(In regions Casco Bay, Midcoast)

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Above: The grounds of the museum. The moorings are just off to the left of the picture.

Maine Maritime Museum is a Maine treasure situated on the Kennebec River, just south of Bath, Maine. [Mapit!]. The Kennebec River is well known for its tide-driven currents and eddies, so be careful! If you are trailering and launching or retrieving on the Kennebec be especially aware of the tide changes.

Maine Maritime Museum is not a marina per say, but they do offer overnight moorings and some dockage. The visiting Yachtsman's Building offers boating guests bathrooms, showers and laundry facilities. With the nominal fee for dockage or mooring comes admission to all the wonders of this indoor and outdoor museum.
 
Simply want to hook a mooring and visit in the museum for a few hours? No problem, the mooring is FREE with your paid admission!
 
Inside the museum are rooms of art, artifacts, history and stories about Maine's nautical past. From the first visits to Maine long ago through modern times Maine's coastal and seafaring trades have defined who we are. To understand Maine, one must understand the sea. Maine Maritime Museum's full time staff of professionals and volunteers lovingly maintain that past and want to share it with you.
 
Less known about the Museum is its library. This large climate controlled research library holds shelves and shelves of logbooks, maps and many things nautical. You can't browse the shelves like a normal library, but the professionals who operate it will be happy to assist you with your research needs.
 
On the museum grounds you'll find a number of buildings from Bath's nautical past. You can visit them (included in the general admission or dockage/mooring fee) and view their exhibits. In fact, the same grounds you walk are where the Wyoming (a great 6 masted schooner) was constructed. (click here to visit their website's on-line grounds map. "Mouse over" each building to see what they offer)

Moms and dads... the museum is children-friendly. Inside, certain exhibits are for the children to touch and handle! Outside, there is a large grassy field and some nautical related playground equipment. There are also picnic tables. This is one museum that understands involving children in experiencing history means giving them a chance to experience history in their own way.

One must-visit link on the Museum's website: "Notes from the Orlop". If you want to experience the passion of Maine's nautical history through a passionate historian read some of the newsletters. The page frequently changes but there are links to all the old ones at the bottom. Let the Orlop know you liked the newsletters and you can receive email updates when new ones are posted.