The Great Harbor Maritime Museum

12/05/2025

Wishing all of you a Merry Season!

12/02/2025

Telling the stories of our area's maritime past takes a lot of work, but the results are always rewarding. Our new show, "Chilly Chronicles: Icebound Island History" considers how area residents faced the challenges of ice and wintery weather, both at sea and on shore, as well as ways that they profited from ice, and even had fun during the winter months.

With the first winter storm of the season arriving later today, we are reminded that history is not so distant after all. In fact, the ice boat that we had on loan for the summer was recently removed so it could be raced this coming winter! Fear not, it will be back in time for next season!

As one young visitor commented as he looked at the ice boat with his parents, and learned about ice boating in the past, "This place is SO cool!" We agree.

On this Giving Tuesday we hope you'll consider a gift to the museum, so we can continue researching and sharing stories of local history.

https://greatharbormm.org/donate/

11/11/2025

Today we recognize the service and contributions of our veterans, and would also like to highlight a wonderful photograph of local veterans from our collections. This view, showing members of the Lurvey-Wright Post of the American Legion, was given to the museum a few years ago and actually shows the Old Firehouse in the background. Luckily the men in this photograph are identified. Maybe you recognize some of them!

Members of the Lurvey-Wright Post of the American Legion standing to the south of the firehouse, Northeast Harbor. A key accompanying this photograph gives the names of some of the men, including Lyle Wescott, Jack Reynolds, Gerald Sr. [Gerald Norwood, Sr], Arthur Walls, Zip Ober, James Bunker, Larr...

10/10/2025

The season is winding down. We're open today and Sunday will be our last day. Stop by and learn all about our area's maritime history. See model boats meticulously crafted by Duane Muzzy and a film about this island with footage from the 20's to the 40's, as well as ice-skating, boating, and the ice industry here. Did you know we have a make-and-break inboard engine here, just like in the book,"Burt Dow, Deep Water Man"? We do! You can see it up close!

08/12/2025

A hot day brings dreams of winter! Come on down later this week to the museum to view this summer’s exhibit “Chilly Chronicles: Icebound Island History.”

Please note: We will be closing at 3:30 on Tuesday, August 12 and we will be closed Wednesday, August 13, but please visit us later this week.

Image:
Ice tongs, used to move large blocks of ice (Great Harbor Maritime Museum collection) & Harvesting ice on Mount Desert Island, George A. Neal, photographer, circa 1910 (Southwest Harbor Public Library collection)

08/06/2025

We love it when a visitor has a personal connection to an exhibit and lets us know. Yesterday, one of our visitors recognized this half model as her father Robert Blum's Maine Coast yawl, Sylph. Robert's daughter Alice is pictured here in front of the model. We are grateful to Alice for letting us know of her connection to this part of our collection.

07/30/2025

If I you are dreaming of winter days and ice skating, come on down to the museum to see our summer exhibit “Chilly Chronicles: Icebound Island History.”

07/16/2025

If you want a respite from the summer heat, come visit us and enjoy our new exhibit “Chilly Chronicles: Icebound Island History.”

07/11/2025

07/08/2025

The museum is regularly open this summer Monday through Saturday, 10:30-5:00pm.
On Wednesday, July 9th we will be open from 1:00-5:00.

10/31/2024

The sun is shining this year for Halloween and the weather is perfect for a parade. The ghosts and ghouls will leave Mount Desert Elementary School around 2:20 pm and makes their way down Main Street. Who knows what might appear in this year's parade. Maybe there will be some animals - or a cow - like this one that appeared near the Gas Station and the Old Firehouse on October 31, 1971.

10/07/2024

It's grey, rainy, and it's fascinatingly fun in the Great Harbor Museum! It's what to do on a rainy day! Open today(Monday) and tomorrow this week. Come by and learn something you didn't know!