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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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 Wednesday, we will focus on collage artist and storyteller Oge Mora, a featured illustrator in our Lunder Arts and Culture Gallery and creator of the children's book Thank You, Omu! We will work with cut-paper and glue to craft our own colorful creations. 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.
Designed for young audiences, this weekly storytime invites guests to listen to a live reading of curated children’s books, with fun opportunities for audience participation.
Discover the Science for Tots series! This weekly program is specially designed for children ages 2-5 and their caregivers.
Roar! This month for Science for Tots we are all about dinos! Each week in November will explore dinosaurs in a tot-friendly way through activities such as making playdough trace fossil footprints, “cracking” baking soda and vinegar dinosaur eggs, stomping like a dinosaur, and more!
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. Sign up for one week or multiple weeks to meet new families and make new friends. Included with admission. Registration Required.
Travel from the mountains to the sea during our Guided Aquarium Tour! Join a CMTM staff member at the Creek Tank and work your way around the River, the Pond, the Tide Pool, and the Wharf Tank. You'll see fish, turtles, sea stars, and maybe even a few surprises as your tour guide shares facts about animals and our local watershed along the way.
Celebrate all things DINOSAUR during a special weekend of events designed for ages 2-7 and their caregivers. Visit MakerSpace and make your own small dino to take home or create fossils in an open art studio. Learn about a special reptile whose ancestors lived in the age of dinosaurs 200 million years ago—featuring live turtles in CMTM's aquarium. Experience some dinosaur theatre in a Pop-Up Performance that will absolutely NOT have a live dinosaur on stage, as CMTM has yet to invent time travel. Visit anytime during this themed weekend to experience dino fun, art, science, and theatre! Dino Day is presented with generous support from Bissell Brothers.
Celebrate all things DINOSAUR during a special weekend of events designed for ages 2-7 and their caregivers. Visit MakerSpace and make your own small dino to take home or create fossils in an open art studio. Learn about a special reptile whose ancestors lived in the age of dinosaurs 200 million years ago—featuring live turtles in CMTM's aquarium. Experience some dinosaur theatre in a Pop-Up Performance that will absolutely NOT have a live dinosaur on stage, as CMTM has yet to invent time travel. Visit anytime during this themed weekend to experience dino fun, art, science, and theatre! Dino Day is presented with generous support from Bissell Brothers.
Sing, pretend, and play! In this creative drama experience designed for our youngest audiences, we will sing songs, meet puppet friends, and pretend. This is a special early childhood theatre experience for children ages 1-3 and their caregivers to gain confidence imagining and pretending together. Included with Admission.
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In the News
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.
Portland, Maine, is often associated with the calm coastal and seaside lifestyles. With a lively working waterfront, picturesque lighthouses, and sea glass beaches, it’s never been a better time to plan a trip to Maine.
Fall in Portland, Maine is a spectacular experience, filled with vibrant colors and a host of activities. September to October is the best time of year to enjoy the magic of fall in Portland, from the scenic coastal views to fun downtown festivities. Stroll through the charming streets of the Old Port, where you can explore local shops and enjoy seasonal treats at cozy cafes. Don’t miss the chance to visit nearby orchards for apple picking or take in breathtaking views on a scenic drive. With local festivals celebrating food, art, and community, there’s fall things to do in Portland, ME for everyone to enjoy.
The Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine received a $200,000 grant that will allow the Portland attraction to launch a multi-tiered marketing campaign to increase awareness among tourists with children.
The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM) has been awarded $200,000 as part of the final round of the Tourism Marketing & Development Recovery Program, announced today by the Maine Office of Tourism. CMTM is one of eight organizations across the state receiving funding.
Updates + Stories
The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine is thrilled to welcome Lisa DiFranza, our current Artist in Residence, for a unique and collaborative project that brings the concept of community to life. Titled “Faces of Belonging,” this interactive, evolving mural invites visitors of all ages to reflect on and contribute to a collective portrait of belonging in Maine.
Museums for All is a national initiative that makes cultural experiences accessible to everyone. It offers discounted admission to individuals receiving government assistance, such as SNAP, EBT, or state healthcare. More than 850 museums across the U.S. participate, including ten here in Maine. This program helps ensure that financial barriers don’t stand in the way of families enjoying valuable experiences at museums, fostering a lifelong love of learning and exploration.
At the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, we’re always looking for new ways to play and create. You may have noticed some fun new additions popping up around the building, from our new Visitor’s Store to our latest friends in From The Mountains to the Sea, CMTM’s aquarium! Every day is a new adventure, with so many stories ready to unfold. And we can’t wait to share our latest stories with you! Read on to see what’s new and how your family can explore what’s new at CMTM!
CMTM is thrilled to collaborate with the incredibly talented René Goddess for the upcoming production of “Beautiful Blackbird” in CMTM's Maddy's Theatre, debuting on September 28. To give the community a closer look at the creative directorial mind behind the production, we spoke with René to learn more about her artistic journey, her inspiration for this show, and what she hopes audiences will take away from this vibrant celebration of culture and identity.
CMTM has five core values: belonging, play, curiosity, community, and trust.
Each month, we are shining a light on a different core value and the how and why behind its significance to our organization and the people that make up our CMTM community.
This month, we are taking a closer look at Trust.