Historic House Museums in Maine

We try to keep this list of historic house museums for Maine current, but it is best to check directly with the museums for their hours and other information. If you know of a historic house museum in Maine that should be listed here, please use our submission form to let us know about it.

Bethel

Dr. Moses Mason House

Restored, this 1813 house was home to a U.S. representative from Maine. The house is furnished in period.

Open Tue-Sun 1-4 July 1 to Labor Day; Sep-Jun by appt. • 14 Broad St. • (207) 824-2908

Blue Hill

Hendricks Hill Museum

A restored early 19th century house contains exhibits of household items, tools from the local fishing industry, and navigation instruments and charts.

Open Tue, Thu, & Sat 11-3, Jul-Aug • 4 miles south via SR 27 • (207) 633-1102

Bridgton

Rufus Porter Museum

Artist, musician, teacher, inventor and publisher, Rufus Porter (1792-1884) thought well ahead of his time. His artistic life began as a painter of miniature portraits, then came his famous wall murals of the mountain, farm and lake landscapes around Bridgton, his childhood home, and Portland Harbor.The Museum is the only entity devoted to his work and displays his 1828 murals as well as other examples of his remarkable career. He founded the Scientific American magazine in 1845 to encourage the innovations which were vital to the Industrial Revolution.

See their web site for hours • 67 N. High St. • (207) 647-2828

Brunswick

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Museum

Federal style home with a Victorian Gothic addition.

Open Tue-Fri 9-5 Sat 12-4 # • 226 Maine Street • (207) 729-6606

Pejepscott Museum/Skolfield-Whittier House

The museum is housed in a brick Italianate duplex that a shipmaster built for his two sons in 1858. The house next door contains original furnishings and the personal belongings of three generations of Skolfields and Whittiers left perfectly intact as it was left in 1925.

Museum open Mon-Fri 9-5, Sat 1-4, Memorial Day to Labor Day; Mon-Fri 9-5 rest of the year; House open Tue-Fri 10-3, Sat 1-4 Memorial Day to Labor Day • 159-161 Park Row • (207) 729-6606

Camden

The Conway Homestead

18th century farmhouse with an herb garden and antique finishings. The barn contains sleighs, carriages and farm implement. The Mary Meeker Cramer Museum exhibits ship models, quilts, costumes and other local memorabilia.

Open Mon-Thu 10-4, Jul-Aug • 1 mile south via US 1 • (207) 236-2257

Castine

Wilson Museum

Featured is the the John Perkins House, a pre-Revolutionary War structure. The home has been restored and is furnished in period.

Open Tue-Sun 2-5, Memorial Day to Sep 30 • 107 Perkins St. • (207) 326-9247

Columbia Falls

Ruggles House

Built in 1818 for Judge Thomas Ruggles, a wealthy lumber dealer, merchant, postmaster, and militia captain. The two story Adams style house is noted for its flying staircase.

Open Mon-Sat 9:30-4:30, Sun 11-4:30, Jun 1 - Oct 15 • 146 Main Street • (207) 483-4637

Damariscotta

Chapman-Hall House

Completed in 1754 by Nathaniel Chapman, the house was later added on during the late 1700s and mid 1800s.

Open Tue-Sun 1-5. Mid Jun-Mid Sep • Main St. •

Ellsworth

Woodlawn Museum (The Black House)

Built in the 1820s, the house remains as it appeared during the occupation by three generations of the Black family.

Open Mon-Sat 10-4:30, Jun 1 - Oct 15 • 1478 Rte. 172 • (207) 667-8671

Stanwood Homestead Museum and Birdsacre Sanctuary

The home of Cordelia Stanwood, Maine's pioneer ornithologist, was built in 1850. The home is furnished with original pieces and has exhibits of mounted birds, nests, eggs, and paintings.

Open daily 10-4, Jun 15 - Oct 15 • on SR 3 • (207) 667-8460

Farmington

Nordica Homestead Museum

The birthplace of opera singer Lillian Nordica has displays of her costumes, stage jewelry, career mementos and original furniture.

Open Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5, Jun 1-Labor Day • Holley Rd. • (207) 778-2042

Island Falls

John E. & Walter D. Webb Museum of Vintage Fashion

Antique clothing is displayed in the themed rooms of an 1894 residence.

Open Mon-Thu 10-4, Jun 1-Oct 10 • 10 Sherman St. • (207) 463-2404

Kennebunk

Brick Store Museum

Four early 19th century commercial buildings and the 1803 Taylor-Barry House comprise this museum.

Museum open Tue-Sat 10-4:30; House open Tue-Fri 1-4 Jul-Sep • 117 Main St. & 24 Summer St. • (207) 985-4802

Livermore Falls

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center

The 445 acre working farm includes the restored Washburn family mansion.

