Top 50 Museums in Maine - Complete List, Map & Guide

Written and Fact-checked by | Updated On: July 10, 2026

Maine's museums trace two threads: art colonies and shipbuilding. The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland holds deep Wyeth family collections, while the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath sits on the country's only intact historic shipyard. Smaller, oddly specific museums round things out — Rigby's Farnsworth TV connection actually belongs to Idaho, but Maine has its own version in the Stanley Museum, built around the twin brothers who invented the Stanley Steamer car.

Maine Museums Map

The Maine Museums Map highlights the locations of museums across the state, including art museums, history museums, science centers, and cultural heritage institutions. Use this interactive map to explore popular museums in Portland, Bath, and other destinations throughout Maine.

Below is a broader list of Maine's museums, spread along the coast from Portland to Bar Harbor with several inland historical sites.

List of Museums in Maine

Museum Name City Category Admission Best For Official Website
Portland Museum of ArtPortlandArtPaidAmerican & European art collectionshttps://www.portlandmuseum.org
Maine Maritime MuseumBathMaritimePaidMaine's shipbuilding historyhttps://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org
Farnsworth Art MuseumRocklandArtPaidWyeth family artworkhttps://www.farnsworthmuseum.org
Owls Head Transportation MuseumOwls HeadTransportationPaidVintage aircraft & automobileshttps://owlshead.org
Abbe MuseumBar HarborNative American HistoryPaidWabanaki culturehttps://abbemuseum.org
Maine State MuseumAugustaHistoryFreeMaine history & natural heritagehttps://mainestatemuseum.org
Children's Museum & Theatre of MainePortlandChildrenPaidInteractive family exhibitshttps://www.kitetails.org
Cole Land Transportation MuseumBangorTransportationPaidHistoric vehicleshttps://colemuseum.org
Maine Discovery MuseumBangorChildrenPaidHands-on STEM learninghttps://www.mainediscoverymuseum.org
Hudson MuseumOronoAnthropologyFreeGlobal cultures & archaeologyhttps://umaine.edu/hudsonmuseum
L.C. Bates MuseumHinckleyNatural HistoryPaidWildlife & geologyhttps://www.gwh.org
Seal Cove Auto MuseumSeal CoveAutomobilePaidBrass-era automobileshttps://www.sealcoveautomuseum.org
Maine Mineral & Gem MuseumBethelGeologyPaidMeteorites & mineralshttps://mainemineralmuseum.org
Boothbay Railway VillageBoothbayRailroadPaidHistoric village & steam trainhttps://railwayvillage.org
Monhegan Museum of Art & HistoryMonhegan IslandArtPaidIsland art & historyhttps://monheganmuseum.org
Maine Lighthouse MuseumRocklandMaritimePaidLighthouse historyhttps://mainelighthousemuseum.org
Penobscot Marine MuseumSearsportMaritimePaidMaritime heritagehttps://penobscotmarinemuseum.org
Maine Classic Car MuseumArundelAutomobilePaidClassic American carshttps://mainecarmuseum.com
Wadsworth-Longfellow HousePortlandHistoric HousePaidPoet Henry Wadsworth Longfellowhttps://www.mainehistory.org
Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad MuseumPortlandRailroadPaidHistoric rail equipmenthttps://mainenarrowgauge.org
Peary-MacMillan Arctic MuseumBrunswickHistoryFreeArctic explorationhttps://www.bowdoin.edu/arctic-museum
Brick Store MuseumKennebunkHistoryPaidLocal historyhttps://brickstoremuseum.org
Joshua L. Chamberlain MuseumBrunswickHistoric HousePaidCivil War historyhttps://pejepscothistorical.org
McArthur Library MuseumBiddefordHistoryFreeRegional heritagehttps://www.biddefordmaine.org
Skowhegan History House MuseumSkowheganHistoryPaidLocal history collectionshttps://skowheganhistoryhouse.org
Bowdoin College Museum of ArtBrunswickArtFreeAncient & American arthttps://www.bowdoin.edu/art-museum
Colby College Museum of ArtWatervilleArtFreeAmerican art collectionshttps://museum.colby.edu
Bates College Museum of ArtLewistonArtFreeContemporary exhibitionshttps://www.bates.edu/museum
Center for Maine Contemporary ArtRocklandContemporary ArtPaidModern Maine artistshttps://cmcanow.org
University of Maine Museum of ArtBangorArtFreeContemporary arthttps://uma.edu/artmuseum
George B. Dorr Museum of Natural HistoryBar HarborNatural HistoryPaidMaine wildlifehttps://www.coa.edu/dorr-museum
Maine Jewish MuseumPortlandHistoryPaidJewish heritagehttps://www.mainejewishmuseum.org
Seashore Trolley MuseumKennebunkportTransportationPaidHistoric streetcarshttps://trolleymuseum.org
Old Fort WesternAugustaHistoryPaidAmerica's oldest surviving wooden forthttps://www.oldfortwestern.org
Maine Military Historical Society MuseumSouth PortlandMilitaryFreeMaine military heritagehttps://www.mainemilitarymuseum.org
Portland Fire MuseumPortlandFirefightingPaidHistoric fire apparatushttps://portlandfiremuseum.com
Fifth Maine Regiment MuseumPeaks IslandMilitaryPaidCivil War historyhttps://fifthmainemuseum.org
New England Museum of TelephonyEllsworthTechnologyPaidTelephone historyhttps://www.nemt.org
Maine Forest & Logging MuseumBradleyHistoryPaidLogging heritagehttps://www.maineforestandloggingmuseum.org
Page Farm & Home MuseumOronoAgricultural HistoryFreeHistoric farming lifehttps://umaine.edu/pagefarmmuseum
Washburn-Norlands Living History CenterLivermoreLiving HistoryPaid19th-century Maine lifehttps://norlands.org
Museum L-ALewistonHistoryPaidIndustrial heritagehttps://museumla.org
Saco MuseumSacoArt & HistoryPaidRegional collectionshttps://www.dyerlibrarysacomuseum.org
Maine Granite Industry MuseumMount DesertIndustryPaidGranite quarry historyhttps://mainegranitemuseum.org
Raye's Mustard Mill MuseumEastportSpecialtyFreeHistoric mustard millhttps://rayesmustard.com
Umbrella Cover MuseumPeaks IslandSpecialtyPaidUnique umbrella cover collectionhttps://umbrellacovermuseum.org
Woodlawn MuseumEllsworthHistoric HousePaidHistoric estate & gardenshttps://woodlawnellsworth.org
Fort Knox State Historic Site Visitor CenterProspectMilitary HistoryPaidHistoric fortificationhttps://fortknoxmuseum.com
Burnham Tavern MuseumMachiasHistoric HousePaidRevolutionary War historyhttps://burnhamtavern.com
Maine Ski & Snowboard MuseumKingfieldSportsPaidMaine skiing historyhttps://maineskimuseum.org

