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    Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum

    4.5 (6 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum Photos

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    One of the actual sleds used on the Peary expedition to the North Pole
    Chris H.

    This museum, on the Bowdoin College campus, is excellent and provides a close-up walkthrough of the history of the various Peary and MacMillan expeditions to attempt to reach the North Pole in the early 1900s. There are scores of authentic artifacts, pictures, film footage and major pieces of equipment from the expeditions (including a dog sledge that's about 10 feet long), along with excellent historical information about the explorers, the indigenous cultures with which they interacted, and the wildlife and weather conditions they encountered. Several of the more charismatic critters are taxidermied and look down upon you from above the display cases. Moreover, the museum features special exhibitions; the one I saw was on representation of birds in indigenous culture, spirituality and artwork, and it was quite fascinating. One particularly interesting part of the collection focused on Matthew Henson, an African-American member of the expeditions. They have a trading card of him! ("Trading card," you say? Yup...the Hassan Tobacco Company included trading cards of world famous explorers in cigarette packs in the early 1900s, much like baseball cards of the time.) The museum is small and easy to get through at whatever pace you choose; admission is free but a donation is appreciated, and there's a gift shop with some nifty little things.

    Spirit animal sculpture

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Small, but very nice museum about arctic exploration.

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    11 years ago

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    Bowdoin College Museum of Art - Homer landscape

    Bowdoin College Museum of Art

    4.8(15 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    I had a great visit to the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. The museum is free, easy to get around,…read moreand feels very welcoming to both locals and visitors. The historic building adds a lot of charm, and being right on the Bowdoin campus makes the whole experience feel special, not stuffy. For a college museum, the collection is impressive. There's a mix of older works and contemporary art, plus rotating exhibitions that keep things fresh, so you can easily spend an hour or two without feeling overwhelmed. The size is just right if you want something cultural to do without committing to an all-day museum trip. The staff and guards are friendly and approachable, and the atmosphere is quiet and relaxed--perfect for a solo visit, a date, or a low-key outing with friends or family. It's a short walk from downtown Brunswick with convenient parking nearby, so it's very easy to add to a day exploring the area. Overall, this is a real gem in Midcoast Maine and absolutely worth a stop if you're anywhere nearby. I'd definitely come back to see future exhibits.

    My dad is an alumni here so I just had to check the campus out while I was in the area. The museum…read moreis free and much larger than I had anticipated it to be. There were two levels and a multitude of rooms to appreciate the pieces of art up close and personal since there weren't many barriers establishing boundaries. This definitely added to the experience and I am curious how often they change out the pieces. Would come again and recommend others to check them out!

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    Bowdoin College Museum of Art
    Bowdoin College Museum of Art
    Bowdoin College Museum of Art - Campus

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    Campus

    International Cryptozoology Museum

    International Cryptozoology Museum

    3.3(91 reviews)
    24.2 miLibbytown

    The International Cryptozoology Museum is a museum that opened in Portland, Maine in 2003. It was…read morefounded by cryptozoologist, author and TV personality Loren Coleman. Although he has a background in social work, Coleman has had a passion for cryptozoology (the study of animals whose existence is unproven: aka cryptids) for several decades. Originally from Virginia, he relocated to Maine in 1980 and wrote a number of articles and books on cryptozoology. In 2003, Coleman opened the museum in the first floor of his home. As his collection of cryptid artifacts grew, so did his need to find a larger museum space. The museum moved a number of times before it ended up in its current location in Portland's Thompson Point in 2020. There are plans to move the museum to an even larger space in Bangor in 2026. My extended family and I visited the museum this past summer while we were vacationing in Maine. I've wanted to visit it for several years. I'm very familiar with Coleman's work from his books and TV appearances on documentaries on A&E or the History Channel. The museum is loaded with an absurd amount of artifacts all related to cryptozoology. I would say that a majority of the artifacts are dedicated to Bigfoot (Sasquatch), the Abominable Snowman (Yeti) and other legendary ape-like hominids. There were plenty of sculptures, footprint castings, and other various artifacts. The highlight for me was the 8.5-foot-tall Crookston Bigfoot sculpture made by taxidermist Curtis Christensen. There are also artifacts dedicated to cryptids such as Lake Monsters (Loch Ness Monster, Champ, Ogopogo, Cadborosaurus), Swamp Monsters, the Feejee Mermaid, the Montauk Monster, the Mothman, the Dover Demon, the Jersey Devil, the Beast of Bray Road, and others too numerous to mention. We all really enjoyed exploring the museum and we highly recommend it to anyone who's interesting in all things strange and unusual.

    Although this place was geared more towards Bigfoot than any other animal, it definitely had a…read morelittle bit of everything and was oddly interesting. For $10 it's worth a stop. I think Parking was two dollars for an hour. There were a good number of kids there who obviously seemed to love it. i'm not sure that I would consider it an actual museum. It's more of a collection of odds and ends.

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    International Cryptozoology Museum - Dover Demon

    Dover Demon

    International Cryptozoology Museum
    International Cryptozoology Museum

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    Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens - Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

    Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

    4.7(240 reviews)
    15.2 mi

    Such a fun, family friendly place!! The walking trails are well maintained and clearly marked…read more There's plenty for kids to do around the grounds. It was really fun to walk the trails and see all the trolls! The grounds are really pretty this time of year with the hyacinths and daffodils blooming. Soo many varieties and colors! The gift shop was cute and well maintained. Service at the Cafe was great.

    A great spot in mid-coast Maine to enjoy flora from around the world. It's large enough that you…read morecan spend a day there, but not too large that you feel like you can't see enough of it. If you enjoy a bit of a scavenger hunt, they have these huge wooden troll sculptures scattered throughout the park that are fun to hunt down and makes sure you get your steps in. I mean, they're clearly marked on the map and on signs, but we enjoyed finding the right paths to see all of them. Definitely take your pictures but don't take too long in front of them so other visitors can get theirs! The park is very accessible for people of all mobility levels, and the less accessible/steeper paths are clearly labeled. Most of the paths have a slow rise and fall, so they're not strenuous. They have little features like waterfalls, a meditation garden, a town of fairy houses, sculptures, information on conservation and the local indigenous tribes, a dock into the bay that you can walk out to, a butterfly garden, and kinetic sculptures (some of which you can make music with). Also highly recommend stopping by their cafe! We ended up eating lunch there and were happy that they had a number of vegetarian and vegan options. The lentil soup was so tasty, particularly on a more temperate summer day. The Botanical Gardens are a must visit!

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    Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens - Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

    Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

    Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens - Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

    Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

    Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens - Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

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    Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

    Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum - museums - Updated May 2026

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