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Want to stay in the loop on upcoming activities? Keep an eye on this page or call us at 207.985.4802 for details, but also consider joining the Museum's electronic mailing list! Our e-newsletter is issued approximately once a month with news you can use! We value your privacy and don't provide email addresses to any third parties, and you may unsubscribe at any time. |
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Through March 31, 2008 If you’re a Kennebunk Savings Bank customer, look for the opportunity to vote for the Brick Store Museum on the bank’s 2008 Community Investment ballot, mailed out with bank statements in February (and special mailings from Kennebunk Savings, Kennebunk Financial Services or their subsidiary, Morris Insurance). Each vote translates to valuable grant money which allows the Museum to continue delivering the quality programs and exhibitions you've come to know and love! Last year, the Museum was awarded a grant of more than $2,000 through this amazing program. Thanks to everyone who cast a vote for the Museum in 2007...we hope we can count on you again in 2008. |
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February 14 - 23, 2008 The Brick Store Museum is pleased to have once again worked with MSAD 71’s Stretch Beyond Program in offering a multi-week course entitled, "Travel Back in Time" for 1st-3rd graders. The students have learned about history and museums via a variety of projects, which included painting floor cloths, exploring Colonial Era costumes, and creating displays for Making History, a mini-exhibition showing that history is being made every day. Making History incorporates personal items that each student has selected as being special to him/her and that could appear in a museum 100 years from now. An opening reception awarding these "junior curators" will take place at 4pm on February 14th at the Museum.
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February 20, 2008 (snow date: February 21) To coincide with the schools’ winter vacation, kids in grades 4 through 8 are invited to spend a fun day at the Museum being "history sleuths" honing their investigative skills and using their powers of deduction. They'll sift through clues from historical records and artifacts in the Museum's collections to piece together the identity and background of an actual person or place from Kennebunk's past. Who or what will it be? Working in groups, the "detectives" will creatively reveal their findings—perhaps as a news broadcast, mini-documentary, or historical reenactment. Whatever format they choose, their presentations will be videotaped and recorded to DVDs as keepsakes of the day. Pre-registration required by February 13. CLICK HERE for the registration form (PDF format, 524k). Cost is $25/child ($20 for Museum members). Made possible by a grant from The Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation.
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February 26 - May 3, 2008 Look through the lens of local portrait photographer Liam Crotty to see the diversity and depth of character and talent found in the Kennebunks. Faces of the Kennebunks features 23 color and black-and-white, large-format images that touch upon the contemporary fabric of the community—whether it’s a popular teacher, longtime volunteer, or former NASCAR champion. |
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March 1, 2008
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March 13, 2008 Presented in association with The Downing Real Estate Agency, Inc., the Museum is pleased to host renowned New England itinerant artist David B. Wiggins for an evening lecture. Wiggins will begin by treating guests to a brief history of period decoration in New England, focusing on the early to mid 19th-century. In addition to himself designing period interiors chronicled in the pages of Decorator Showcase and Classic American Homes and featured in museums, Wiggins has considerable experience in restoring historical residences. He'll round out his evening remarks by highlighting past projects, offering anecdotal and practical insight into working with old houses, and sharing details on his latest endeavor: the restoration of Kennebunk's own Storer Mansion. Lecture admission is by donation; suggested $5/person.
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March 29, 2008 One day only! As a programmatic tie-in with the popular, ongoing Faces of the Kennebunks exhibition, portrait photographer Liam Crotty is giving visitors an opportunity to have their own faces captured by his camera! Crotty will offer a free family portrait sitting at the Museum and provide one complimentary 8 x 10 color photo...that's more than a $125 value! Additional prints may be ordered for a fee, with part of the proceeds coming back to the Museum as a donation. Please call ahead to the Museum at 207.985.4802 to reserve your time slot in advance. Space is limited, so reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis. Sorry, no pets, please. The FACES exhibition and its related programming are sponsored by Kennebunk Savings Bank. |
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April 12 and 26, 2008 The Brick Store Museum is honored to be one of the host venues for a special two-part seminar and primer workshop designed to meet the needs of small museums and historical societies in the region. The seminar is being offered in Kennebunk, Maine, on April 12 and 26 and is co-sponsored by the New England Museum Association (NEMA) and Maine Archives & Museums, with funding provided by the Maine Humanities Council. Pre-registration is required by March 21, 2008. CLICK HERE to learn more and/or to register with NEMA for this program (PDF format, 115k).