Maine Museums Facts

Fact Details
StateMaine
Approximate Number of MuseumsMore than 250 museums, historic sites, and cultural institutions
Largest Art MuseumPortland Museum of Art, Portland
Most Visited MuseumMaine Maritime Museum, Bath
Largest Science MuseumMaine Discovery Museum, Bangor
Most Popular Maritime MuseumMaine Maritime Museum, Bath
Largest Natural History MuseumMaine State Museum, Augusta
Official State History MuseumMaine State Museum, Augusta
Most Popular Art MuseumPortland Museum of Art, Portland
Popular Free MuseumsMaine State Museum, Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Colby College Museum of Art, University of Maine Museum of Art
Largest Museum DistrictPortland Arts District
Major Museum CitiesPortland, Augusta, Bangor, Rockland, Bath
Popular Museum CategoriesArt, Maritime, History, Natural History, Transportation, Children's Museums, Military, Railroad
Historic Landmark MuseumMaine State Museum, Augusta
Best Time to VisitLate spring through early fall (May–October) offers the best weather for museum visits and coastal sightseeing.
Top Family MuseumsMaine Discovery Museum, Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine, Maine Maritime Museum, Owls Head Transportation Museum
Presidential MuseumsMaine does not have a U.S. Presidential Library or Presidential Museum.
Specialty MuseumsMaine Maritime Museum, Owls Head Transportation Museum, Maine Lighthouse Museum, Seal Cove Auto Museum, Maine Mineral & Gem Museum
Annual Museum VisitorsMaine museums attract millions of visitors each year, especially during the summer tourism season.
Top Museum RegionsGreater Portland, MidCoast Maine, Acadia Region, Central Maine, Down East Maine
US Museums by State

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