I heart libraries. And Portland Public is a great one!…read more There are many things that make a great library, and here are a few that Portland Public offers: 1. Friendly, helpful librarians 2. Free wi-fi and public computers 3. Beautiful open spaces, full of books! 4. Great book selection, with the classics and lots new-to-the-shelves 5. Wonderful children's section with bountiful books and daily activities 6. Availability of e-books and audio-books for those who are so inclined 7. Nice seating areas 8. Easy return and re-new options 9. Local benefits for library card holders (tickets, and discounts, and stuff) 10. Great central location, in the heart of the city (and also really close to my work so I can visit often!) Thanks Portland Public for being great! See you soon - I've got some books to return and some new ones waiting for me!

I love this libary it's has art stuff a lot anyways I will come back so soon maybe in 2026read more

Amazing College of Art. My review is based only on my experience as a viewer and not as a college…read morestudent. While touristing around in the streets of Portland, we came across this awesome College that features amazing art galleries (open to the public + free of charge) with all of the amazing work of the talented local students. Coming here on the weekend wasn't too crowded, we even went up the stairs and explored some more art work and some of the cool art rooms. Some students were working on their art and we even got to see the really dope photo room with its own dark room. So so dreamy! The art and talent of these students truly reflects on their art work. Can't wait to come back in here and check out some of the newer art work. The galleries and art work changes constantly so make sure to stop by and check it out. Everyone is welcome!

If I could do it all over again... I would either be a doctor or an art student. And if I chose the…read morepath of the latter of those two, I would want to come to Maine College of Art - it's something that passes through my mind every time I'm here! The location of MECA is amazing - I imagine being a young person, attending school here, must be nothing short of fantastic given the proximity to every "cool" thing Portland has to offer. The interior of the school is also lovely: the facilities always seem clean, modern, and a safe place for creativity-fostering and imagination-wandering. I always love the times I get to come here and encourage you - if you never have - to take advantage of the open exhibits they have for the community (of which they are very welcoming of). I've been here on First Friday's (it's usually one of my first stops up Congress St and usually sets the tone for the rest of the Walk), for their annual Holiday Art Sale (which can be SERIOUSLY packed, but if you're patient and accommodating, you can find some real art/jewelry gems during that time), for MECAmorphosis in Spring (one of the coolest art events I've been to in the city), or their "COLLECT" show in October. Some incredible art I've seen here (and there's been so much it's hard to recall after all these years)?: 1. Video games created by students and available for testing/playing with. 2. A student who created an interactive art installation of a 1920's circus-themed birthday party for a little boy (there was another one nearby that was of a vegan restaurant, this must have been a project for the graphic design class or something). 3. A split-screen video, half of pre-recorded footage of seagulls eating donuts and half of real-time footage of people looking at the art eating donuts. Hysterical. Love this place and am continually happy it's a part of our city!

What the heck is a map library? Is it a library full of maps?! YES!…read more For a map geek like me, the fact that this place exists just makes me happy. After all, I did make maps for a living for several years and maps are just cool...especially old ones! Today I learned the Osher Map Library has the second largest collection of maps in the U.S. (U.S. Library of Congress is number 1). I was walking by the library, so I decided to step in for a few minutes to check it out. They have a nice collection of old, rare, and restored globes when you enter the library. The staff let me take a peek a booklet which depicted the process of restoring and digitalizing old globes. Pretty neat stuff. Next, I was taken to the current exhibit hall to see their current display (Masterpieces at USM: Celebrating Five Centuries of Rare Maps and Globes). This is a great display of the beauty and history of cartography. The exhibit starts with the first modern map (1475) and from there you will see maps from around the world from the 15th to 19th centuries. It's amazing to look at these maps. It'll only take 15-20 minutes to go through the exhibit hall. If you do stop by, make sure to pay special attention to the drawings that surround the maps. Imagine trying to draw a giraffe if you have never even seen a picture of one! Unfortunately I had to take a phone call halfway through the visit, so I felt bad as the really nice woman working there had to wait for me as I simultaneously held a conversation on the phone and went through the exhibit. Five stars for her patience, giving me a quick tour, answering my questions, and some free map cards!

From the owner: As an integral part of a comprehensive metropolitan university within the University of Maine…read moreSystem, the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education [OML] is committed to preserving the cartographic heritage of the state, region, and nation for future generations, and to making that heritage accessible to the University, the people of Maine, and to all other students, scholars, and visitors. It shares its collections through exhibitions and through collaborative efforts with other cultural institutions. It seeks to interpret its collections ~ to make them intellectually accessible ~ through classes, exhibitions, and other outreach programs.

This is easily a 5-star school…read more This small campus contains America's future healthcare professionals. These young students are mastering the skills required in a large variety of healthcare settings. The equipment here is top notch, and healthcare professionals all across the nation hold UNE grads in high regard. This school boasts a state-of-the-art library and a well-maintained fitness center with any type of fitness equipment you would ever need. The staff at both of these places are phenomenal people that you won't find on any other college campus. The people truly make this school what it is today. The professors and staff members here are personable and care about their students in all aspects of life. The low student:teacher ratio makes this possible. The tuition here is an investment that will easily pay off dividends in the future. You can't beat this school.

One of the most poorly organizations in higher ed. From incompetent staff to classrooms that have…read morenot been updated since the 50s, there are plenty of other better options for less money.

