MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM

This museum dedicated to the state's rich maritime history is housed in the former Percy & Small Shipyard. The museum bought the site in 1971 to preserve it, as it was the last shipyard to close in Bath. The Maine Maritime Museum is very successful and well worth a visit. It highlights Maine's maritime heritage and the role the state has played in regional and international maritime activities. Ideally situated on the banks of the Kennebec River, it features nearly 20,000 objects. Inside, the museum tells the story of Bath's naval history, with models of schooners and clipper ships (the fastest American sailing ships of the ^19th century). You can also learn how to tie sailor's knots, and enter a reproduction of a pilot's cabin. And in summer, you can get up close to a reproduction of the schooner Wyoming, the largest built in this shipyard, set up in the large garden, as well as the historic houses that belonged to the shipyard and have been renovated. Temporary exhibitions highlight specific aspects of the shipyard's maritime history. In fine weather, you can also take a short cruise on the estuary, to see the old shipyards from the water. The museum also organizes educational activities, including a boat-building workshop. It's a great way to understand just how much maritime activity has shaped the region.