Brick Store Museum

Lecture: "A Million Trees: Shipbuilding in the Kennebunks"
2024-08-07 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Brick Store Museum, 117 Main Street, Kennebunk, ME, 04043, United States
Explore Kennebunk’s seafaring heritage with this lecture by Joe Mulqueen! Kennebunk and Kennebunkport were well-known for their shipbuilding prowess in the 18th and 19th centuries. The shipyards along the Kennebunk River launched 400 ships during the century, with vessels sailing to far away ports across the world. Investigate what it took to build a vessel! Joe’s talk will explore the skills and processes of timber frame shipbuilding.
After the lecture, explore the Museum’s newest Bauman Gallery exhibit, “A Ship’s Story,” now on view!
This lecture is FREE and open to the public thanks to the support of Kennebunk Savings Bank (a bank that started due to the local maritime economy!).
RSVP below so we know you’re coming!

Storytelling Night: Cookie Davis
2024-08-15 19:00 - 20:30
Cookie Davis, a beloved local artist and laborer, is featured in the Brick Store Museum’s current exhibition, “Bold Visions: The Folk Art of Collyer Bowen and Cookie Davis.” Born Colman Davis before her transition to Dominique London in later life – nicknamed “Cookie” by friends and neighbors – she was well-known in the Kennebunks, and particularly Cape Porpoise.
Because so many in the community knew her, the Brick Store Museum is hosting a Community Story Sharing Night, welcoming participants to come and share stories and memories of Cookie to be forever held in the Museum’s archives. This free event will actively collect oral histories as told by participants, who will discuss these stories in an informal group setting in the Museum’s gallery, facilitated by Sean Driscoll of BBsquared and Cynthia Walker, the Museum’s director.

All Souls' Walk
2024-10-26 12:00 - 15:00
The Brick Store Museum’s All Souls’ Walk began its annual Hallowmas season tradition 21 years ago this year, with a guided walk through neighboring Hope Cemetery. Join us this year to revisit old friends and hear NEW tales from the past honoring their lives and stories.

The All Souls’ Walk invites participants into Hope Cemetery & Woods, led by a knowledgeable tour guide, to “meet” the ghosts of Kennebunk’s past and learn about the lives of residents that came before us.

Stories and experiences range from funny, to sad, to passionate, to mystifying. Not too spooky, it’s the perfect Halloween activity for the whole family. The tour lasts about 75 minutes, and covers roughly a 1/2 mile through the cemetery.

Presented with our Mission Partners at: Maine Community Bank

This tour SELLS OUT. For those wanting to ensure they are in a tour group with friends and family, please purchase your tickets together. The Museum will not be able to “add” you to a sold-out tour (even if the rest of your party is already signed up). The maximum tour size is 20 people. Adding more attendees to any tour decreases the experience for everyone. Thank you for understanding.
Please Note: We are aware that ticket emails are not being received by many purchasers. As we work to resolve this, please rest assured that if you do not receive an email confirmation of your purchase, as long as your card has been charged for the purchase, your name is on our list and you do not need to do anything further (except come to the event!).

Taste of Traditions!
2024-12-14 10:00 - 14:00
The Festival of Traditions features a pop-up exhibition, a Smartphone holiday history tour, and a “Taste of Traditions!” event on Saturday, December 14 from 10am – 2pm.
The “Taste of Traditions!” event will feature a cookie tasting from desserts around the world associated with historic Kennebunk people who immigrated from varied parts of the world in the early 20th century. During the event, Paul & Sally Wells will play Christmas fiddle tunes and local immigrant stories will be told. The event is free to Members and $5 per person (free under age 12).
The Festival of Traditions exhibit will be on display through December 21, joining the new exhibition “Timeless Play: A Century of Holiday Toys” and the upcoming 2nd Annual Gingerbread House Display, on view December 17 – 21. There is plenty to explore at the Museum this holiday season!

