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.”We are open from 11am-4pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays between September 3rd and October 11th.
“We loved this museum. It's a must see on the island.”
"The staff was absolutely amazing - the most friendly and enjoyable group of people I've been around in a long time. I wish we could have stayed longer."
Our curator, Holly Hurd-Forsyth, has been busy! She’s created a new temporary exhibit, slated to open on July 7, 2021. Entitled “Weathering the Storm: Five Centuries of Resilience on Peaks Island,” the exhibit starts at the point of European contact with the indigenous Wabanaki people in the early 1600s and explores a defining hardship for each of the next five centuries, asking the question “Is resilience and community more meaningful here on Peaks Island, where outside assistance is not always accessible?”
There’s no predicting the future. We don’t know how circumstances will change as the season progresses. So, as always, I encourage you to sign up for our Facebook and Instagram pages, or check our website for updates.
Feel free to 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
ART WALK — September 4th, 10am-3pm
Don’t miss your chance to see 21 artists showcasing their work from their home studios right here on Peaks Island.
You’ll find everything from watercolors, to ceramic tiles, to acrylics, to hand-pulled prints, to mittens and hats, to stained glass, to baskets, to fiber arts, to candles, to books, to photography, to art quilts, to homemade masks, to sailcloth bags…..the list is just too long to keep going.
Stop by the Fifth Maine Museum for a printed brochure, available on September 3rd and 4th. Or use the link below to see the map on your phone.
See a list of the artists and a map of the ART WALK here.
Thank you for supporting the artists who support the Fifth Maine Museum!
New for Spring 2021:
Weathering the Storm:
Five Centuries of Resilience on Peaks Island
We are pleased to announce a new temporary exhibition that explores how adversity has effected the island, slated to open in June 2021.
Entitled “Weathering the Storm: Five Centuries of Resilience on Peaks Island,” the exhibit starts at the point of European contact with the indigenous Wabanaki people in the early 1600s and explores a defining hardship for each of the next five centuries, asking the question “Is resilience and community more meaningful here on Peaks Island, where outside assistance is not always accessible?”
It’s impossible to present a grand summary of every event that ever happened on Peaks Island during the last five centuries, and wisely, the exhibit doesn’t take that approach. Instead, it focuses on smaller, more personal stories that help the visitor appreciate the islanders’ tenacity and the complexity of island history through the eyes of the people who lived it. Visitors will leave the exhibit contemplating how events have shaped, and continue to shape, our community.
Weathering the Storm is curated by Holly Hurd-Forsyth and runs through October 2022.
Terrible Swift Sword: Civil War Weapons and Ordnance
Our newest permanent exhibition showcases 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.