Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos is here! This Mexican holiday is celebrated by many in Maine and around the world from the 31st of October to the 2nd of November.  It is a festive holiday that honors deceased loved ones. In this short video Laura Urtuzuastegui, co-owner of El Corazon Restaurante, shares about Día de los Muertos and our community altar.All are invited to celebrate together by contributing to this community altar at Portland Restaurante El Corazon (190 State St, Portland, ME) . Bring a picture or a favorite object that reminds you of a loved one passed or pick up a candle from restaurant co-owner Laura Urtuzuastegui. Take the candle home and decorate it with words and pictures that remind you of the people who have passed on in your life. Once decorated, you can contribute it to the community altar. Join us to fill our community with light. 

This is an online and on-demand resource that will be available as of this date and time across our social media platforms.

Today is the final day of the virtual Mid Autumn Festival Celebration!

Today we honor the arts of the festival by showing a video of how to make a lantern craft. You can make this lantern craft with your family to honor the tradition of bringing light and love into your home. To see more Chinese crafts check out the Lucky Bamboo Book of Crafts written by Maine author Jennifer DeCristoforo. 

The Virtual Mid Autumn Festival is brought to you by the partnership of the Chinese & American Friendship Association of Maine and the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine.

This is an online and on-demand resource that will be available as of this date and time across our social media platforms.

We’re celebrating the Mid Autumn Festival!

The Mid Autumn Festival is celebrated by many Asian Americans in Maine and around the world. One of the special festival traditions is eating moon cakes. Today we share a special video of local chef and cookbook author Chris Toy making mooncakes. 

Do you love mooncakes or want to try one for the first time? Stop by Veranda Market, Hong Kong Market or Sun Market in Portland and ask for a box of mooncakes and enjoy. 

The Virtual Mid Autumn Festival is brought to you by the partnership of the Chinese & American Friendship Association of Maine and the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine.

This is an online and on-demand resource that will be available as of this date and time across our social media platforms.

It’s time to celebrate the full moon and the Mid Autumn Festival! Kick-off this virtual festival by watching a video that tells the story of the Mid Autumn Festival legend told by local Mainer and member of the Chinese & American Friendship Association Barry Jackson. 

The Virtual Mid Autumn Festival is brought to you by the partnership of the Chinese & American Friendship Association of Maine and the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine.

This is an online and on-demand resource that will be available as of this date and time across our social media platforms.

We are so excited to partner with the Indigo Arts Alliance to share their now virtual Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival to celebrate Black illustrations and children’s book authors. Each Friday, we’ll share a new video featuring a different children’s book author or illustrator reading their featured book. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit www.beautifulblackbird.com/videos to see the latest videos and find supplemental activities including dancing, crafts, and more. We are excited to invite you all to join us this Summer as we celebrate Black children’s books created by Black writers and illustrators.

We are so excited to partner with the Indigo Arts Alliance to share their now virtual Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival to celebrate Black illustrations and children’s book authors. Each Friday, we’ll share a new video featuring a different children’s book author or illustrator reading their featured book. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit www.beautifulblackbird.com/videos to see the latest videos and find supplemental activities including dancing, crafts, and more. We are excited to invite you all to join us this Summer as we celebrate Black children’s books created by Black writers and illustrators.

We are so excited to partner with the Indigo Arts Alliance to share their now virtual Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival to celebrate Black illustrations and children’s book authors. Each Friday, we’ll share a new video featuring a different children’s book author or illustrator reading their featured book. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit www.beautifulblackbird.com/videos to see the latest videos and find supplemental activities including dancing, crafts, and more. We are excited to invite you all to join us this Summer as we celebrate Black children’s books created by Black writers and illustrators.

We are so excited to partner with the Indigo Arts Alliance to share their now virtual Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival to celebrate Black illustrations and children’s book authors. Each Friday, we’ll share a new video featuring a different children’s book author or illustrator reading their featured book. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit www.beautifulblackbird.com/videos to see the latest videos and find supplemental activities including dancing, crafts, and more. We are excited to invite you all to join us this Summer as we celebrate Black children’s books created by Black writers and illustrators.

