This gem is filled with Maine treasures historical through "modern times"! So many interesting…read moreartifacts, nature/animals etc... to enjoy! My daughter & I have enjoyed it many times! Great spot to bring out of state friends & family on a rainy day!

You decide to visit Maine in the winter. Great. But it should be no surprise that there are not a…read morewhole heck of a lot of things to do when everything is covered in snow. Problem solved with the Maine State Museum. It does not look from the outside that this might be a hidden gem, but it certainly was. From the old train to the operational mill tucked through several floors inside, you really get a sense of how things were working back in the day. Overall, the museum is not the fanciest around and might be a little dated, but if you take the time to read the displays and walk the whole museum, you will come away being glad you made the stop.

National historical building and cannon with views of Kennebec river. It is a brick powder house…read morestorage building built in the early 1800's to house ammunition. It is a cute building and cannon on High street with a little park with grass around it. Parking is on the street. It is really quaint and adorable. It will not take you too long to look around, but it is worth a trek. Great views from the top of hill. Beautifully scenic and historical. A step back in time when you are there.

The railway museum is a snap shot of history that will transport you to a different time. This is a…read morereal working narrow gauge rail road where guests can take an old timey train ride through the forest on the original narrow gauge tracks. Volunteers and educators maintain the tracks, buildings, and on-site gift shop. There is so much to see and learn about this is a unique museum in that in these buildings you can look at, climb around, and literally touch history. I have not ridden the train (yet) I was simply there to admire and learn. It costs nothing to look around and explore the museum. They have plenty of parking, restrooms, water fountain. Dress for the weather and the grounds of the museum are not paved they are crushed gravel paths as this is a working railway station. You will be transported to the 1800's for sure.

I've been to the Railway Museum several times over the past few years. It was only today, when I…read morewas checking the schedule for their lavender picking train, that I realize I've never done a review. How is this even possible? 5 stars without hesitation. The Museum is small but incredibly interesting. The volunteers that work here are personable and incredibly knowledgeable about the trains and RR history. The first time I came, I took the train up to SeaLyon Farm. Picked lavender, sat by a campfire, and enjoyed an amazing late afternoon. The last time I rode the train was this winter. Beautiful and a whole different experience. We even got to help turn the train - a unique and fun experience. Sad, to be honest, that I would be in town in order to bring my son to the Fathers Day pig roast scheduled for June. If you are in town, don't miss it!! Promises to be amazing.

We knew nothing of the town of Waterville, much less Colby College, so this was a great…read moreintroduction! The Colby College Museum of Art is located on its namesake's beautiful and bustling campus. The modern, gleaming glass structure makes for a striking contrast to the traditional buildings surrounding it, and might give one reason to think this is a "modern" museum of art, which it is not. CCMA holds a surprisingly eclectic ensemble of classical and modern works. Even more surprising (considering the plethora of works presented) is the fact that there is no fee to enjoy this museum! I was really impressed with the expansiveness of the showrooms -- every piece had a lot of breathing room in which to display itself -- and the number of galleries to explore. This museum certainly rivals some of the great museums I've visited throughout my years of traveling (both here and abroad). And the fact that it's free, on a college campus, is even more astonishing to me! And there were "firsts" for me, too: A special collection of curated works by the artist Eastman Johnson -- I'd never heard of him before -- that was not necessarily my style of art -- I lean towards modern abstract, which there's plenty here to relish! -- but was astonishingly realistic and beautiful in a very rough-and-tumble American-way. I thoroughly enjoyed it! In sum, our visit to Colby College Museum of Art was thoroughly worth the hour's drive to Waterville, and I highly recommend a stop here should you ever find yourself in Waterville, ME. Excellent!!!

For a small college like Colby, this art museum is surprisingly comparable to museums at much…read morelarger universities. And it keeps getting bigger and better. There is free admission for all. There are some gems in the permanent collection and strength in particular areas (eg works by Alex Katz). If you truly love art, you will probably find an interesting special exhibition or two on display when you visit. What is the point in having a museum like this? As Picasso said, "the purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls."

This Museum does not deserve 3 stars! its an AMAZING place! they fully renovated it and my toddler…read moreadores it, she could play there for hours! it's extremely clean and the staff is friendly!!