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April 19, 2008 You asked; we listened! This workshop was originally run in 2007 just for kids, but adults were so impressed that we've brought it back as an intergenerational, hands-on program for participants ages 7 to 107. Reverse painting on glass is an interesting and popular art form dating back many centuries, frequently appearing as miniatures or as decorative inlays on pieces such as clocks. The artist’s “canvas” is the glass itself, and the artist works in reverse. Fine details are applied first. Layer by layer, the image fills in, with the background painted last. Participants will view examples from the Museum's collections and will then be able to choose from five different designs (based upon actual Brick Store Museum artifacts!) to create their very own reverse painting on glass. Cost is $15 per person ($12 for museum members). Pre-registration is required by April 12. Click here for the downloadable registration form (PDF format, 353k) > Made possible by a grant from The Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation.
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April 19, 2008 The Museum is normally open 10AM-1PM on Saturdays, but on this particular Saturday, the Museum will have extended hours until 3PM, and from 1 to 3PM, visitors will have a chance to meet the real faces of the Kennebunks. To complement the ongoing Faces of the Kennebunks exhibition, many of the actual portrait subjects will be on hand to greet visitors and answer questions. Visitors during this timeframe will also receive a special, complimentary commemorative card with a collage of the portrait subjects. Don't miss this opportunity to meet area contemporaries who are making history! The FACES exhibition and its related programming are sponsored by Kennebunk Savings Bank. |
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May 1, 2008 In conjunction with the Faces of the Kennebunks exhibition, portrait photographer and Kennebunk resident Liam Crotty is offering a free 90-minute seminar at the Museum on the basics of fine photographic portraiture. He'll be introducing such concepts as lighting, composition, background and pose. Attendees are asked to bring along one printed portrait snapshot they've taken to be used in discussion. The workshop is complimentary, but space is limited and pre-registration is required; please call ahead to the Brick Store Museum at 207.985.4802 to reserve your spot. The FACES exhibition and its related programming are sponsored by Kennebunk Savings Bank.
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May 3, 2008 In conjunction with the 10th Annual Kennebunk Downtown May Day Festival, the Museum is pleased to offer:
Click here for the full May Day schedule (PDF format, 698k) >
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May 10, 2008 at the Maine Historical Society In 1987, a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities made possible an unprecedented study of southern Maine's contributions to the social, cultural, and economic history of America in the period 1780-1830. The Brick Store Museum, Maine Historical Society, Old York Historical Society and the Saco Museum joined forces to produce a definitive catalogue entitled, Agreeable Situations, and an exhibition by the same name. Now--21 years later--it's "Agreeable Situations revisited," and the original principals have reunited to organize and present at the Maine Historical Society a day-long symposium on the very themes that launched Agreeable Situations into the spotlight more than two decades ago.
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May 27 - October 18, 2008 Celebrate the arrival of warmer weather with The Brick Store Museum’s Fanfare for Summer display. This history showcase presents fifteen fans from around the world, dating back more than two centuries. These unique fans are patriotic, colorful, commemorative, feathered, and bedazzled; don’t miss your chance to see the fans and learn about their history as breeze makers, fashion accessories, and secret signalers. |
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June 2, 2008 at Webhannet Golf Club, Kennebunk Beach Enjoy an afternoon of golf and camaraderie at Webhannet Golf Club for the Museum’s annual fundraiser. There'll be prizes for the golfers, and a raffle, silent auction and fabled post-tournament social hour and catered dinner for golfers and non-golfers alike. Now accepting sponsorships and team registrations. Visit the tournament website >
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June 4-8, 2008 Arts in the Inns 2008 pairs palates with palettes and celebrates fine food, fine wine, fine art, and fine living. This 4th annual jubilee showcases art in many mediums, from watercolor to sculpture, from culinary arts to the art of inn keeping. It all begins with dinners with artists and private chefs, proceeds to a Champagne Preview and Twilight Soiree, then moves on to artists in residence showings, a Plein Air Invitational, and inns tours...all before concluding with notable donations to selected local charities (including The Brick Store Museum)!
