Brick Store Museum

Jewish History in Maine (Virtual Gathering)
2023-12-13 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Brick Store Museum, 117 Main Street, Kennebunk, ME, 04043, United States
Jews have a long history in Maine, with thriving communities across the state. They came to Maine for the same reasons as so many others: to live well and raise their families within the state’s appealing natural and cultural environment. The experiences of Jewish Mainers, however, have also been distinctive on account of their occupational choices and traditions as well as their encounters with antisemitism. How have Jews sought to contribute to Maine’s economic, cultural, and social landscape, and how did they gain widespread acceptance? How have these Mainers sustained their own religion, culture, and ethnic ties while embracing the broader communities to which they belong? How did the challenges and opportunities that Jews faced in Maine change over time, and how do these challenges relate to those faced by Jews in other parts of the country? Join us for an engaging conversation with David Freidenreich to learn more!

About the speaker: Rabbi Dr. David M. Freidenreich is the Pulver Family Professor of Jewish Studies at Colby College, where he serves as chair of the Jewish studies department and associate director of the Center for Small Town Jewish Life. He directs Colby’s Maine Jewish History Project, whose website (web.colby.edu/jewsinmaine) features dozens of essays on the state’s Jewish history, including several he wrote. David’s primary research focuses on Jewish, Christian, and Islamic attitudes toward one another: he is the author of “Foreigners and Their Food: Constructing Otherness in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Law” and, most recently, “Jewish Muslims: How Christians Imagined Islam as the Enemy.”

Donations made to the Brick Store Museum during the Candlelight Stroll: A Festival of Traditions programming (including this) will support the Brick Store Museum’s educational mission with a portion of proceeds donated to support other cultural organizations in southern Maine (see our full Festival of Traditions page for full details!).

Submit your name and email address BELOW to register for the Zoom link. Link will be sent one day prior to the lecture. Please be sure to check your spam filter – Museum emails often end up there! Questions? Email info@brickstoremuseum.org

Donations welcomed HERE>>

Kids Holiday Craft Workshop
2023-12-14 15:30 - 17:00
Holiday crafts that all children will enjoy making. Students will make a smelly ball (oranges , ribbon and cloves ), paint and decorate little wood houses inspired by winter villages and make gingerbread ornaments. This workshop is for students 7-12. Students that attend KES or SRS will be able to take the bus from school directly to the Brick Store Museum.
Instructor: Elizabeth Winter

Holiday Open House
2023-12-15 16:00 - 19:00
Come join us to celebrate the season! The Museum is open to the community to visit and enjoy time with friends, family and neighbors. Explore the Candlelight Stroll: A Festival of Traditions, taste holiday treats, purchase last-minute gifts at the Christmas Market, and tour the current exhibitions. Free admission!

Candlelight Stroll & Storytelling
2023-12-16 11:00 - 13:00
Hear the stories of local immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries as told by reenactors at the Museum! Plus, taste the cultural traditions of historic immigrant families in Kennebunk while exploring the pop-up Candlelight Stroll exhibition.
While you’re here, download our Holiday History driving tour map and take a spin around Kennebunk to discover holiday stories linked to locations. Visit our Christmas Market, too!
Included with Museum Admission: $5 for ages 16+

Demonstration Station in the Gallery
2023-12-19 10:00 - 13:00
Join Museum Volunteer Joe M. to learn about basketmaking and origami, or other traditional arts & craft!

The Demonstration Station is here in the galleries every Tuesday* to demonstrate the art of basketmaking and origami for visitors! Stop by the Demonstration Station to learn more and give these creative crafts a try!
The Demonstration Station is typically active from 10am – 1pm. Free with Museum admission (which is FREE on Tuesdays!).

*some Tuesdays will offer unattended activities depending on volunteer availability.

Gingerbread House Exhibition
2023-12-19 12:00 - 2023-12-22 17:00
ONE WEEK ONLY!
About the Exhibition:
Join the Brick Store Museum from December 19 through December 22 – four days only! – for an incredible treat: The Gingerbread House Exhibition!

Families, individuals (all ages!), and businesses are invited to share their works of gingerbread art with the community for the week before Christmas. All gingerbread houses will go on display on Tuesday, December 19 at 12pm through Friday, December 22 at 5pm.
Gingerbread houses can be simple, fancy, realistic or whimsical. Have fun with creativity, architecture, and design!
The community is invited to the Museum’s Festival of Traditions throughout the month of December; and especially during the week of December 19 through 22 to view the gingerbread houses made by community members.
Vote!
Visitors will receive voting ballots to select their favorite creations; and the Museum will welcome guest judges to review the entries and award prizes. Mainly, winners receive bragging rights for the year!

Want to participate? We’re calling all gingerbread makers! Learn how to showcase your work HERE.

Holiday Poinsettia Class
2023-12-19 15:00 - 16:30
Create your own work of holiday art!
Join the Museum’s guest artist, Polly Bartow, of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration, to learn about the art of theorem painting. Create a sweet holiday poinsettia just in time for that last minute gift or as an added touch to your own home. No experience needed – a fun, relaxed and festive workshop!
Tuesday, December 19 at 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Cost: $15 per person, materials provided

Candlelight Stroll: A Festival of Traditions Solstice Event
2023-12-22 15:00 - 17:00
This afternoon features a special NIGHTCAP BEFORE CHRISTMAS (alcoholic & non!), gift-wrapping (by donation), storytelling by reenactors and tastes of traditional cultural desserts, last minute shopping at the Museum’s Christmas Market, view the Gingerbread House Display, and our pop-up Candlelight Stroll exhibit which tells the stories of immigrant families of the 19th & 20th centuries.
By suggested donation: $5 (or, FREE if you’re a Museum Member!).

Museum CLOSED for Winter's Nap
2023-12-23 - 2024-01-02
The Museum will be CLOSED for a short winter’s nap beginning Saturday, December 23 until Tuesday, January 9, 2024.
Best wishes for a happy holidays and a wonderful New Year. We look forward to seeing you in 2024!

Exploring Nature through Mixed Media Art - Student Workshop
2024-01-03 13:00 - 15:00
In this workshop students (grades 1st – 5th) will complete three different projects centered around collaging. The class will involve using natural materials to create nature inspired projects.
January 3rd
1:00 – 3:00 pm
Instructor: Elizabeth Winter

Brick Store Closed due to Inclement Weather
2024-01-16

All Things Paper
2024-01-23 15:30 - 17:00, 2024-01-30 15:30 - 17:00, 2024-02-06 15:30 - 17:00, 2024-02-13 15:30 - 17:00
Paper has been around for 2000 years and we’re going to explore all facets of it! We’ll make sheets of paper, create decorative marbled papers, create a beautiful paper bowl, and learn how to bind a small book.
Instructor: Gayle Fitzpatrick
Tuesdays 3:30—5:00 (1/23, 1/30, 2/6, & 2/13)
Ages 7-12
$100 for four weeks
*Class includes snack and students who attend Sea Road or Kennebunk Elementary will be transported directly from school.*

Museum Closed 12pm - 1:30pm
2024-01-31 12:00 - 13:30
The Museum will be temporarily CLOSED between 12pm and 1:30pm for an all-staff training. We appreciate the ability to improve our service to the public! We will reopen at 1:30pm.

February Early Release Workshop
2024-02-07 13:00 - 15:00
In this workshop students (grades 1– 5th) will complete Valentine’s Day art projects including a wool wrapped heart garland, canvas art painting, and heart collages. Students will enjoy games and a sweet treat.
Instructor: Mary Delehanty
Cost: $35 per student

Napkin Basket Weaving Class (Private)
2024-02-10 11:00 - 14:00
In the class the participant will make an everyday Napkin Basket.
The basket is made with various widths of reed splint. The participant will choose 2 colors to be added to the basket. The basket measures approximately 6 ½” x 6 ½” x 4”. The participant will learn the first steps of making a basket with a square open bottom. The participant will learn how to weave up the sides, finish off the top and lash on a rim. This basket is good for beginners.
Supplies needed for students to bring to class.
Basin for water
Pencil
Scissors
Awl or knitting needle
Tape measure or ruler
8 Spring Clothes pins
Towel
All other materials to make the basket will be provided including a pattern for the napkin basket.

Dear Sarah: A Play of Historic Letters
2024-02-24 15:00 - 17:00
SOLD OUT!
[Please email info@brickstoremuseum.org if you are interested in an additional show!]
“Dear Sarah,” a play about the true Kennebunk love story of doomed sea captain Charles Barry and his wife Sarah, will be presented by the Brick Store Museum on Saturday, February 24 at 3:00pm, paired with light appetizers by Above & Beyond Catering and tastes of historic wines that the Barrys would have enjoyed in the mid-19th century.
The 50-minute show will cover two years of the married couple’s separation due to Captain Barry’s work as a sea captain from Kennebunk in the 1840s.
The play was crafted through Barry’s letters to his wife during his travels around the world, which are now held in the Museum’s Archives.
Captain Charles Barry was born in 1811 in Boston. He became a ship captain at an early age, and married Sarah, the oldest daughter of Kennebunk shipbuilder William Lord, in the 1840s. Throughout his years away from Sarah at sea, Barry continually wrote to her, describing what he saw, felt, and experienced. They couple had two young sons when Captain Barry and his ship, the William Lord, went missing after departing from South Carolina in 1850. He was never heard from again.
Tickets: $20 per person, $15 for Museum Members (reserve yours below!).
Supported by Marquee Sponsor Kennebunk Savings Bank

Preservation in Practice
2024-02-29 12:00 - 13:00
Preservation in Practice: Virtual Introduction to Historic Preservation
Thursday, February 2024 from 12pm – 1pm
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Summary:
Join Brad Miller from Maine Preservation as he introduces an overview of historic preservation, including the foundations, principles, people, and tools. This will be the first lecture to start our new, monthly “Your Old House: And Other Preservation Stories” series.
Bring your lunch and bring your questions as this will be an interactive, virtual event! There will be time for Q&A at the end of the presentation.
This is a free event that will be hosted on Zoom. Register in advance here.
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Presenter:
Brad Miller, Preservation Manager at Maine Preservation
Brad joins Maine Preservation with over eight years of experience in historic preservation. For the past five years, he worked with Indiana Landmarks, the country’s largest statewide, historic preservation non-profit organization. After a one-year stint as a Community Preservation Specialist, he served as Director of the Northwest Field Office, where he assisted communities, local governments, and property owners in preserving historic buildings in a four-county region. Prior to his work in Indiana, Brad worked with the Somerville, Massachusetts, Historic Preservation Commission and the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Calumet Heritage Partnership, Indiana Lincoln Highway Association, and was the Cultural Resources Advisory Board Member for the Indiana Lake Michigan Coastal Program. Brad holds a M.A. in Public History from Middle Tennessee State University and a B.A. in History from Gettysburg College. When he’s not busy looking at old buildings, he enjoys hiking, ultimate frisbee, and sampling locally roasted coffee.
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Questions? Please email us at info@brickstoremuseum.org
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Please register for this free, virtual event here. Can’t make it after all? We will be e-mailing a copy of the presentation to all registered attendees!

Exploring the Past Forum
2024-03-02 10:00 - 14:00
Exploring the Past Forum: Diverse Perspectives in Archaeology
Saturday, March 2, 2024 from 10am – 2pm
(Inclement Weather Date: Sunday, March 3, 2024)
Lunch is included in cost, which supports stipends for visiting presenters.
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Summary:
Tim Spahr, ALM, Registered Professional Archaeologist and Principal Investigator for the Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance presents a forum for curious minds at all levels that seek to learn, discuss and share insights into the fascinating world of archaeology. Hosted at the Brick Store Museum.
Presenters:
Dr. Gemma Hudgell, Archaeologist, Co-owner and Assistant Director of the Northeast Archaeology Research Center (NE ARC).
Highly accomplished with extensive knowledge in archaeology of the UK, southern Africa, and the northeastern United States. Dr. Hudgell’s 18 years of consulting archaeology experience with top-notch cultural resource management services for clients throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Elizabeth Kelley, MFA, is the Senior Artist for the Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance.
With drawings published in the Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, the Maine Archaeological Society Bulletin and educational websites, Elizabeth has played an important role in documenting the cultural landscape, features and artifacts of peoples who have occupied Cape Porpoise for 8,000 years. In this presentation, Elizabeth will share her experiences and techniques in utilizing art to document local findings in Maine.
Dr. Bonnie Newsom, is a member of the Penobscot Nation and an archaeologist interested in the pre-contact lifeways of Wabanaki peoples. She is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Associate Faculty in the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine.
Through a captivating blend of oral narratives and archaeological evidence, Dr. Newsom will delve into the deep connection between Wabanaki people and diverse bird species, shedding light on their cultural significance and the valuable insights they provide into past ecologies. Join us for an enlightening presentation titled “Birds in Wabanaki Pasts.”
Dawna Lamson, BA, Senior Field Archaeologist, Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance.
Dawna’s archaeological career began in high school only to learn she had a family history in archaeology. Dawna is a testament to the fact that archaeology spans across varied disciplines, making it an enriching and fulfilling journey for curious and sponge-like minds. Her passion for archaeology is evident in her ability to bring the past to life and connect people to the stories of those who came before us.
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Forum Agenda:
• Opening
• Presenters
• Lunch
• Presenters
• Expert Panel Discussion & Questions
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Questions? Please email us at info@brickstoremuseum.org
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Please register below by FEBRUARY 29! The Forum offers in-person and virtual streaming options.

March Early Release Workshop
2024-03-06 13:00 - 15:00
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This workshop will focus on creating sculptures from found and repurposed elements in the Kennebunk community. Students will learn about the life cycle of the items they are using.
$35 per participant
Instructor: Elizabeth Winter.

Felted Flower Workshop
2024-03-12 17:00 - 19:00, 2024-03-16 12:00 - 14:00
Learn to felt a colorful Calla Lilly bouquet to celebrate spring! This introduction to needle felting will teach basic felting skills and provide instruction to create your own Calla Lilly flowers. Participants will leave with a new knowledge of needle felting as well as long lasting bouquet of flowers ready to brighten any table top.
Cost: $35
Instructor: Sarah Soleau

Artistic Adventures
2024-03-13 15:30 - 17:00, 2024-03-27 15:30 - 17:00
Wednesdays 3:30 – 5:00
(March 13th, March 20th, March 27th, April 10th)
Grades 3-5
In this class we’ll draw and paint what we see, and what we can imagine and dream about. Students will become familiar with using various materials: markers, charcoal, pastels, colored pencils, while learning skills and techniques.
Students will be transported from Sea Road School directly to the Brick Store Museum after school.
$85 for four week session.
Instructor: Gayle Fitzpatrick

Artistic Adventures
2024-03-20 15:30 - 17:00
In this class we’ll draw and paint what we see, and what we can imagine and dream about. Students will become familiar with using various materials: markers, charcoal, pastels, colored pencils, while learning skills and techniques.
Students will be transported from Sea Road School directly to the Brick Store Museum after school.
$85 for four week session.
Instructor: Gayle Fitzpatrick

How Old is My House
2024-03-21 12:00 - 13:00
How Old is My House?
Thursday, March 21 from 12pm – 1pm
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Summary:
Have you ever wondered how old your home really is? Do you wonder if the date written over the door is accurate? How do we know? And where do we begin? Join Preservation Architect and Historian, Bryce Waldrop, as we explore the historic records to help us better understand when and how your home came to be.
Using local examples, Bryce will guide us through historic maps, photographs, deeds, census and tax records, genealogy data, and your house itself, in order to get closer to that elusive date, all the while shedding light on the people and stories that inhabited its rooms. Accurate dating not only connects us to our home’s origins, it provides valuable information for understanding our community story.
Bring your lunch and bring your questions as this will be an interactive, virtual event! There will be time for Q&A at the end of the presentation.
Join us in this second lecture in our new, monthly “Your Old House: And Other Preservation Stories” series.
This is a free event that will be hosted on Zoom. Register in advance here.
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Presenter:
Bryce Waldrop, Executive Director of the Historical Society of Wells and Ogunquit
Bryce Waldrop has been the Executive Director of the Historical Society of Wells and Ogunquit since 2020. Prior to joining the HSWO, Bryce was a Preservation Architect for over twenty years, specializing in architectural history. He holds a Masters in Building Conservation, is a certified Small Museum Pro, and has worked on preservation projects throughout the northeast and mid-Atlantic. Bryce resides in York, Maine with his wife and daughters, where he serves on the Historic District Commission.
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Questions? Please email us at info@brickstoremuseum.org

April Early Release Workshop
2024-04-03 13:00 - 15:00
Potions and Spell Mini Spell Books
Participants will enjoy creating mini books and recipes with natural materials to create potions and fill their books. A portion of this class will be held outside – weather permitting.
All materials are provided. Students should wear comfortable clothes that are able to get messy.
Instructor: Elizabeth Winter
Grades: 1-5
Cost: $35

"An Independent Life: The Story of Edith Barry" Event
2024-04-06 15:00 - 17:00
Rescheduled to Saturday, April 6th from 3pm – 5pm
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The Brick Store Museum was founded in 1936 by an artist named Edith Barry. In March 2024, she would have turned 140 years old. Edith led a unique life, especially considering women’s lives and positions in society in the early 20th century. Having never married, she traveled the world until the end of her life and painted hundreds of artworks along the way.
This specially-crafted event features a one-on-one discussion between Executive Director Cynthia Walker and Elizabeth Grant, who played the ghost of Edith Barry during the All Souls’ Walk, exploring the life of Edith Barry; an up-close exploration of Edith’s own artifacts in the Museum’s collections (family memorabilia, clothing, travel souvenirs, photographs, and artworks); and complimented by a dessert bar of treats made from Edith’s Cookbook, a real cookbook used by Edith Barry in her home kitchen in the mid-20th Century.
This event raises funds to support Edith’s legacy of museum education and access for all.
Tickets below!
