. Find out more about this current exhibit.
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.