Maine Historical Society

The Maine Historical Society Museum in Portland offers a fascinating, comprehensive retrospective of more than four hundred years of Maine history. Its collections feature over 15,000 artifacts that extensively depict every aspect of life in the Pine Tree State. These include prints, paintings, clothing, textiles, political memorabilia, and even an impressive array of Native American historic materials. Many of their exhibits shed light on lesser known aspects of Maine history. Two recent exhibits, for instance, highlighted the highly popular snowshoe clubs that were organized by French Canadian immigrants in the early 1900s, as well as the therapeutic mountain retreats that served tuberculosis patients from throughout the United States. A fairly recent addition to the museum's holdings is the Wadsworth-Longfellow House, the childhood home of legendary poet Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow. This residence has been faithfully restored to depict the life and times of one of the America's most prolific scribes. For an always intriguing journey into history, be sure to add the Maine Historical Society Museum to your list when visiting Portland.