Punch Needle Workshop: Discover Two Styles
2025-01-28 10:00 - 12:00
Explore the art of punch needle embroidery in this hands-on workshop! You’ll learn to create beautiful textures using two techniques: the Oxford Punch with yarns and the Ultra Punch (or Russian Punch) with DMC and Valdani threads.
Punching mimics the look of hand-hooked and embroidered work—but it’s easier! If you can hold a pencil, you can punch.
This session focuses on learning and experimentation rather than completing a set project. The class includes materials to practice both styles, such as yarns, threads, monk’s cloth for the Oxford Punch, and weaver’s cloth for the Ultra Punch. Tools, hoops, and scissors will be available for use during class and can be purchased separately.
Instructor: Lisanne Miller

No-Glue Woolly Wreath: Valentine’s Edition
2025-02-03 17:00 - 19:00
Celebrate love and creativity with this no-glue woolly wreath workshop! Using soft wool, a wire frame, and a festive bow, you’ll craft a charming Valentine’s wreath perfect for hanging or using as a table centerpiece.
Once you master this simple technique, you’ll want to make wreaths for every season! No experience is needed—just bring your creativity and love for the season.
Instructor: Lisanne Miller
Min:4
Max: 8

At Home, At War, At Sea: Interpreting & Understanding Historic Experiences
2025-02-27 18:00 - 19:30
Join the Brick Store Museum for a Discussion Series! Using Maine Humanities Council’s Discussion Project program as a framework, gather with community members to read and discuss historic letters and diaries from the archives of the Brick Store Museum. This program seeks to engage our community in connections with the past and with each other.
This year, our program convenes (via ZOOM) for three sessions on February 27, March 13, and April 10, all from 6:00pm to 7:30pm (until 8:00pm on the final session). Participants should expect to attend all three sessions. This series is facilitated by Dr. Libby Bischof, Maine Humanities Council Facilitator, Executive Director of the Osher Map Library, and Professor of History at the University of Southern Maine.
The theme for our shared readings in “At Home, At War, At Sea: Interpreting & Understanding Historic Experiences,” which will feature three different diaries and collections of letters that show diverse perspectives of lives in the 19th century, all written by Kennebunk inhabitants. This series lets participants dive into local history and its people through reading first-hand accounts of life 150 years ago, to discuss (like a book group!) with peers and react in real time. This program takes place via Zoom so participants can read and discuss from the comfort of their homes.
Participants will be mailed printed copies of the archival documents and will also receive them digitally (via email). All those who register prior to February 10th will receive their printed packet in the mail prior to our first meeting. Should you register after this date, you may not receive your packet in time for the first session (everyone will receive PDF copies to you email, so you’ll still get the readings!).
Participants will receive Zoom links to each session one week prior to the start date.
Thanks to support from the Maine Humanities Council, this program is free, with registration required.

This program is limited to 16 attendees. We have started a Waiting List. If you are interested in joining the list to be made aware of our next opportunity, please email info@brickstoremuseum.org.

CPAA Winter Forum: Current Trends in Archaeology
2025-03-01 13:00 - 16:30
The Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance (CPAA) presents its third annual Winter Forum, with the 2025 theme Current Trends in Archaeology: Working in Southern Maine. On Saturday, March 1, CPAA Principal Investigator Tim Spahr will lead a series of speakers to explore current work in Southern Maine and answer audience questions. This forum is intended for general audiences and those particularly interested in New England archaeology and archaeology education.
The half-day forum will include complimentary snacks and beverages, running from 1pm – 4:30pm with the following lineup of presenters:

Professor Arthur Anderson, PhD, Associate Teaching Professor of Archaeology, University of New England
Gabriella Calabia, Undergraduate at Columbia University and CPAA Intern
Benjamin Smith, CPAA member and editor of the Maine Archaeological Society Newsletter
Tim Spahr, Principal Investigator of the Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance

Registration: $20 per person, with funds supporting the work of the Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance.

Just History Website Launch
2025-03-26 19:00 - 20:00
The Just History Project website, a powerful tool aimed at documenting the often-overlooked histories of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in Kennebunk and the surrounding towns of Wells, Kennebunkport and Arundel, will soon be launched by the Brick Store Museum. It can be found on the Museum’s website.
A free, public launch of the Database, with a presentation about its use, is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26 at 7pm.