We are so excited to partner with the Indigo Arts Alliance to share their now virtual Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival to celebrate Black illustrations and children’s book authors. Each Friday, we’ll share a new video featuring a different children’s book author or illustrator reading their featured book. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit www.beautifulblackbird.com/videos to see the latest videos and find supplemental activities including dancing, crafts, and more. We are excited to invite you all to join us this Summer as we celebrate Black children’s books created by Black writers and illustrators.

We are so excited to partner with the Indigo Arts Alliance to share their now virtual Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival to celebrate Black illustrations and children’s book authors. Each Friday, we’ll share a new video featuring a different children’s book author or illustrator reading their featured book. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit www.beautifulblackbird.com/videos to see the latest videos and find supplemental activities including dancing, crafts, and more. We are excited to invite you all to join us this Summer as we celebrate Black children’s books created by Black writers and illustrators.

We are so excited to partner with the Indigo Arts Alliance to share their now virtual Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival to celebrate Black illustrations and children’s book authors. Each Friday, we’ll share a new video featuring a different children’s book author or illustrator reading their featured book. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit www.beautifulblackbird.com/videos to see the latest videos and find supplemental activities including dancing, crafts, and more. We are excited to invite you all to join us this Summer as we celebrate Black children’s books created by Black writers and illustrators.

We are so excited to partner with the Indigo Arts Alliance to share their now virtual Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival to celebrate Black illustrations and children’s book authors. Each Friday, we’ll share a new video featuring a different children’s book author or illustrator reading their featured book. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit www.beautifulblackbird.com/videos to see the latest videos and find supplemental activities including dancing, crafts, and more. We are excited to invite you all to join us this Summer as we celebrate Black children’s books created by Black writers and illustrators.

The Museum & Theatre is hosting some special zoom meet-ups for Museum & Theatre members only. Space is limited so sign up today!

Don’t let physical distancing get in the way of birthday celebrations! During this special member-only event, children celebrating birthdays in June are invited to put on their party hats and celebrate together. You can expect a dinosaur happy birthday sing-along, a silly art activity perfect for a virtual celebration and time to share something special about you or your birthday. Please register by Tuesday, June 16th with your name and email so we can send you a Zoom link. The link will be sent out on Wednesday, June 17th.

In honor of Women’s History Month and the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment that gave women the right to vote, join Portland’s Women in Harmony for songs about suffrage and justice. This performance is made possible by the generous support of the Onion Foundation. 

Free with admission.

Whether this is your 100th Purim celebration or your first, join with Andrea Krasker-Gavin from PJ Library and the Jewish Community Alliance to explore this Jewish holiday about a triumphant and brave queen named Esther. Come listen to a story, make a mask, march in a Purim parade, and learn about other ways our community is celebrating. 

PJ Library Members get 50% discount on admission for today. This program is free with admission.

Celebrate with family and friends at the Museum & Theatre’s annual Valentine’s Day party. Create a valentine for someone special, have a simple heart-inspired designed painted on your cheek or hand, take on the Valentine Bandit Scavenger Hunt as you follow the clues to find all the hearts hidden around the Museum & Theatre.

Free with admission.

Celebrate with family and friends at the Museum & Theatre’s annual Valentine’s Day party. Create a valentine for someone special, have a simple heart-inspired designed painted on your cheek or hand, take on the Valentine Bandit Scavenger Hunt as you follow the clues to find all the hearts hidden around the Museum & Theatre.

Free with admission.

Join us to celebrate Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish New Year of the Trees. We will share a story, talk about why trees are important to us and plant seedlings together.  Co-sponsored by PJ Library in Southern Maine and The Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine.

Free with admission.

PJ Library members receive 50% off the regular admission price on this day.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s radical dreams for justice join us to read Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton and make your own poster to promote peace, fairness and equality in our community.

Free with admission.