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June 17, 2008 at The Colony Hotel, Kennebunkport Open to all Museum members, the Annual Meeting will include an official report to the members, election of trustees and officers for 2008-2009, and the formal conclusion of the Capital Campaign, Connecting Generations: Building a Better Future for Preserving the Past. |
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July 1, 2008 - ongoing The Brick Store Museum is gearing up to temporarily move some of its collections to offsite storage in anticipation of structural restoration work on its historical buildings. Rather than pack the museum's works of fine art that are in ornate and delicate gilded frames, we have opted instead to exhibit as many as possible in our upstairs gallery. This installation is entitled, Salon Style, so named for the stacked display format made popular by private collectors of the 18th and 19th centuries to showcase their holdings. Made possible by the following proud Business Partners: Jeffrey A. Bonney, CFP®, Captain Lord Mansion, and Ocean Bank.
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July 19, 2008 Calling all kids ages 8 to 13, our 5th annual History Camp is like no other! One-of-a-kind camp activities are developed especially for this day and are based upon the Museum's current Fanfare for Summer, Mailed from Maine, and Living Little exhibitions. That means decorating a folding fan and learning how to use it as a secret signaler; creating an oversized vintage-style postcard to rival any in the Museum's collections; and designing and outfitting a museum in miniature! Best of all, kids get to take home their projects as mementos of the day. Space is limited. Pre-registration and payment required by July 12. Cost of $30/child ($25 for Museum members) includes a nutritious snack and all program supplies. Made possible by the Museum's Dorothy Fish Fund for Furthering Edith Barry's Legacy Click here for full details and downloadable registration form (PDF format, 427k) >
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July 22, 2008 - ongoing From plaything to family heirloom, dollhouses have long captured the imaginations of young and old. Let yours run wild amidst this selection of not-so-small wonders both from the Museum and on loan from private collections. With architecture rivaling that of Kennebunk’s historic district, these miniature structures will fascinate visitors for their beauty, creativity and attention to detail. Among the pieces sure to delight are a log cabin, a grand Victorian, a small-scale replica of Kennebunkport’s South Congregational Church, and a general store that would look right at home on Main Street Kennebunk at the turn of the century. Also on view will be house models by early Kennebunk architect William Barry (1846-1932) and a scale model of the historic gates to Kennebunk’s Hope Cemetery. Made possible by the following proud Business Partners: Jeffrey A. Bonney, CFP®, Captain Lord Mansion, and Ocean Bank. |
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August 3, 2008 |
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September 25, 2008 In 1824-1825, the aging American Revolutionary War hero General Lafayette made a farewell tour of all 24 United States. He was greeted by throngs of adoring Americans at every stop, including in Kennebunk in 1825. Lafayette's private secretary Auguste Levasseur chronicled the voyage in a journal published in French in 1829. Today, thanks to Alan R. Hoffman, the first unabridged English translation of Levasseur's journal is enjoying renewed acclaim. Passionate about American history and Lafayette, Hoffman will speak about this epic project and recount Lafayette's historic voyage, with particular detail given to his stops in New Hampshire and southern Maine. The lecture and book signing are free of charge with donations gratefully accepted. Hardcover copies of the book Lafayette in America will be on sale at the event for $30. Made possible by the Museum's John Rogers Memorial Lecture Fund.
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September 27, 2008 Museum Day is a nationwide event where The Brick Store Museum—among hundreds of participating museums and cultural institutions nationwide —is pleased to offer free admission to Smithsonian readers and Smithsonian.com visitors, allowing for one day only, the free-admission policy of the Smithsonian's Washington, D.C.-based facilities to be emulated across the country. Museum Day is open to all Smithsonian readers and friends. Participants must present the Museum Day Admission Card available in the September 2008 issue of Smithsonian Magazine or downloadable from the Museum Day website. Each Museum Day Admission Card is valid for one person plus one guest and is limited to one per household. The Brick Store Museum will be open as always to the general public on this day as well. |
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October 19, 2008 in the Museum's Program Center at 4 Dane Street Two Old Friends perform a live matinee concert you won't want to miss! Mac McHale and Emery Hutchins, original founders of Northeast Winds, are once again delighting audiences young and old with music from Ireland, the mountains, and the sea. With banjo, guitar, mandolin, concertina, bodran, octave mandolin, and Made possible by a grant from The Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation.