What a great day trip for the kids! After talking to an employee, I'm excited to hear they'll be…read morechanging locations soon for some exciting new interactive exhibits. They clearly care about learning and exploration. The touch tank was fun for the kids who might not get to interact with wildlife very often. The kids were thrilled by the skid steer.... but maybe this is because they're typically not allowed near the front of our vehicle. It was nice to take a step back from technology, and watch the kids be able to freely engage with their creative imaginations. I honestly wish there were more places like this. I'm definitely going to keep up with all of their changes, and maybe get involved in some of the volunteer opportunities. Excited for the fairy festival in September and looking to see what I can do to help. At only $6 a person for the day, this is quite a deal!

We try to visit capitol buildings in each state we visit. Most recently, we visited the Maine State…read moreHouse. Nestled in Augusta, Maine, the capitol building is large and appeared pretty plain when we first arrived. There is visitor parking available on the side and in the back of the building. So when we arrived in the back, it looked like a large, unremarkable, white building. We decided to take a peek inside (it was nearly closing, so it was just a peek) and then take a walk around the perimeter. I'm so glad we did. The view from the front is pillared with and rotunda topped. It was lovely. The grounds aren't extensive but well appointed on the pathway leading to the front. We were happy we made the stop!

As I approached the Maine State House I noticed the impressive architecture with a large dome on…read moretop that is typical of most state houses. My expectations were high for the inside. It's one of the easier state houses to find the main entrance, and the security guard was very friendly since the visitor's desk was not being manned. He gave us a map, along with some advice on what to see, and sent us on our way. I went to the rotunda first, as it is usually the most impressive part of a state house. This one was surprisingly bland. I never thought I would use the word bland to describe the rotunda of a state house, but looking up into the dome that was the only word to come to mind. I went to the Senate and House chambers, and nothing much to see there either. There appeared to be a really cool painting of George Washington, but it was covered to protect it from nearby painting going on. The best part was a balcony with rocking chairs. The Main State House did not live up to my expectations on the inside. The grounds outside are nice, but nothing really impressive there either. The Maine State House does not stack up well against most of the state houses in this country.

December 5th was the last Gardiner Art Walk for this year. It was a balmy 8° outside, the coldest…read morenight so far. But the smell of homemade meatballs lured me into the gallery! Yes. Meatballs. Alan Claude studio always has fabulous food for art walk night, tonight was meatballs and tiramisu. Delish!!!! I looked through the 8x10 prints to find some winter scenes to bring home. But did get a little overwhelmed by the amount people sharing the gallery and shop space and had to duck out. But! He always runs a really good sale for the 8x10s, where you can pick three for one set price. So I've made my list, I'm checking it twice and I'm sending my Santa back to pick them up. Nobody how busy the gallery is, Alan himself ALWAYS makes a point to greet every single person that steps in the door. He's also happy to take photos and sign art!

Was delighted to find an Alan Claude Gallery on our recent visit to Gardiner, ME! His work is…read morestunning and quintessential Maine. There is something for every ME fan to enjoy. Original pieces, popular prints in many sizes, calendars, and assorted cards fill the historic space. Insider tip: free bookmarks.

A treasure trove of Vassalboro artifacts. Lovingly cared for, the museum showcases displays…read morerecounting Vassalboro's long history. Includes displays that are kid friendly. Originally a three room school house, the building itself is a step back in history, especially for those like me that attended elementary school there. The beautiful park next door offers a great view of the lake.

From the owner: The Vassalboro Historical Society located at 327 Main Street, East Vassalboro, Maine is open Monday…read more& Tuesday from 9am-1pm or by appointment. Located in the former East Vassalboro Grammar School the Society holds artifacts from Vassalboro or made in Vassalboro. We currently have interactive displays for rug hooking and rug braiding as well as a children's dress up spot and a spot for them to act as an archaeologist and dig for wooden nickels. The museum library holds vital, church, cemetery, organization, school, funeral, and town records among many more. We have photo albums, family bibles and histories, and scrapbooks. We have Oak Grove-Coburn School records from year books to photos. Our collection is organized and we are typically able to assist visitors in finding information pertaining to what they are researching.

Wonderful! We celebrated a shared birthday at Wanderwood. It was glorious, beautiful, and a…read morepleasure. The location is an atmospheric renovated barn, situated above an open field and trees, with winding trails down to a lake. It's full of character - a storied place for sure. We had music and food to share with our guests. The day is likely to live long in our memories, and we could not be more grateful. Thank you!

From the owner: Wanderwood is a sustainable lodging and events business built around a working farm…read more We connect guests and our community to the vitally important forests, fields, lakes, streams and agricultural lands surrounding us.