News Story Archive

New Study Demonstrates Importance of Museums to Maine Economy

Maine Museums, An Economic Impact Study was commissioned by the Maine Arts Commission and authored by Chuck Lawton of Planning Decisions Inc and Lindsay Rowe of the Maine Arts Commission.

The report shows the Maine State Museum with a 2009 total of 54,500 visitors, of whom 44% were Maine residents, 13% seasonal residents, 40% tourists from other states and 2% international travelers. Visiting the Maine State Museum was the primary reason 33% of those people left home while 36% were traveling on vacation and another 20% were in the area to see friends or family.

From the report's Executive Summary:

The purpose of this survey was to investigate the economic impact of Maine's museums. A visitor survey was conducted during the summer of 2009 at 14 museums. The sites were selected based on their diversity in terms of size, subject matter of exhibitions and collections, and location.

Results from the survey show that, in 2009, approximately 442,000 visitors to the 14 participating museums spent nearly $71 million. Using current multiplier modeling programs, it is estimated that the direct spending of these museum visitors creates a sales impact totaling nearly $148 million. This spending generates tax revenues for state and local government of more than $7.5 million.

The survey results identify characteristics of museum visitors including place of residence, primary reason for their trip, mode of transportation and how much money they spent during their trip in terms of lodging, food, transportation, shopping and recreation.

According to the survey results, visitors are most likely to:

• reside in a state other than Maine
• identify the primary purpose of their trip as vacation
• use their own car to arrive in the area
• stay overnight at a hotel or bed & breakfast

Maine museums are also significant tourism drivers. According to the survey, one in five visitors identified the museum visit as the primary reason for their trip and the spending associated with their trip.

Although the general spending patterns vary by museum, the results show that the average:

• overnight museum visitor spends $243 per day, which is double that of overnight visitors who came to Maine for "leisure" purposes ($104 per day)
• overnight museum visitors spends nearly three times that of overnight visitors who came to Maine to visit friends and family ($89 per day)
• day trip museum visitor spends $92 per day

It is important to keep in mind that these results reflect only the 14 museums participating in the study and do not account for the hundreds of millions of additional dollars resulting from the direct and indirect impact of visitor spending generated by the hundreds of other museums in the state.

Maine's museums are substantial economic enterprises and drivers. They employ hundreds of people; maintain millions of dollars of buildings and equipment; and collect, preserve, protect, and display a priceless and ever-changing stock of cultural artifacts. The provide millions of dollars of sales to the Maine businesses that clean their spaces, plow their parking lots, maintain and repair their equipment, advertise their exhibits and show, handle their banking and provide the hundreds of other services museums require to run their operations. Finally, and most importantly, each year they attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, who stay in local hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts, and spend money in local stores and restaurants. These visitors have a substantial economic impact throughout the state.

Click here to view the entire report Maine Museums, An Economic Impact Study

December 18, 2010

New Portrait of Governor Baldacci Unveiled in the State House

As a crowd of Governor John E. Baldacci's family, friends, and co-workers looked on, Museum Director J. R. Phillips unveiled the governor's portrait in a State House ceremony hosted by the Maine State Museum and Maine Arts Commission on December 18, 2010. The portrait now hangs in the rotunda on the State House's third floor.

Painted by Cape Elizabeth artist Jean Pilk, Governor Baldacci's portrait becomes the 141st work of art and the 61st portrait of a governor to hang in the State House. The first portrait in the State House Portrait Collection, added in 1836, was of George Washington.

Jean Pilk, a well-known portrait artist, was selected from the seventeen individuals who submitted portfolios for the Baldacci portrait commission. The Maine Arts Commission organized the submission and selection process. Now that the portrait is part of the State House Portrait Collection, it will be under the care and management of the Maine State Museum.

Photographs above (left) Maine State Museum Director J. R. Phillips; (right) Artist Jean Pilk and Governor Baldacci; (bottom) Governor Baldacci and, to his right, Jean Pilk, pictured with her family. Photographs courtesy of Ramona du Houx

For the news story and additional photos, see the Waterville Sentinel's coverage by Susan Cover and Joe Phelan.