Join us to celebrate Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year. Whether this is your first time celebrating or your 100th, bring your whole family to play a game, try on traditional clothing, explore musical instruments, and write your name in Korean! This celebration is made possible through collaboration with leaders of our community's Korean Language School and owners of the Sun Market. 

Free with admission .

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s radical dreams for justice join us to read Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton and make your own poster to promote peace, fairness and equality in our community.

Free with admission.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s radical dreams for justice join us to read Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton and make your own poster to promote peace, fairness and equality in our community.

Free with admission.

Come discover Martin Luther King Jr.’s many radical dreams to make our world a more just and equitable place and make your own dream pillow with words, colors or images to inspire dreams of justice for all.

Free with admission

Help tell the stories of Civil Rights leaders such as Ruby Bridges and Maine Civil Rights leader Gerald Talbot by selecting story stones charting their bold and brave leadership. Then make your own story stone to mark a role you will play in making our community more equitable for all.
Free with admission.

“The holiday must be substantive as well as symbolic. It must be more than a day of celebration . . . Let this holiday be a day of reflection, a day of teaching nonviolent philosophy and strategy, a day of getting involved in nonviolent action for social and economic progress.”
—Coretta Scott King to The Washington Post, 1983

The Museum & Theatre will be open from 9 AM-10 AM for members, and from 10 AM-5 PM for the general public, with events to celebrate the holiday!

(Regular Members’ Monday hours return January 27th.)

The Museum & Theatre will be CLOSED all day today. We will reopen tomorrow, January 2nd, at 10am. Happy New Year!

Experience the magic of the Museum & Theatre's New Year’s Eve Celebration during a low-key, inclusive celebration. Arrive at 2pm for a play time and crown making. Then, gather in the Playscape to countdown to the New Year at 3pm and watch colorful beach balls drop down to celebrate the New Year!

At this event, soft music will be playing for a dance party and twinkle lights will decorate the Museum & Theatre. The ball drop includes 100 beach balls that will drop from the 2nd floor balcony to the 1st floor Playscape. Each child may take a beach ball home. As always, programming is optional at the Museum & Theatre. Anyone wishing to avoid the ball drop can play in the Lower Level or on the 2nd floor.

Noise-reducing headphones will also be available and Museum & Theatre Educators will be available to support your family.

In order to ensure a calm and welcoming play environment, the Museum & Theatre will be closed to the general public during this event. Only a limited number of visitors will be admitted. Admission is FREE; to register, call 207-828-1234, stop by the front desk, or register online.

Please be advised that our elevator is out of service. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Please contact lily@kitetails.org with any questions regarding the Play Your Way event.

The Museum & Theatre is open to the general public from 9 am-1 pm today for our two-part New Year’s celebration! After 1 pm we will be closed to the general public while we host a Play Your Way event for the afternoon.

Please be advised that our elevator will be out of service and under repair during these events. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

9 AM - Noon Celebrate the end of the decade with a party to remember. Get your face painted or make a snazzy crown to celebrate the YOU of 2020. Make a New Year’s Wishing Wand and dance the morning away.

Noon Gather in the Playscape to help countdown to noon and watch hundreds of colorful beach balls drop from above!  FREE, with admission, but space is limited to 400 participants.

This Pajama Party and Beach Ball Drop event is FREE with admission: $12.50/person (babies 17 months and under are free).

WEATHER

"If weather is preventing you from joining the party and you pre-bought tickets to the event, please email boxoffice@kitetails.org prior to noon on December 31st and leave a message providing: your name, order number, number of tickets you’d like refunded, reason for refund. Staff will not be available for refunds during the celebration or when we are closed on New Year’s Day; we will issue refunds within 5-7 business days.

2 - 4 PM We will be closed to the public after 1 PM as we will be hosting a special Play Your Way New Year’s Eve event from 2-4 pm for children who benefit from calmer and quieter play times. There is limited space for this event. This event has limited space so please reserve a ticket.

The Museum & Theatre will be closed to everyone at 4pm. Happy New Year!