Following first speculation I saw online of Novel closing then after they confirmed they would be…read moreclosing my wife wanted to make sure we came by before that! She is a book lover and we both love our coffees and cocktails. This is a spot that offers all of that and is a third space I think that has been popular and will in general be missed. We even visited during their opening day back in December 2023. They will be closing their doors on April 17th 2026. I will say that due to them getting their books from a local used bookstore they do not have the latest and greatest selection of books that you'd expect if they were a bookstore. I have not had complaints during any of our visits here. I have enjoyed their coffee as well as their chai lattes along with enjoyed all the cocktails I have tried. I have especially enjoyed the espresso martinis and have liked the fact you could in fact get the coffee drinks and cocktails any time of their hours opened. During the majority of their time open they would offer specialty espresso martinis as well. Some of my favorite cities to visit have many coffee cafe meets cocktail bar and is a concept I wish were more popular in Portland. It is a difficult time currently for all and any local business so with yet another closing I encourage you to support your favorite places when and how you can! Cheers to Novel and thanks for the space you offered to locals and visitors!

A place like Novel was long overdue in Downtown Portland. Coffee, cocktails, and books all day…read morelong? Yes, please. And they're open on Mondays?! The minute I walked in, I was surprised by how big the space was. But heads up, it's already a popular spot. I assumed a Monday visit would mean a quiet, empty cafe, but nope. Every table, couch, and chaise was taken, so I grabbed a seat at the bar. Not a problem, but if you're expecting a hidden gem, this isn't that. The ambiance was cool, hip, and laid-back. It's the kind of place where being solo feels encouraged. The only group chatting while I was there was practically whispering, so if you're looking for a catch-up spot with friends, this probably isn't it. But if you're in town alone and want a good drink and some quiet time, then it's the perfect spot. I ordered The Raven, and it was a delicious and balanced drink, just pricier than expected at $14 (though that's sadly the new norm in Portland). I also got a Negroni, which I just asked for offhand, and surprisingly, it was great and cheaper than my cocktail. Wish I'd known that was an option first. Overall, a fantastic addition to Portland and one I'll absolutely be back to.

Lovely visit to the Portland Observatory…read more We had intended on a self-tour but were told that self tours would start at 4:30pm...and that before that time, you would have to take a toured guide up the tower. As there was a scheduled guide about to start soon...we opted to take the guided tour. At that time (mid-week in late August around 12pm) there were only four of us on that tour. Our tour guide, an older woman, was wonderful. As we ascended the tower during the 45-minute tour, we stopped off at each floor and she explained a bit about the tower and its history. Lots of interesting facts! We made it to the top to take in some amazing views of the area. Tours are $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6-16 and free for those 5 and under. The stairs (there are about 100) throughout the tower are spiral-ish...so be careful of your foot placement on the narrowed parts of each step while ascending and descending. Street parking signs can be a bit tricky in the area reading "...no parking on the 1st/2nd/3rd/4th ___day of the month..." Be sure to properly read those signs and park accordingly.

My plans only have me in town for two days, so I asked my local coworker one sight I had to see…read morewith a short time frame, and was sent here. Just a fun little local tip. The history itself is cool enough: this was a lookout for ships coming into the harbor before radio, and is the oldest currently standing in the USA. But I really appreciated the elevation for getting a good look of the downtown and harbor area, walking around the tower in the breeze and seeing the ocean peaking through the islands in the harbor. Worth the $10 to the top. (Note: the stairs are steep and there's no room inside for an elevator. We're talking large curving internal staircases. Maybe not for those with mobility issues.)

Awesome game and card store in South Portland. Fun store in a hannaford strip mall. Tables in the…read moreback for people to play and see and chat. Lots of games. Great employees. Good prices. Clean fun place and atmosphere.

During my vacation to Maine - I had a rain day to find things to do. I found this Super cool games…read morestore! If there were a store like this close to where I live in Virginia - I'd spend to much time and money there! Fantastic selection of games and puzzles! #DiversionsPuzzlesAndGames

Enormous ongoing summer noise ordinance issue for tenants of apartments near Congress and High St…read more We called Portland PD tonight and finally, at least once, the issue was resolved swiftly with no issues, no arrests, no problems at all. Thanks!

They appear to have falsely claimed to have issued me a snowplow-ordinance parking ticket --- "Oh,…read morewe did leave you a ticket, but someone must have taken it off again" --- but then they eventually sent me a thirty-day-unpaid-ticket notice in the mail; I suspect that they purposely "waited till the last minute" so that I would not have a chance to protest it before having to pay a late fee. (Plus I suspect that another reason that they didn't give me the ticket was that they didn't want me to know about it while I was still in the area and could thus have conveniently protested the ticket, and so they instead waited till I was all the way back home again to notify me; I live hundreds of miles from Portland, so I could not have been expected to drive all the way back there just to contest the ticket.) Plus it's not as if I had been the only one to naively park there prior to the late-night snowfall; there were many other cars parked in the same area along with mine, so many other motorists were also unaware of the parking ban; I suspect that the cops had illegally targeted my car merely because it was old and dilapidated-looking, falsely noting in their logbook that they'd issued me a ticket, but in truth merely observing my car but never issuing me a ticket. And when I protested that there were no signs prohibiting parking there, they said, "Well, we announced it on television". I didn't even HAVE a television in my hotel room, so I would have had no way of knowing; in effect, they were fining me for not watching television! They also falsely claimed that I had "used up my grace-notices" --- i.e., to encourage tourism, they are supposed to have a policy of giving you one or two "warning" notices before issuing you an actual ticket --- when in reality that was the first time in my life that I had parked in Portland.