April Early Release Student Workshop
2025-04-02 13:00 - 15:00
Get ready to welcome spring with a fun and creative needle felting class! In this hands-on workshop, kids will learn the basics of needle felting while crafting colorful spring garlands. This beginner-friendly activity is perfect for encouraging creativity and fine motor skills in a safe, supportive environment. All materials are provided

The Art of Iceland: An Evening with Bruce McMillan
2025-04-23 18:00 - 19:30
In this special presentation co-hosted by the Brick Store Museum and the Art Guild of the Kennebunks, artist Bruce McMillan will speak on Icelandic art and noted Icelandic artists. He will have on display original works from his collection of more than 50 Icelandic paintings and sculptures, along with Iceland art books from his collection.
The Museum’s founder, Edith Barry, was a world traveler and part of her mission in creating the Museum was to bring the world to Kennebunk.
Bruce is a member of the Icelandic Watercolor Society. He had a two-person watercolor show in Reykjavik with his Icelandic watercolor friend, Oskar Thorarensen, Reykjavik and Beyond in 2022. His own honored 45 children’s books include seven set in Iceland, two of them featuring paintings by Icelandic artist, Gunnella, their first one a NY Times Ten Best Illustrated Children’s Books of the year. He has photo-illustrated and written two books published in Iceland. Bruce has been traveling to and around Iceland for over thirty years. An incoming Iceland passport control officer said when inspecting his passport, “Remember me?” And he did.
Bruce McMillan graduated from Kennebunk High School and the University of Maine. After a fortunate career in publishing, producing 45 photo-illustrated children’s’ books, two adult humor books in the US and two more books in Iceland, Bruce moved on to painting watercolors for the past twelve years. Two of his watercolors are in the Brick Store Museum collection.
This presentation is free and open to the public, and will take place in the Brick Store Museum’s Program Center at 4 Dane Street. Donations welcome!

Oral History Training Workshop
2025-05-31 09:30 - 12:30
This workshop is designed to introduce potential oral history practitioners to the fundamentals of conducting a life-course oral history. Participants will learn how to identify interviewees, conduct pre-interview research, and prepare for meaningful and professional oral histories. The session will cover best practices for conducting oral history interviews and ensuring the ethical and responsible documentation of personal narratives.
Throughout the workshop, participants will explore key interviewing techniques, including how to create a comfortable environment, ask open-ended questions, and engage narrators in sharing rich and detailed accounts of their experiences. Practical aspects of recording best practices will also be addressed, with guidance on selecting equipment, recording remotely or in person, and organizing recorded materials for preservation and access.
Legal and ethical considerations will be discussed in depth, including issues of privacy, copyright, and the responsibilities of oral historians in handling sensitive content. Participants will receive samples of necessary forms and documents to facilitate their own oral history projects. By the end of the session, attendees will have the foundational knowledge and confidence to conduct oral history interviews within their local communities independently.
Complimentary snacks and beverages provided.
The Brick Store Museum’s Oral History Program is looking for volunteer interviewers! If you would like to join the team, please consider taking this course. If you are a current Museum Volunteer, please register via the STUDENT rate for a complimentary registration.
The Workshop will be taught by Molly Graham, a professional oral historian and radio documentarian. She trained at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies in Portland, Maine. She has her master’s degree in Library Science and Archives Management from Simmons College in Boston. Molly is the former director of the oral history program at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and Assistant Director of the Rutgers Oral History Archives. In 2013, she co-founded Oral History & Folklife Research, Inc., with the mission of preserving the stories, voices, and cultural traditions of Maine and beyond. Currently, she is the oral historian for NOAA’s Voices Oral History Archives, where she collects, preserves and curates oral histories documenting historical environmental change and its impacts on fisheries, oceans and coasts.

LEGO Build Workshop
2025-06-21 12:00 - 13:30
Build, explore and get creative with Maine LEGO artist Colby Adolphsen! Colby’s newest creation: a LEGO model of the Museum itself will be revealed later this summer!
This free event invites visitors of all ages to enjoy the art of building. Stations will be set up for participants to join in building structures and environments.
Colby’s LEGO artistry will be on display later this summer with the “Brick by Brick: The Art of LEGO” exhibition of three-dimensional LEGO models, opening August 2, 2025.

