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Maine Historical Society

75 Reviews

#42 of 163 things to do in Portland

History Museums, Museums

489 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101-3414

+1 207-774-1822

Website

Review Highlights

“Check the website so you know what to expect”

This is not really a museum sharing the history of Maine it is mostly an excellent research... read more

Reviewed 4 weeks ago

Ajaxme

Windham, Maine

“The History Museum Doesn't Actually Include Much History At All!”

I had hoped to visit both the museum and the Longfellow House however unfortunately the house was... read more

Reviewed 27 March 2018

VikkiBee

Houghton-le-Spring, United Kingdom

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Overview

A growing museum, incomparable library and statewide educational resource, we are located in the heart of Portland’s downtown cultural district. Founded in 1822, the Maine Historical Society (MHS) is the third oldest state historical society in the United States! Our one–acre campus is situated in downtown Portland, across from Monument Square. MHS's campus is comprised of the Wadsworth–Longfellow House and Longfellow Garden, the Maine Historical Society Museum and Store, and the MHS Research Library. We also manage Maine's digital museum: Maine Memory Network. Winter Opening Hours (Oct-May) Gallery + Store: Tues-Sat 10am-5pm Longfellow House: Closed until May 1, 2018 Longfellow Garden: Closed until May 1, 2018 Brown Library: Wed-Sat 10am-4pm Administrative Offices: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

4.5

75 reviews

Excellent56%
Very good34%
Average5%
Poor4%
Terrible1%

Travellers talk about

“longfellow house” (18 reviews)

“gift shop” (7 reviews)

“an amazing tour guide” (2 reviews)

Open Now

Hours

Hours Today: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

LOCATION

489 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101-3414

CONTACT

Website

+1 207-774-1822

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1 - 10 of 74 reviews

Ajaxme

Windham, Maine

8512

Reviewed 4 weeks ago

Check the website so you know what to expect

This is not really a museum sharing the history of Maine it is mostly an excellent research library. There is just a small exhibit which is currently about Maine food - likely better to visit in the summer when you can also tour the Longfellow...More

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

VikkiBee

Houghton-le-Spring, United Kingdom

195109

Reviewed 27 March 2018

The History Museum Doesn't Actually Include Much History At All!

I had hoped to visit both the museum and the Longfellow House however unfortunately the house was closed. It didn't bother me too much though as really I wanted to learn about Maine's history as a state. The museum only cost $8 and it’s quite...More

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

Bob C

Albany, New York

555121

Reviewed 6 March 2018

Great Exhibit about Food

We stopped in for a visit last Saturday. The exhibit on food and people from Maine was interesting and educational. It was informative to learn about the connection of food and canning industry. A great place to visit for a few hours.

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

Bob - thanks for your visit! We're delighted that you enjoyed the Maine Eats exhibition!

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Sean M

Portland, Maine

Reviewed 3 November 2017

Haunted Houses Tour was Great!

Had a great time doing the Longfellow Haunted House tour. James was an amazing tour guide and you can tell he really loves the subject matter. Highly recommend as a Halloween excursion.

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

Thank you for your review, Sean! Glad you enjoyed the Longfellow's Haunted House tour!

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CS1Portland

Portland, Maine

41395

Reviewed 30 October 2017

Must pop in to the store and collections

Very clever folks are working here. The exhibits are brilliant and well presented and enjoyed. The book shop is fascinating and worthy your browsing. The historic Longfellow House just next door. Job well done everyone involved

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

Thank you so much for your review! Glad to hear you enjoyed your visit and we are thrilled that you browsed our museum store and saw some great items. We appreciate your feedback!

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Justlikehavingfun

Portland, Maine

147

Reviewed 9 October 2017 via mobile

History Lover

Great Place To Visit, The Longfellow House Next Door Is Awesome. The Presentations They Put On Are Great and Very Informative, They Also Do Historical Walks Around Portland.

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Cyndi G

10716

Reviewed 15 August 2017

Beautiful Building

Unfortunately, this has people working within the building, so you don't really feel comfortable to spend a lot of time here. However, it is located next to the wadsworth-longfellow house so it is worth a peak inside. It is a beautiful building and wonderfully preserved.More

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

Hi Cyndi -Thanks so much for your review, we appreciate it! I'm curious - which building are you referring to not feeling comfortable spending time in? The museum building or the Longfellow House? We want to ensure our guests have an excellent experience in all...More

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RCP012

Somerset

7434

Reviewed 8 August 2017

Walking Tour

We took a 90 minute walking tour on Friday afternoon. The guide - a professor at a local university - was both a friendly guide and a well-informed and experienced presenter. We enjoyed Professor Voyer's well-organized and informative talk. He answered all our questions and...More

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

Bi-coaster

Florida

621143

Reviewed 16 July 2017

Nice combo of exhibits, house tour and museum shop!

We enjoyed the window teaser of an exhibit on trade posters and spent some time in their shop as well as in the Longfellow house. Trade posters are clever and fun and the shop is small, but with a very well chosen selection of stock....More

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Dianei

Massachusetts

3724

Reviewed 9 July 2017

great spot for a dose of Maine history

Stop in to the gift shop, enjoy one of the rotating exhibits, take a lovely house tour, or settle in for some serious research all in the heart of Portland!

Ask Dianei about Maine Historical Society

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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