



THE PLACE FOR PLAY IN MAINE
At the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM), we set the stage for every child to imagine and learn through play.
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The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine Afterschool Experiences are designed with the whole child in mind. From exploring the interconnection between Maine's aquatic species to creating a show as a theatre ensemble, these experiences foster collaboration, empathy, critical thinking, and self-awareness skills.
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Work individually or as part of a group to design and build a bridge out of simple materials. Learn the fundamentals of basic engineering through interactive problem-solving. This program focuses on process over product and encourages fun experimentation. All ages and abilities are welcome.
Manipulate pipettes, water, and curious fingers to find plastic animals hidden in the ice. Together we will use our senses and heat science to explore spring melt and the awakening of hibernating animals. Member’s Science Spot is a weekly program where families can meet live aquarium animals and engage in activities designed for children ages 0–5. Enjoy enriching moments that spark curiosity, encourage exploration, and inspire a love for the natural world.
Let’s pretend together! In this creative drama experience, we will use the power of imagination, storytelling, and song to transform CMTM's Maddy’s Theatre into familiar environments. This is an interactive early childhood theatrical experience for children ages 1-3 and their caregivers to gain confidence imagining and pretending together.
Explore, create, and collaborate during this drop-in class for children 2-5 and their caregivers. Each week, experiment with the mediums and styles of both well-known and emerging artists. This week, we’ll focus on the work of Kevin Xiques, a self-taught abstract expressionist artist. We'll us layered squeegee techniques and acrylics to create big paintings. Please plan for a messy but fun morning; aprons will be provided. Thank you to Hancock Lumber for their support of this program and CMTM's MakerSpace.
Discover the Science for Tots series! This weekly program is designed around sensory-rich experiences for children ages 2-5 and their caregivers.
This month, drop in for ooey-gooey exploration of liquids, solids, and gases! Discover that matter matters, as we experiment with oobleck, defrost toy animals from melting ice, and mix ingredients to make bubbles!
Art Studio is a weekly midday opportunity that invites young artists and makers to explore artistic expression. Held in the front section of MakerSpace, this program explores creative techniques, materials, and mediums. This week, use a collection of stamps and stencils to create art on paper.
Explore the unique animals in our freshwater and saltwater habitats and discover the physical and behavioral adaptations they use to survive. Using human-made tools as props, we will imagine the features these animals rely on everyday. From freezing frogs to suctioning sea stars—what other amazing animal adaptations will we find?
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In the News
Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and if you’re looking for something fun to do with your kids to celebrate, it's Love Week at the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine.
It's a week to celebrate love, kindness, and self-appreciation.
In this segment, Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine executive director Julie Butcher Pezzino tells us more about Love Week.
At an event at the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine on Tuesday morning, kids talked about what they wish for in 2025.
Mainers party just a little differently than the rest of the world on New Year’s Eve.
Instead of dropping a ball from a big building in a big city, we drop a wild blueberry from a church bell tower in Kennebunk. Instead of making everyone stay up to the stroke of midnight, we hold some New Year’s celebrations in the afternoon or early evening, so kids and early risers can get to bed on time.
On return trips from her old college stomping grounds of Boston, Nancy Martin, business programs manager for the City of Portland, Maine, knows she is home when the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM) comes into view. It is arguably the most prominent venue in a development known as Thompson’s Point, which stands out right off Interstate 295. The peninsula setting symbolizes the natural amenities Maine possesses, while the ground below is a prime example of Portland’s desire to maintain its beauty inside and out.
This week, two guests walk us through all these “Beautiful Blackbird” activities – Jordia Benjamin, Executive Director of the Indigo Arts Alliance and René Goddess, a Portland-based theater artist who is Artistic Director of The Theater Ensemble of Color as well as the director of the stage play edition of “Beautiful Blackbird.”
Assembled on a teal cardboard wall is a wide range of children’s artwork: doodles of multiple orange cats, crayon-drawn self-portraits, Acadia National Park depicted in markers, a drawing of a cup of boba tea. While the works vary in style and content, they come together in the mural to create a portrait of the children of the Portland area.
Updates + Stories
The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM) seeks artists and/or makers to bring a special art or making experience to CMTM’s community celebrations. We seek artists and makers to share their voices and craft with a multi-generational audience.Submission deadline: April 30, 2025 + June 30, 2025
Help set the stage for all children to imagine and learn through play as an actor in the upcoming theatre season at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM)!
Help set the stage for all children to imagine and learn through play as an actor in the upcoming theatre season at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM)!
Discover the Science for Tots series! This weekly program is designed around sensory-rich experiences for children ages 2-5 and their caregivers. During Science for Tots, we meet young children where they are by introducing them to STEM concepts like science, engineering, math, and the environment through rich sensory experiences. Read on to learn more about how even the youngest explorers think like scientists!
Here at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM), it’s one of our favorite weeks of the year—LOVE week! We can’t wait to celebrate with you. The next several days are chock full of heart-filled activities, but how else do we lean into LOVE at CMTM? - A Message from CMTM’s Executive Director, Julie Butcher Pezzino