Museum Description :Welcome to the Wilson Museum Campus : Building on the legacy of its founding family,the Wilson Museum uses its diverse collections and learning experiences to stimulate exploration of the natural history and cultures of the Penobscot Bay region and the world.Be prepared for a tour through time and cultures as you enter the Wilson Museum Campus, a series of buildings begun in 1921 by geologist Dr. John Howard Wilson to house collections gathered around the world and close to home. Here you will see rocks and fossils from the earliest geologic times and will foll .. View More >>
Museum Description :Welcome to the Wilson Museum Campus : Building on the legacy of its founding family,the Wilson Museum uses its diverse collections and learning experiences to stimulate exploration of the natural history and cultures of the Penobscot Bay region and the world.Be prepared for a tour through time and cultures as you enter the Wilson Museum Campus, a series of buildings begun in 1921 by geologist Dr. John Howard Wilson to house collections gathered around the world and close to home. Here you will see rocks and fossils from the earliest geologic times and will follow humankind's advances in tool-making from pre-history through Castine's rich local history. You can wend your way across continents and among indigenous cultures through displays from Africa, the Americas and Bali, to name just a few.In the John Perkins House, step back in time to colonial Castine to meet the Perkins family and learn about the generations who lived here. A tour of this home is guided by a knowledgeable docent and on special days visitors may have the opportunity to watch cooking done over the open hearth in the kitchen.A step back in time would not be complete without a visit to the campus hub where craftsmen demonstrate the tools and techniques of their trades, including a woodturner and a blacksmith. Once you've been to The Village Blacksmith and seen what fire can create, take a peek into the Pump House Display to learn about Castine's early firefighting history. Push the button and watch in wonder as the gears and levers make the alarm bell ring!
Museum Admission :Free
Museum Program :Maja Trivia : Tournament Judges for Maja Trivia 2014It's tournament time! The third year of Maja Trivia, a game celebrating the rich history of the region once known as Majabigwaduce, now the towns of Brooksville, Castine, and Penobscot, is drawing to an exciting conclusion. Throughout the school year, 5th - 8th grade students from Penobscot Community School, Brooksville Elementary School, and Castine's Adams School have been playing Maja Trivia practice rounds. Beginning May 19th, the students will put their knowledge to the test.Each school will compete in a semi-final competition, consisting of two rounds, sponsored by the town's respective historical society. Four finalists and two alternates from each school will move on to compete at the Wilson Museum on Tuesday, June 9th to determine the Maja Trivia champion! Join us for all four competitions, support the students, and learn about the intriguing and often colorful histories of the three towns. Here is the complete schedule:May 19, 12p.m.- 2 p.m. Penobscot Semi-Final Rounds,Penobscot Community School, PenobscotMay 20, 12p.m.- 2 p.m. Castine Semi-Final Rounds,Castine Historical Society's Mitchell Room, CastineMay 21,9:30a.m.- 11:30 a.m. Brooksville Semi-Final Rounds,Brooksville Elementary School, BrooksvilleJune 9,10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Tournament of Champions, Wilson Museum, 112 Perkins Street, Castine.Maja Trivia was developed by the Wilson Museum in collaboration with the Castine, Brooksville, and Penobscot Historical Societies.The Barbour Family of Brewer and their Boatyard : Steamer Cimbria modelThe Steamboat Cimbria was a ferry which ran from Bangor to Bar Harbor with frequent stops in Castine in the late 1800s/early 1900s and was built at the Barbour Boatyard in Brewer. On Tuesday, June 23, at 2 p.m., Henry Wiswell and Judith Frost Gillis will give a presentation on the history of Barbour's Boatyard and the family who created it. The illustrated presentation will take place at the Wilson Museum's Hutchins Education Center. The model of the Steamboat Cimbria above to the right was constructed by John Gardner.Henry Wiswell, great-grandson of Captain Samuel Barbour (founder of the Boatyard), has worked hard to preserve and share his family's history. Past President of the Orrington Historical Society, Mr. Wiswell is currently Vice-President of the organization as well as a local historian and owner of the Wiswell Farm and Greeenhouses, a working family farm in Orrington. Mr. Wiswell and his daughter are the sixth and seventh generations to reside at Wiswell Farm. Judith Frost Gillis is the President of the Orrington Historical Society and works with Mr. Wiswell on Wiswell and Orrington history.Cooking with Grace : Grace TarrLooking for some new inspiration in the kitchen? Grace Tarr will offer a series of four hands-on cooking classes. Classes will be held on four Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on July 14, 28, August 4, and 18. The first three classes will be held at the Wilson Museum's Hutchins Education Center, while the final class will be held at the historic John Perkins House. Reservations for individual classes are $15 per person for adults and $8 per person for children 15 and under; or the entire series may be reserved for $55/adult and $28/child. Class size is limited, so please preregister.July 14 class will address picky eaters with creative and fun maki and spring rolls. A traditional Asian dish, maki rolls are rice wrapped in a seaweed paper and filled with smoked fish and veggies. Spring rolls are a great summery treat - rice wrappers filled with lettuce, peanuts, chicken, basil, Thai sauce, and rice noodles.July 28 class will focus on Indian cuisine and will include three main dishes: curry, saag paneer, and chicken jalfrenzi. America's