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October 18, 2008 - ongoing Weeping veils, intricate hair wreaths, funerary paintings and lockets help illustrate traditional mourning customs of the 1800s. See a full mourning dress, an extraordinary letter linked to one of the most shocking and tragic moments in American history, and much more. The History Showcase is made possible by the following proud Business Partners: Jeffrey A. Bonney, CFP®, Captain Lord Mansion, Ocean Bank, and Captain Jefferds Inn.
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October 21, 2008 - ongoing The Museum is the steward of hundreds of photographs, documents, and artifacts that record our area’s business heritage from the earliest days to the present. Commercial ephemera spanning the past 200 years is the subject of our latest History Showcase. Business cards, advertising pieces, brochures, products and packaging speak to the diversity of industries that have called the Kennebunks their headquarters. The History Showcase is made possible by the following proud Business Partners: Jeffrey A. Bonney, CFP®, Captain Lord Mansion, Ocean Bank, and Captain Jefferds Inn.
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October 23, 2008 The Brick Store Museum is pleased to have once again worked with MSAD 71’s Stretch Beyond Program in offering a multi-week course entitled, "Hands on History" for 2nd-5th graders. The students learned about history and museums via a variety of projects, which included painting floor cloths, building ship models, exploring Colonial Era games, and creating miniature museums in the spirit of the Museum's ongoing Living Little exhibition. The final session includes a reception at the Museum at 4pm for these "junior curators." Come on by to take a look at all their projects on display.
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October 25, 2008 Begin at the Museum for a narrated walk with costumed interpreters through Hope Cemetery to visit the graves and hear the fascinating and sometimes tragic tales of Kennebunk residents from the past 250 years. The tours offered at 2PM and again at 4PM conclude back at the Museum for light refreshments and for viewing the portraits in the galleries of those featured on the walk. Cost is $5/person (cash/check/Visa, MC, Discover); no advance reservations are required unless for large groups. This event will occur rain or shine as an alternate, indoor version is available in case of inclement weather. Made possible by a grant from The Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation. Additional support from Blooms & Heirlooms. |
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November 1, 2008 The MINI Series is a special, month-long tie-in with the museum's ongoing exhibition, Living Little: A Selection of Dollhouses & Architectural Models. The series kicks off with six area miniaturists displaying and selling their wares, answering questions, and even demonstrating how to make mini hooked rugs and true-to-life punched flowers! Exhibitors include All Through the House (Amy Robinson); Crow Hill Bears (Sharon Soule); The Loft (Caroline Pierce); Pocket People (Mary White); Minor Details (Julie Suchecki); and Renee Bowen Miniatures (Renee Bowen). With Shaker furniture, 1"-tall jointed teddy bears, tiny lobster traps, porcelain dolls and more, this is one session you won't want to miss! The MINI Series is open to the public and free with museum admission.
View the poster for the series (454k PDF) >
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November 8, 2008 The MINI Series continues as a tie-in with the ongoing Living Little exhibition! Local miniatures enthusiast Nancy Marcotte showcases fabulous room boxes she has created over the years, inspired by her travels here and abroad. Whether it's a baroque sitting room or a decorator kitchen, no two room boxes in her personal collection are alike. Come explore this fascinating facet of the miniatures hobby! The MINI Series is open to the public and free with museum admission.
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November 8, 2008 Well-known musician Monica Grabin joins forces with the Brick Store Museum to present a free public concert at Huntington Common in honor of Veterans' Day weekend. Grabin's stirring performance traces American history in the World War I era through song, pairing her signature folk music with imagery from the Brick Store Museum’s collection of World War I recruitment and morale posters--said to be the most extensive in the State of Maine. The concert is offered at no charge, but please RSVP attendance by Nov. 3 to 207-985-2810 (the Huntington Common Concierge). Made possible by a grant from The Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation.
