Sights in Central Maine Coast
-
Pejepscot Museum
On the Bowdoin campus, the Pejepscot Historical Society preserves several house museums, which provide a fascinating glimpse into the past. You can visit them all for an $8 combination ticket. The Pejepscot Museum displays changing exhibits relating to Brunswick history, with photographs and artifacts pulled from its 50,000-piece inventory. Skolfield-Whittier House, an adjacent 17-room brick mansion, is a virtual time capsule, closed as it was from 1925 to 1982. Victorian furnishings and decor are handsomely preserved – even the spices in the kitchen racks are authentic. It’s only open for tours. The Joshua L Chamberlain Museum exhibits artifacts from the late owner’s…
reviewed
-
Skolfield-Whittier House
On the Bowdoin campus, the Pejepscot Historical Society preserves several house museums, shich provide a fascinating glimpse into the past. You can visit them all for an $8 combination ticket. Skolfield-Whittier House, a 17-room brick mansion, is a virtual time capsule, closed as it was from 1925 to 1982. Victorian furnishings and decor are handsomely preserved – even the spices in the kitchen racks are authentic. It’s only open for tours. The Pejepscot Museum displays changing exhibits relating to Brunswick history, with photographs and artifacts pulled from its 50,000-piece inventory. The Joshua L Chamberlain Museum exhibits artifacts from the late owner’s eventful …
reviewed
-
Joshua L Chamberlain Museum
The Pejepscot Historical Society preserves several house museums on the Bowdoin campus, which provide a fascinating glimpse into the past. The Joshua L Chamberlain Museum exhibits artifacts from the late owner’s eventful life as college professor, Civil War hero, president of Bowdoin College and four-term governor of Maine. Tours are included with the admission fee. The Pejepscot Museum displays changing exhibits relating to Brunswick history, with photographs and artifacts pulled from its 50,000-piece inventory. Skolfield-Whittier House, an adjacent 17-room brick mansion, is a virtual time capsule, closed as it was from 1925 to 1982. Victorian furnishings and decor are…
reviewed
-
Bowdoin College
One of the oldest colleges in the US, Bowdoin is the alma mater of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne and US president Franklin Pierce. For a campus tour, follow the signs from Maine St to Moulton Union. Smith Union is the student center, with an information desk on the mezzanine level, as well as a café, pub, lounge and small art gallery. One worthwhile stop on campus is the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, located in the quadrangle, which is strong in the works of 19th- and 20th-century European and American painters, including Mary Cassatt, Andrew Wyeth and Rockwell Kent.
reviewed
-
Fishermen’s Museum Lighthouse
Along a 3500-mile coastline famed for its natural beauty, Pemaquid Point stands out because of its tortuous, grainy, igneous rock formations pounded by restless, treacherous seas. Perched on top of the rocks is the 11,000-candlepower Pemaquid Light, built in 1827. It’s one of the 61 surviving lighthouses along the Maine coast, 52 of which are still in operation. The keeper’s house now serves as the Fishermen’s Museum Lighthouse, displaying fishing paraphernalia and photos, as well as a nautical chart of the entire Maine coast with all the lighthouses marked.
reviewed
-
Pemaquid Beach
Believe it or not, there are a few stretches of sandy beach along this rockbound coast, and Pemaquid Beach is one of them. As ME 130 approaches Pemaquid Neck, watch for signs on the right (west) for Pemaquid Beach and make a right onto Huddle Rd (which turns into Snowball Hill Rd). The beach is set in a park, and the water is usually very cold for swimming. (Remember, this is Maine!) The Pemaquid Trail, a paved dead-end road, heads south from Snowball Hill Rd just east of the Pemaquid Beach access road.
reviewed
-
Fort Pentagöet
While Castine lacks a great stone citadel like Fort Knox, it did have some important fortifications, though these are low earthworks, now park-like and grass-covered. Close to the Maine Maritime Academy campus, Fort George is near the upper (northern) end of Main St where it meets Battle Ave and Wadsworth Cove Rd. Look for Fort Pentagöet. The American Fort Madison (earlier called Fort Porter and dating to 1808) is further west along Perkins St, opposite Madockawando St.
reviewed
-
Marine Environmental Research Institute
The Marine Environmental Research Institute is an important center studying the relationship between pollution and marine life. Visitors can learn about MERI’s activities in a series of changing exhibitions in the main gallery, often with hands-on exhibits for children. During the summer MERI offers two- to four-hour daily cruises (adult/child from $40/20) led by naturalists. Itineraries range from observing wildlife along the coast to exploring an uninhabited island, all with an educational focus in mind.
reviewed
-
Historic Camden
Camden has range of architectural gems, including former estates dating from the early 1800s, a pretty congregational church (1834), an 18th-century schoolhouse and a plethora of striking 19th-century mansions. Many of these buildings are private residences, but you can wander the tree-lined streets of Chestnut and High Streets for a glimpse back in time. The chamber of commerce distributes a free brochure listing 30 or so historic buildings you can see on a 2.5-mile walk through town.