Admission to the LEGO Build is FREE. Please RSVP below for planning purposes.

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Seeking donations of Legos!
Do you have unused LEGOs? Consider donating them to the Museum! Donations of new or gently-used LEGOs can be dropped off at the Museum’s Welcome Desk anytime the Museum is open in return for a donation letter that can be claimed as a tax deduction. Email Joyce Schnaars, Museum Educator, at jschnaars@brickstoremuseum.org with questions or donations.

Lafayette's Visit to Kennebunk: Bicentennial Event
2025-06-24 15:00 - 17:00
What it is:
The American Friends of Lafayette present an elaborate national tour commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Farewell Tour of the Marquis de Lafayette, one of the last surviving generals of the American Revolution. In response to France’s alliance with the American colonies to fight the British, Lafayette arrived in America in 1777 to serve alongside the colonists. In 1824, President James Monroe invited Lafayette to return to the United States as the nation’s guest, where he visited all 24 states in the union. He is sometimes known as “The Hero of the Two Worlds” for his accomplishments in the service of both France and the United States.

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Beginning in August 2024, a thirteen-month bicentennial celebration of Lafayette’s triumphant return tour of the United States kicked off in New York City. During the next thirteen months, the tour will follow Lafayette’s footsteps through the then-existing 24 states in the exact order he traveled in 1824 and 1825. To learn more about the entire route, visit the American Friends of Lafayette.

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Following the schedule of June 24, 1825, The Marquis de Lafayette (living history actor) will be visiting Kennebunk at 3:00pm on June 24, 2025!

The schedule is below:

Tuesday, June 24, 2025:

THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE INDOORS due to the excessive heat.

3:00pm: Join the Brick Store Museum at 117 Main Street to enjoy lemonade and cookies, and a pop-up exhibit as we await Lafayette’s arrival

3:30pm: The Marquis de Lafayette will make an historic speech to the crowd and meet & greet visitors.

4:30pm: Assemble in the second story windows of the Brick Store Museum for a photo with Lafayette! In 1825, workers constructing the Brick Store waived out these same windows as Lafayette rode past on his way to Biddeford.

This is a free event open to the entire community. Come welcome Lafayette with us!

Community Story Share: Cape Porpoise's Cookie Davis
2025-09-07 11:30 - 12:30
The Church on the Cape is now home to a striking temporary mural celebrating the life and legacy of “Cookie” Davis, a cherished local artist and laborer recently highlighted in the Brick Store Museum’s 2024 exhibition Bold Visions. The mural originally hung on the outside of the Museum during the exhibition, but now the mural lives on as a traveling artwork that can appear in various familiar locations in the coming years. The mural will be on display at this current location until mid-October.

Born Colman Davis and later known as Dominique London, Davis was affectionately nicknamed “Cookie” by friends and neighbors. She was a well-known figure throughout the Kennebunks, especially in Cape Porpoise, where her creativity, warmth, and hard work left a lasting impact on the community.

To honor her memory, the Church on the Cape, in partnership with the Brick Store Museum, will host a Community Story Sharing Event on Sunday, September 7, from 11:30am to 12:30pm (following Sunday service) at the Church, located at 3 Langsford Road in Cape Porpoise. This free gathering invites friends, neighbors, and community members to share personal stories and memories of Cookie in an informal, welcoming group setting. This event is rain or shine. There will be Cookie Davis artwork on display for the event.

The oral histories shared will be recorded and preserved in the Brick Store Museum’s archives, ensuring that Cookie’s legacy and the voices of her community live on for future generations. All are welcome to participate. To RSVP, please reply using the button below.

Family Fright at Our Museum
2025-10-18 10:30 - 13:00
Family Fright at Our Museum occurs alongside HarvestFest on Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 10:30am – 12:30pm.
Trick-or-Treat around the Museum!
Artists featured in our “Eerie, Uncanny, Remarkable” contemporary exhibition will gather to meet and greet; spooky, local tales will be told in our “OceanWorld” gallery (11:30am); a Halloween craft for kids (and kids at heart!); and from 10:30am-12:30pm, there will be Trick-or-Treat stations throughout our five-building complex (it’s your chance to see behind the scenes at the Museum!)! Costumes are encouraged as you go on the treat tour of the Museum with your treat bucket!
Admission for Family Fright is by donation, with a suggested $5 for adults, $2.50 for ages 10–18, and free for children under 10. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
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Please register in advance so we can accurately gauge treat numbers!

All Souls' Walk
2025-10-25 12:00 - 15:00
This event is SOLD OUT!

Hear about more events like this by signing up for our newsletter, or join us in December for Holiday in History at the historic home of Captain Nathaniel Lord Thompson.

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The Brick Store Museum’s All Souls’ Walk began its annual Halloween season tradition 22 years ago this year, with a guided walk through neighboring Hope Cemetery. Join us this year to revisit old friends and hear new tales from the past honoring their lives and stories.

The All Souls’ Walk invites participants into Hope Cemetery & Woods, led by a knowledgeable tour guide, to “meet” the ghosts of Kennebunk’s past and learn about the lives of residents that came before us.

Stories and experiences range from funny, to sad, to passionate, to mystifying. Not too spooky, it’s the perfect Halloween activity for the whole family. The tour lasts about 75 minutes, and covers roughly a 1/2 mile through the cemetery.

Presented by Maine Community Bank and special support by Tracey Bricker, State Farm Insurance Agent

The Just History Walk
2025-11-08 12:30 - 18:00
The Just History Walk: Stories Between the Mousam and Kennebunk Rivers
Saturday, November 8, 2025 | 12:30 – 6:00 pm
Beginning at Rogers Pond Park, 49 Water St, Kennebunk
Ending at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 114 Main St, Kennebunk
The lower Kennebunk and Mousam River watershed region has provided people with homes and sustenance for more than ten thousand years. We know something about them from over 400 years of written history, and through oral traditions and artifacts that date back much farther. But the historical narratives, signs, and portraits that we most commonly encounter represent only a small glimpse of the tapestry woven here in this place over the centuries. While the lives of sea captains and soldiers, farmers and factory owners, bankers and builders are made visible throughout town, those of many others remain hidden from view.
The Just History Walk is not about the men traditionally credited with building the wealth reflected in the homes and businesses along Main Street and Summer Street. Rather, it’s about bringing stories of people who also shaped this community but whose contributions have been erased to the foreground, including:

Wabanaki people who inhabited this land for millennia
People of African heritage who were kidnapped and transported here
Enslaved people throughout the “New World” whose labor was the basis for much of the town’s wealth

In walking together, we’ll meet:
Ramanascho ✭ Shepard Bourn ✭ Richard Hill ✭ Phillis ✭ Tom Bassett ✭ Lucy Nicolar ✭ Primus Goodale ✭ Salem Bourne ✭ Scipio Black ✭ Joseph Ranco ✭ and others
Along the route, selected stories shared by presenters—together with performances, artwork, crafts, and artifacts—will offer opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to reflect on both what we now know about the diverse community that lived here and what remains unknown. What do these gaps and silences tell us about how history has been told?
At the conclusion, we will gather to collectively weave what we have gleaned and build connections over a meal that celebrates the ancient Indigenous roots of this community. Together, we will confront the suffering created when land and people are treated as property, and celebrate the resilience that persists when we honor our ties to land, waterways, wildlife, and each other.

This event is a collaboration between The Just History Project, The Brick Store Museum, and the Walks for Historical & Ecological Recovery (WHERE), a series convened by Atlantic Black Box. Other sponsors include First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Kennebunk and Octopus Books. This initiative is funded in part by the Mellon Foundation, Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust, Maine Humanities Council, Maine Community Foundation, Sewall Foundation, and by generous donors.
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TO REGISTER, please visit the WHERE WALKS website HERE>>

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Special Note on Museum Programs:
This program is not a place for intolerance or personal statement-making. The Museum is a space to listen, explore, and understand experiences other than our own. Participants who are unable to uphold these values are asked to simply refrain from attending.