September 2010

Maine Museums and Historical Organizations Rally to Save Important 19th Century Banners

On Thursday, August 26, sixteen Maine museums, historical organizations, and their supporters came together in an unprecedented collaboration to save an important collection of Maine artifacts. The objects are seventeen rare, 19th-century hand-painted banners commissioned by the Maine Charitable Mechanic Association. The banners were purchased for $125,350 and will be housed at the Maine Historical Society in Portland.

At the end of July, Maine museums and historical organizations learned that these banners were to be consigned for sale to James D. Julia Inc. auction house in Fairfield, Maine. Knowing the significance of these works and their value in keeping them in the public domain for future generations, Maine museums and historical organizations rallied together to raise funds to purchase them. The following organizations were involved: Maine Historical Society, Portland Museum of Art, Maine State Museum, Maine Maritime Museum, the Maine State Historian, Bates College Museum of Art, Bowdoin College Museum of Art, and Colby College Museum of Art. Corporate and individual support was provided by: James Julia, L.L. Bean, Diana and Linda Bean, Chris Livesay, Elsie Viles, Libra Foundation, and an anonymous Boston foundation. Harry Rubenstein, chair of the Division of Political History from the Smithonian's National Museum of American History, was also in attendance at the auction.

"The focus, hard work, and unselfish generosity of the cooperating museums was unprecedented in my experience," said Richard D'Abate, Executive Director of the Maine Historical Society. "I think we owe that to our common recognition that the banners were one of the state's true artistic and historical treasures. They had to be saved."

"These banners are important symbols of community and it was key that we keep them together and in Maine," said Portland Museum of Art Chief Curator Thomas Denenberg.

"The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History was glad to support the effort to keep together this important collection of artisan banners. The beautifully illustrated banners recall the ideals of a community based on values of productive citizenship and industry. They are a true national treasure," said Harry Rubenstein, chair of the museum's Division of Political History. "I can think of no better result than having them preserved and remain in the state. We look forward to future collaboration with the Maine Historical Society and other consortium partners."

The Maine Charitable Mechanic Association, located in downtown Portland, created this series of linen banners in the early 1800s to promote skilled trades. The majority of the banners were painted by decorative painter William Capen and many have fringe and were attached to wooden arms for hanging or carrying in parades. According to the auctioneer, together the banners were worth between $100,000 and $200,000. The Maine Charitable Mechanic Association decided to sell them for financial reasons.

Photo courtesy of James D. Julia Auctioneers

Uncommon Threads Exhibition Featured in Ornament Magazine

• Ornament magazine recently published a richly illustrated article, written by Maine author and art historian Carl Little, about the museum's Uncommon Threads exhibition. Ornament, is dedicated to documenting and celebrating the art and craft of personal adornment. The magazine, with its international and multidisciplinary audience, brings wide exposure to Uncommon Threads//.

See the article here: Uncommon Threads: Wabanaki Textiles, Clothing, and Costume; Ornament, Vol. 33 No.4, 2010

September 15, 2010

• Bug Maine-ia brought over 1,400 visitors young and old to the museum to learn about insects, have fun, and experience creatures up close.

Bangor's Channel 5 stopped by and broadcast this report State Museum Attracts Bugs

September 13, 2010

• The story of Malaga Island in Phippsburg, where a mixed race community lived from the 1860s - 1912, will be the subject of a Maine State Museum exhibition in 2012. A recent event on the island marked its inclusion in the Maine Freedom Trail network and included a painful recognition of the state's forced removal of the island's residents in 1912. Gov. John Baldacci attended the event and formally apologized to descendents of Malaga Island's families for the state's actions nearly 100 years ago.
  Reconciliation Reigns on Malaga Island

September 1, 2010

• Examples of Innovative Laptop Program Added to Museum Collections
  A recent story by Portland Press Herald reporter Bill Nemitz recounts the genesis of the state's laptop program and the Maine State Museum's role in preserving the program's history.
  Revolutionary Idea Triumphs over Skeptics

July 4, 2010

• Maine Soldier's Letters Open Civil War Door
  The museum's recently purchased collection of letters written by Civil War soldier John W. Dana were featured in July 4, 2010 editions of the Maine Sunday Telegram, Kennebec Journal, and Waterville Sentinel. See the story by reporter Susan Cover, with photographs by Joe Phelan. Curators Laurie LaBar and Kate McBrien, along with intern Jennifer Babb are featured.
  Maine Soldier's Letters Open Civil War Door