Coming to the Museum on Saturday, November 6th at 11AM

Butch Phillips, Tribal Elder of the Penobscot Indian Nation, will share the art of making a traditional birch bark canoe similar to the one featured in our current In the Maine Stream exhibition. Fascinating for all ages, Phillips' multimedia presentation includes numerous illustrations and a Q&A. In addition to bringing his own handmade 14' birch bark canoe, Phillips will show all the natural materials and canoe-making tools, plus many items used in canoe travel, including handmade etched paddles, pack baskets, birch bark and ash/sweetgrass baskets, a salmon spear, and a Penobscot long hunting bow. Making this event even more special is that Phillips is the great-grandson of Joe Ranco, attributed with making many of the canoes sold at the Indian Canoe Landing in Kennebunkport in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The presentation is free to the public, with donations gratefully accepted.

Made possible by a grant from the Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation.

We're thrilled to announce the debut of our new Heritage Ornament Collection. Each year, we'll be issuing a new expertly-crafted keepsake in the Heritage Ornament Collection to explore and beautifully depict a unique regional theme cherished in our collective memories. The inaugural ornament in the series celebrates Kennebunk's architectural treasures. The Kennebunk Historic District was established by the Town of Kennebunk in 1963, making it the first historic district in the state of Maine. Inclusive of parks, churches, commercial buildings and more than 100 residences, the district is among the only places in the country where--within the span of just a few miles--one can view nearly every major artchitectural style from the 18th through the 20th centuries.

The Museum's 2010 limited edition, custom ornament is made of solid brass, finished with 24 karat gold and screen printed with exquisite colors. In fine detail, the ornament depicts four representative structures within the historic district:  the First Parish Church from 1773, the Brick Store building from 1825, the George Lord Little House built in 1875, and George Bourne's iconic "Wedding Cake" House from 1826. The ornament has been designed, manufactured, and assembled by hand in the U.S.A. by ChemArt Company exclusively for us. On sale for $19.95 through the Museum, the ornament comes with a satin ribbon for hanging and is packaged in an attractive, foil-stamped gift box. Orders may also be placed by calling the museum at 207-985-4802 or downloading an order form from the museum's website (orders placed prior to Oct. 30th will ship the week of Nov. 1st).  All proceeds from the ornament sales directly benefit the Museum's public programs, collections, and exhibitions.

For one day only, all of your favorite southern Maine museum shops will be in one convenient location.  Saturday, November 20, from 9AM to 3PM marks the 5^th Annual Museum Shoppers' Day to take place at the Events on Broadway facility located at 729 Broadway in South Portland.  Participating institutions include us, Maine Audubon Society, Maine Historical Society, Portland Head Light, South Portland Historical Society, the Tate House and more! Shoppers with a cultural flair are sure to find the perfect items ranging from books and posters to music, ornaments, toys, note cards, gift memberships and more. Parking and entry are free, and free gift wrapping is provided.  Get a jump start on your holiday shopping and feel good in knowing that all proceeds directly benefit these participating local heritage institutions.  

Join us on Saturday, November 20th  for TREE HUGGING - Embracing Family Genealogy: Beyond the Basics. This 9AM-12:30PM workshop is geared toward budding genealogists ages teen and up who have gotten past the basics and need help with such "next steps" as analyzing probate; understanding land records; and breaking through the brick wall with timelines and city directories. Come with whatever genealogical "roadblock" is currently puzzling you, and leave with new input and direction. Pre-registration for the workshop is required by November 13th by calling the Museum at 207-985-4802. Cost of $30/person ($25 for current Museum members) includes all materials. The instructor is Pam Stone Eagleson, an award-winning, certified genealogical researcher, writer and teacher with clients nationwide.

Made possible by a grant from The Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation.