Here’s what our visitors say:
“A tour of this museum gives the visitor a good look at so much: the life of Peaks Island, the history of the Civil War and its people, battles and artifacts, interesting late 19th century architecture, and a lovely garden.”Season 2020 update
“We loved this museum. It's a must see on the island.”
Dear Friends of the Fifth Maine Museum,
We are excited to announce that the Fifth Maine Museum will open on Friday, July 3rd !!
We'll be open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between July 3rd and September 6th, from 12:00-3:30pm.
We are launching a new permanent exhibit this year entitled “Terrible Swift Sword: Civil War Weapons and Ordnance.” The exhibit features an assortment of Civil War weapons from the Fifth Maine collection, including some that were used by Fifth Maine Regiment soldiers during the war. Some of the weapons were collected or purchased by the veterans post-war as part of the popular “Civil War Tourism” period, when veterans re-visited Civil War battle sites to share their war experiences with family and friends.
This will be the last year to see our temporary exhibit, “Building a Community: Peaks Island in the 1970s.”
During the 2020 season, we are implementing COVID-19 protocol to keep our visitors and volunteers safe:
1) Limit of 10 people inside the building at one time.
2) Everyone will enter and exit through the back door.
3) Masks will be required in the building.
4) Please practice social distancing.
5) Restrooms will not be available to the public at large.
6) Evening programming will be postponed until the 2021 season, although we are exploring safe ways to host some of our traditional events. Stay tuned!
Be sure to sign up for our e-newsletter to get the latest information, on the “SUPPORT” page of our website. Or you can call us directly at 207-766-3330 with any questions or concerns.
Stay safe and be well,
Susan Hanley
President, Board of Directors
Peaks Island’s History Museum
New for Spring 2020:
Terrible Swift Sword:
Civil War Weapons and Ordnance
We are pleased to announce a new permanent exhibition showcasing some of the most significant Civil War-era weapons and armaments in the Fifth Maine Museum collection, entitled Terrible Swift Sword: Civil War Weapons and Ordnance.
The culmination of several year’s work, the exhibit features weapons carried or collected by the soldiers of the Fifth Maine Regiment, one of the Union Army’s most celebrated fighting regiments. The objects include muskets and a pistol, a Navy carbine, a bayonet, swords, shells, and projectiles. They represent both the Confederate and Union armies. The purpose-built case will ensure the newly cleaned weapons are properly preserved for generations to come.
The Fifth Maine veterans kept these remarkable artifacts in their reunion hall on Peaks Island, built in 1888 and used by the men and their families as a summer retreat until the 1940s.
The exhibit is guest curated by Eric Champigny, a Civil War researcher, collector, and author.
Peaks Island in the 1970s: Building a Community
The 1970s were a tumultuous time, but it was a watershed decade in the history of Peaks Island, when many of the essential organizations islanders depend on today were formed.
This temporary exhibit features over 50 never before exhibited photographs, publications, scrap books, posters, and maps depicting life on the island in this “lost” decade. This is the final year of the exhibit, which will be dismounted when the museum closes this year on October 12, 2020.