Open daily 10-4, Jul 4-Labor Day • Norland Rd. • (207) 897-4366

Machiasport

Gates House

Several rooms of the 1807 Federal style house have been restored and furnished in period.

Open Mon-Fri 12:30-4:30, mid Jun - mid Sep • on SR 92 • (207) 255-8461

Newfield

Willowbrook at Newfield

Restored 19th century village includes 37 buildings and fine examples of stagecoaches, carriages, and sleighs.

Open daily 10-5, May 15-Sep 30 • off SR 11 • (207) 793-2784

Portland

Neal Dow Memorial

Federal style mansion built in 1829 for Maine politician, abolitionist and prohibitionist Neal Dow. Origanl furniture, portraits, china and silver are on display.

Open Mon-Fri 11-4 • 714 Congress St. • (207) 773-7773

Tate House

This Georgian house was built in 1755 and features fine panelling in the sitting room and parlor.

Open Tue-Sat 10-4, Sun 1-4, Jul 1-Labor Day; Fri-Sun 10-4 Labor Day-Oct 31 • 1270 Westbrook St. • (207) 774-9781

Victoria Mansion

Itallianate Villa designed by Henry Austin and built in 1858-60. Painted trompe l'oil walls and ceilings, rich wood paneling, original carpets, French porcelains, and marble fireplaces are featured throughout.

Open Tue-Sat 10-4, Sun 1-5, May-Oct • 109 Danforth St. • (207) 772-4841

Wadsworth-Longfellow House

Built in 1785-86 and added on in 1815, this was the first brick home in Portland. Gen. Peleg Wadsworth was the maternal grandfather of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who lived in the house during his childhood.

Open Tue-Sun 10-4, Jun 1-Oct 30 • 487 Congress St. • (207) 774-1822

Rockland

Farnsworth Art Museum

Museum admission includes the Farnsworth Homestead which is next door and is an example of Greek Revival architecture. Built in 1850, it contains many of the original family furnishings. The museum also owns the Olson House. Painter Andrew Wyeth created many of his best-loved works at the Olson House, the home of Christina Olson and her brother Alvaro. Christina's World, painted at the house in 1948 and now owned by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, is perhaps his best-know work painted there. The Olson House is located 14.5 miles from the museum in Cushing, ME

Open Mon-Sat 10-4:30, Sun 1-4:30, Jun-Oct • 19 Elm St. • (207) 596-6457

Searsport

Penobscot Marine Museum

Among the eight buildings are an 1816 captain's home.

Open Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5 Memorial Day - Oct 15 • US 1 & Church St. • (207) 548-2529

Skowhegan

History House

Built in 1839, the house contains early American antiques.

Open Tue-Fri 1-5 mid-Jun to mid-Sep • 40 Elm St. • (207) 474-6632

South Berwick

Hamilton House

The 1785 Georgian mansion features lovely gardens, painted murals, and simple country furnishings.

Open Wed-Sun 11-4, Jun 1 - Oct 15 • Vaughan's Lane • (207) 384-2454

Sarah Orne Jewett House

The 1774 Georgian house features fine paneling, original 18th and 19th century wallpapers and period furnishings. Author Sarah Orne Jewett was born in the house in 1849.

Open Fri-Sun 11-4, Jun 1 - Oct 15 • 5 Portland St. • (207) 384-2454

Standish

Marrett House

The Rev. Daniel Marrett aquired the home shortly after it was built in 1789. During the War of 1812, the home protected the gold treasury of Portland.

Open first Sat of the month, Jun-Oct • on SR 25 • (207) 642-3032

Wiscasset

Castle Tucker House Museum

The 1807 Georgian mansion is furnished with Federal and Victorian antiques.

Open Fri-Sun 11-4, Jun 1 - Oct 15; by appt in Sep • Lee & High Sts. • (207) 882-7169

Nickes-Sortwell House

The 1807 house was home to prominent Maine shipmaster Capt. William Nickels, and then later Alvin Sortwell, a mayor of Cambridge, Mass.

Open Fri-Sun 11-4, Jun 1-Oct 15 • 121 Main St. • (207) 882-6218

York

Old York

Six sites are maintained, two of them homes, the Elizabeth Perkins House, and the Emerson-Wilcox House.

Open Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5 mid-Jun to Sep 30 • 140 Lindsay Rd. • (207) 363-4974

York Harbor

Sayward-Wheeler House

Built in 1718, the house is furnished wih Queen Anne and Chippendale pieces.

Open first Sat of the month, Jun-Oct • Barrel Extension • (207) 384-2454