Seminar: “Moving Forward, Past and Future: The LGBTQ+ Community”
2025-11-12 18:00 - 19:30
This seminar will examine the differing ideas of government that have troubled democracy in the United States through time, and how we have landed where we are in the present, as members of a marginalized community. It will identify root causes of our current trajectory, and why it’s happened. It will also offer pragmatic examples of what can be done to safeguard democratic principles and practices, how individuals can detect ideas and practices of authoritarianism, and protect LGBTQ+ people.
The seminar is about an hour and a half, and the last half-hour (time allowing) will be reserved for discussion. This is a learning opportunity, and reasoned, civil participation is an expectation.

This presentation is free and open to the public. Please register below so we know you’re coming!

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Special Note on Museum Programs:
This program is not a place for intolerance or personal statement-making. The Museum is a space to listen, explore, and understand experiences other than our own. Participants who are unable to uphold these values are asked to simply refrain from attending.

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About the Presenter:
Christine Caulfield retired from teaching public high school after twenty-four years, having taught American Studies, World History, AP European History, and an elective titled Power and Privilege, a course examining the roots of the same in American society. She is a veteran, having served five years active duty in the United States’ Marine Corps, and seven in the reserves. She a proud parent of two daughters, and grandparent of four wonderful grandkids, a world traveler, and ardent reader and researcher of a variety of topics related to current issues and politics. Her most recent volunteer experience was as a volunteer at Maine Transgender Network for over seven years, facilitating support groups for transgender individuals over 35, running workshops and training in a variety of public and professional settings, and acting as board treasurer. In 2022, her testimony was key in the passage of a name change bill into law, protecting the identities of Maine citizens from discrimination and harassment when seeking to change their name. This law protects not only transgender citizens, but also those seeking refuge from domestic violence and stalkers. Additionally, she is the board secretary for Greater Portland Health, a major Portland area health provider dedicated to providing care for marginalized communities of the unhoused/homeless, immigrants and asylum seekers, and the queer community, with a staff of over two hundred providers and practitioners serving over 16,000 patients. She believes in the transformative power of education and critical analysis, and welcomes every opportunity for these presentations and discussions.

A Christmas Carol
2025-11-23 17:00 - 19:00
This holiday season, immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Charles Dickens’s beloved tale, “A Christmas Carol,” as it comes to the historic Brick Store Museum on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at 5:00 PM. With its rich history and classic charm, this timeless production promises to kindle the festive spirit and touch your heart with its powerful message of redemption and goodwill.
Veteran actor Johnny Kinsman will perform an elaborate reading of Dickens’s cherished story featuring the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, his spirited encounters with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, and the heartwarming transformation that follows. The story will come alive with the musical talents of violinist Justin Ouellet and soprano Ann Moss to enhance the magical experience.
Bring your loved ones to share in the joy and wonder of a Dickens Christmas, and enjoy a heartwarming evening that will become a cherished holiday tradition.
(Recommended for ages 6+)
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If you are a Museum Member, your tickets are discounted! Use your Member Code for $5 off each ticket. You can find your your code in the Member Portal.

Inside History Museum Tour
2026-01-08 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-01-10 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-15 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-01-17 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-22 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-01-29 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-01-31 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-07 12:00 - 13:00 and 2 more dates
Take an Indoor Walking Tour This Winter!
It’s the Museum’s 90th Year! Explore the Brick Store Museum’s own history across five interconnected buildings, which range from 166 to 216 years old. Once home to businesses, organizations, and apartments, these spaces came together as the Brick Store Museum between 1936 and 1959.
Go behind the scenes to see highlights from the Museum’s collection of more than 50,000 artifacts while learning how these historic buildings have evolved over time, and how the Museum came to be. This guided tour lasts approximately one hour.
Tour ticket includes admission to the Museum exhibitions.
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Accessibility note: The tour moves through historic buildings and includes uneven flooring and staircases. The Museum’s second floor is not currently wheelchair accessible.