interest in Asian cuisine has led to the Americanization of some Asian foods such as Chinese food and sushi, but Indian food has remained more consistent in its authenticity.August 4 class will focus on preparing and cooking fish. This will be more of a sampler and the specific types of fish used will be dependent on availability and freshness, however, there will be a variety of kinds. What better thing to have while on the ocean than the bounty of it?August 25 class will be in the Perkins House. This class will focus on historical cooking. Foods will include bread in the bake oven, donuts over the open fire, and plank fish.Grace Tarr has participated in the Wilson Museum's Fireside Cooking programs since she was a toddler. A home-school student and John Perkins House guide, Grace has taken cooking classes from local celebrity chef Harry Kaiserian. This is Grace's second year to offer cooking classes in the new Hutchins Education Center.Fireside Cooking : Ellenore Tarr fireside cookingA perennial favorite, the kitchen of the John Perkins House will be the venue for learning about such savory treats as donuts, bread, stew or mackerel cooked on a board when fireside cooking is demonstrated as part of the regular guided tour on July 22nd from 2-5 p.m. Guided tours of the John Perkins House begin on the hour and are $5 per person; tour visitors may enjoy some tasty morsels from the day's fare.NEW: A candlelight Colonial dinner for six will be offered on June 29 as a special fundraising event. Places will be set in the Perkins House dining room and the meal will be cooked on the hearth. Check back for more details or to register call 326-9247.Basket-Making Workshop : You could make this tote basket!Spend an afternoon with Pamela Rackliffe Capurso and learn the art of basket-making. Each participant will go home with a beautiful and functional basket made by his or her own hands. The basket-making class will be held at Wilson Museum's Hutchins Education Center on Thursday, July 30 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. The $60 workshop fee includes the materials needed to make a 7" x 11" x 10" tote basket, and each participant will be provided with a printed instruction sheet that can be used to create more baskets at home. Preregistration is required and registrants will be given a list of equipment to bring with them to the workshop.Pam CapursoFor 34 years, Pamela Rackliffe Capurso was a florist and horticulturist before she sold her business in 2006 and moved, with her husband, to Goodnight Farm in Brooksville, where they grow a variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers. She began weaving simple baskets to sell at local farmer's markets. As she has grown more proficient at basketry, Pamela has continued to develop the form and function of her baskets. She sells her baskets and other handmade items, both online and at the local farmer's market. You can visit her website at www.basketsofmaine.com. Sculpture Dedication and Town Band Concert : sculpture Home and AwayIn 2014 Castine was one of seven sites chosen to receive a sculpture from the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium. The sculpture, titled "Home and Away," was created by artist Robert Leverich and is now displayed on the Wilson Museum grounds. On July 31 at 6 p.m., the Museum will host a dedication ceremony to celebrate this exciting addition to town and campus. The event will include a performance by the Town Band, a variety of speakers, and a display of sculptures made by local students. The Band will be performing a song, composed by Eddie Madden, which was inspired by the sculpture.The Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium (SISS) was started by Jesse Salisbury, a sculptor from Steuben. Since 2007, SISS has brought artists to Maine from all over the world to create sculptures with stone from local quarries. The works of art are on display at public sites throughout eastern Maine and a self-guided tour has been created for all to enjoy.Crafting with Porcupine Quills and Birch Bark : Quill workCrafting with porcupine quills and birch bark is one of the oldest art forms in North America. On August 6 from 2 to 5 p.m. Ralph "Porcupine" Bishop will give an interactive presentation and demonstration of quillwork. Porcupine has been crafting with porcupine quills and birch bark for forty years. He dyes the quills to create a variety of colors and uses them to create intricate designs on birch bark forms. His works of art can be found in three countries and all but three states within the United States. Porcupine describes his craft as "putting color and happiness into hearts." Try this beautiful art form for yourself.Learn to Play Native American Flute : White Owl DuoMusic is a powerful language that has been used as a form of communication beginning with the earliest societies. The Native American flute is a simple, yet compelling instrument that often invokes strong reactions in those who hear its haunting melodies. Join the White Owl Duo at the Wilson Museum's Hutchins Education Center on Tuesday, August 11th from 1 to 4 p.m. and learn to play this intriguing instrument. Six-hole flutes are provided and you do not need any musical background. Using musical shorthand, you will be able to play ten to twelve songs by the end of the class. There is no fee for this course, but preregistration is required. Laura Lee Perkins is the author of several books, has performed on multiple professional recordings, and has received numerous grants and awards. She is a former classical flute professor that developed a passion for Native American flutes. Laura and her flute-maker husband, Kenneth Green, collaborate as the White Owl Duo. They travel the country providing instruction on playing the Native American flute, as well as performing family-friendly educational concerts. The duo has Maliseet (Laura) and Micmac (Kenneth) ancestry, and they use music as a way to educate others about tribal cultures. << View Less