The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine’s Board of Directors has voted unanimously not to reopen to the public at 142 Free Street prior to the move to and grand opening at the new facility at Thompson’s Point in spring of 2021. The Free Street building closed on Friday, March 13, 2020 to protect public health due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Museum & Theatre, the tenth largest visitor attraction in Maine, has been located on Free Street since its move there in 1993.
Read MoreThe creator of Accomplice is bringing The Wizards of Oakwood Drive to the Children’s Museum of Maine and right into your homes! This is an online immersive experience for kids that will bring magic into your own home! And, shhhhh! You are going to help the Wizards make the magic!
Read MoreThe Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine is offering a Mini Virtual Play Festival featuring original plays that were written by young Maine playwrights during the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine’s 10-Day Playwriting Challenge. The Festival will take place over three evenings and the plays will be read by alumni of the Children’s Theatre of Maine, alumni of the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, and by adult actors in the community. These playwrights range from 8 to 13 years in age and we couldn’t be prouder of them. Come enjoy their work!
Read MoreLast week, Exhibits Associate Terra Fletcher and Master Beekeeper Davida Sky removed our beehive from Discovery Woods on the second floor. The Museum & Theatre bees have now joined Davida's hives, so they can stay happy and healthy this winter. Early next year, Davida will bring the bees to the new Museum & Theatre building at Thompson’s Point. They will live in our third floor IDEXX Learning Hub in an upgraded observation hive.
Read MoreThe Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine’s new home on Thompson’s Point is still under construction, but is quickly coming together under the steady guidance of a phenomenal project management team. We offer immeasurable gratitude to all those whose wonderful gifts and support have made it all possible. To date, the Imagine Campaign has raised a staggering $13.3 million – $700,000 remaining to reach our goal of $14 million!! Over two hundred donors – individuals, corporations, foundations and federal and local government funding entities – have come together to build this joyful place for all children and families.
Read MoreBoard Member and Chair of Imagine Capital Campaign Barbee Gilman announced that the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine has received a $500,000 gift from The Lunder Foundation to name an arts workshop and culture exhibit space as “The Lunder Arts and Culture Gallery.” This collaborative space will house arts programming—facilitated by educators, visiting artists, and community partners—that will support the Museum & Theatre’s overall diversity, equity, access, and inclusion initiatives. The gift is in the form of a challenge match to inspire the greater community to give and to complete the remaining $1m of the $14m Imagine Campaign to build a 30,000 square foot new facility at Thompson’s Point that is slated to open in spring of 2021.
Read MoreTo recognize the State of Maine’s 200th birthday, we have planned four more episodes of WCTM Newscast By Kids For Kids. These four new episodes will celebrate Maine history through several different topics: Environmental Sustainability, Maine before 1820, Towns and Cities, and Arts and Culture.
Read MoreAs Maine finds creative ways to adapt to the pandemic, members and friends are asking, "Is the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine open?" The short answer is that our 142 Free Street facility in Portland, Maine is closed to the public currently; the long answer is that our programs and staff remain lively in the community. Here's how.
Read MoreThe Museum & Theatre’s new home is a beautiful example of a community’s collective endeavor to build a better future and ensure that all of our children and families have an inspiring and safe space to play and learn. We could not be more grateful to all of our wonderful donors and construction team for their unwavering generosity and partnership. Remember that moment after the press conference In February when we stepped up to the steel beam, signed our name, and thought about how that beam would become part of the new roof some day? This has already become reality.
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