Abbe Museum, Native American museum in Bar Harbor, United States
The Abbe Museum operates two locations in Bar Harbor: a year-round downtown building and a seasonal site at Sieur de Monts Spring. The collection holds over 50,000 objects that document the cultural heritage of the northeastern Wabanaki peoples.
Surgeon Robert Abbe founded this museum in 1928 to preserve artifacts from the Frenchman Bay region. The institution has since become a center for documenting and presenting the area's indigenous heritage.
The museum presents the ongoing traditions of Maine's four Native nations whose members still live in the region today. Visitors encounter handcrafted items and everyday objects that show how these cultures continue to thrive.
The downtown location is open year-round while the seasonal site operates from late May through October. Plan time to visit both if you want to see the full scope of exhibitions and collections.
The collection contains the most extensive documentation of Wabanaki basketry, showing how this craft tradition passed through generations. This handwork remains alive in the communities and continues to be practiced today.
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