reviewed
-
Islesboro
From Camden, it’s a five-minute drive to Lincolnville Beach from where you can take a 20-minute ferry ride to the island of Islesboro, one of the finest places to ride a bike in Maine. The island is relatively flat, yet hilly enough to offer majestic vistas of Penobscot Bay and long enough to feature a 28-mile bike loop. Picnic at Pendleton Point, where harbor seal and loons often lounge on the long, striated rocks.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Lincoln County Jail Museum
The first prison in the district of Maine opened in 1811 and surprisingly remained in operation until 1953. The hilltop structure of granite, brick and wood holds 12 tiny cells, complete with graffiti and other mementos from its earliest days. In addition, the jail functions as a museum, with changing exhibitions covering episodes from Wiscasset’s history. It’s located about a half-mile north of US 1.
reviewed
-
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Already a much-loved addition to Boothbay, these magnificent gardens opened in 2007 to much fanfare. Set along the waterfront, this verdant kingdom has 248 acres, with a number of groomed trails winding past exotic and native species through forest, ornamental gardens and rose gardens, with splendid views over the water. It’s located on Barters Island Rd, about 1.5 miles west of Boothbay.
reviewed
-
Castle Tucker
Wiscasset’s grandest and best-situated mansion is the 1807 Castle Tucker, which commands beautiful views over the countryside. Judge Silas Lee built it to resemble a mansion in Dunbar, Scotland, but he only lived here for seven years before dying. It was later sold to a sea captain, and today it remains a marvelous refuge of Victoriana, with 19th-century furnishings and wallpaper.
reviewed
-
Farnsworth Art Museum & Wyeth Center
Rockland is famous for its Farnsworth Art Museum & Wyeth Center, one of the country’s best small regional museums. Its collection of 5000 works is especially strong in landscape and marine artists who have worked in Maine, such as Andrew, NC and Jamie Wyeth; Louise Nevelson; Rockwell Kent; John Marin and others.
reviewed
-
Owls Head Transportation Museum
Three miles south of Rockland, the Owls Head Transportation Museum collects, preserves (yes, everything works!) and exhibits pre-1920s aircraft, vehicles and engines that were instrumental in the evolution of transportation. Besides its year-round exhibits, the museum hosts WWI air shows and specialty vehicle shows.
reviewed
-
Owls Head Lighthouse
In Owls Head is the photogenic sight of Owls Head Lighthouse atop a promontory overlooking the dramatic coastline. Although the 19th-century lighthouse and keeper’s cottage are off limits, you can visit the surrounding grounds, which have short walking paths, a pebble-strewn beach and picnic tables.
reviewed
-
Fort William Henry
A quarter-mile south of Pemaquid Beach lies the remains of Fort William Henry. A replica of a 17th century fort, this circular stone structure boasts commanding views, old foundations from the 1600s, a burial ground with interesting tombstones, an archaeological dig and a small museum.
reviewed
-
Boothbay Railway Village
This endearing village is a historical replica of a New England town, with 27 buildings and a narrow-gauge steam-train line running through it. It’s basically a nonprofit educational park, and has a collection of more than 55 antique steam- and gasoline-powered motor vehicles.
reviewed
-
Maine Art Gallery
One of a handful of galleries in town, the Maine Art Gallery is a non-profit exhibition space set in a lovely red-brick school house built in 1807. Exhibitions change monthly, with paintings, photographic works and occasional sculpture by local artists.
reviewed
-
Maine Lighthouse Museum
Lovers of maritime history should pay a visit to the lighthouse museum perched over Rockland harbor. Collections here include lighthouse artifacts (enormous jewel-like prisms), foghorns, marine instruments and ship models, with hands-on exhibits for children.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Fort George
Close to the Maine Maritime Academy campus, Fort George is near the upper (northern) end of Main St where it meets Battle Ave and Wadsworth Cove Rd. Like Castine's other two forts, these are now low earthworks, park-like and grass-covered.
reviewed
-
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts
Seven miles to the east of Deer Isle Village, hidden at the end of Sunshine Rd, look for the exceptional and prestigious Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, founded in 1950 and now open for one public tour per week.
reviewed
-
Fort Madison
The American Fort Madison (earlier called Fort Porter and dating to 1808) is further west along Perkins St, opposite Madockawando St. Like Castine's other two forts, these are now low earthworks, park-like and grass-covered.
reviewed
-
Musical Wonder House
On the way to Castle Tucker, don’t overlook this sweet museum. Its outstanding collection of antique music boxes, player pianos and early talking machines (gramophones) are displayed in period rooms.
reviewed
-
Maine Photographic Union Hall
One of the world’s leading instructional centers in photography, film and digital media, this institute displays changing exhibitions of student and faculty work in Union Hall.
reviewed