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November 15, 2008 Part 3 of The MINI Series features collectors Marcia and Malte Lukas, who fashion "excess baggage" into one-of-a-kind boutiques and residences for their amazing "Traveltown," recently written up in American Miniaturist magazine! From the Pet Hotel to the Bachelor Pad, each luggage home has a whimsical and charming story. The Lukases will be on hand to delight visitors with several of their pieces, including their newest addition: a retirement home for pardoned Thanksgiving Day turkeys! The MINI Series is open to the public and free with museum admission. |
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November 15, 2008 The upcoming holiday season will be filled with family gatherings, and conversations often turn to family history. Have you ever been curious about your ancestors but don’t know how to begin finding out more about them? This workshop is great for beginners ages teen and up and presents a basic step-by-step introduction to the genealogical research process—organizing facts, collecting family information, researching records, and evaluating the findings. Pre-registration is required by November 8 by calling the museum at 207-985-4802. Cost of $25/person ($20 for members) includes all materials, plus a behind-the-scenes look at the Museum’s own archives. The instructor is Pam Stone Eagleson, an award-winning, certified genealogical researcher, writer and teacher with clients nationwide.
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November 22, 2008 The MINI Series concludes with James Hastrich and Linda LaRoche, small-scale furniture makers of Kennebunk. See samples of their highly detailed work and witness the steps that go into transforming full-size antiques into museum-quality replicas in miniature. The MINI Series is open to the public and free with museum admission.
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December 3, 2008 With our Living Little miniatures exhibition as the backdrop, we are pleased to offer a special story time for our "littlest" guests. Gather 'round to listen to two charming storybooks, each with a dollhouse or museum theme, and then have a chance to explore the dollhouses (many of which are newly decorated for the holidays!) and play "I Spy" in the exhibition. Some of the books featured will also be available for purchase, and young readers can take home dollhouse-themed booklists specially prepared by Kennebunk Free Library staff. Free and great fun for parents and toddlers, it's the perfect introduction to the Museum! Adult supervision required.
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December 7, 2008 Just in time for the holidays, this 3rd annual event is sure to get you into the spirit of the season! Those interested in donating a wreath by December 2nd should CLICK HERE for the entry form and all the particulars (PDF format,412k).
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December 10, 2008 With our Living Little miniatures exhibition as the backdrop, we are pleased to offer a special story time for our "littlest" guests. Gather 'round to listen to two charming storybooks, each with a dollhouse or museum theme, and then have a chance to explore the dollhouses (many of which are newly decorated for the holidays!) and play "I Spy" in the exhibition. Some of the books featured will also be available for purchase, and young readers can take home dollhouse-themed booklists specially prepared by Kennebunk Free Library staff. Free and great fun for parents and toddlers, it's the perfect introduction to the Museum! Adult supervision required.
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December 14, 2008 Continue a holiday tradition with the Museum's Annual Holiday Tea on Summer Street! The Museum invites families to enjoy a sumptuous afternoon tea with a rare look inside the Charles Thompson House, an exquisite Greek Revival home dating to 1846. Learn a bit about tea, etiquette customs, and the history of this unique venue. Advance reservations are required by December 6. Cost is $15 for adults; $7.50 for children; ($12 and $6 for Museum members). Kids under 4 are free. All proceeds directly benefit the Museum’s programs and exhibitions. Click here for a downloadable registration form (PDF format, 41k) > Made possible by a grant from The Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation.
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This event is SOLD OUT. Note: The Holiday Tea was unaffected by the recent ice storm and will go on as planned, as the venue does have electricity. We look forward to seeing you! |
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December 17, 2008 With our Living Little miniatures exhibition as the backdrop, we are pleased to offer a special story time for our "littlest" guests. Gather 'round to listen to two charming storybooks, each with a dollhouse or museum theme, and then have a chance to explore the dollhouses (many of which are newly decorated for the holidays!) and play "I Spy" in the exhibition. Some of the books featured will also be available for purchase, and young readers can take home dollhouse-themed booklists specially prepared by Kennebunk Free Library staff. Free and great fun for parents and toddlers, it's the perfect introduction to the Museum! Adult supervision required.
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December 18, 2008 The Brick Store Museum is pleased to have once again worked with MSAD 71’s Stretch Beyond Program in offering a multi-week course entitled, "Hands on History" for 1st-5th graders. The students learned about history and museums via a variety of projects, which included building ship models, exploring Colonial Era games, making books, and creating miniature museums in the spirit of the Museum's ongoing Living Little exhibition. The final session includes a reception at the Museum at 4pm for these "junior curators." Come on by to take a look at all their projects on display. |
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