Abbe Museum at Sieur de Monts, Acadia National Park
The Abbe Museum at Sieur de Monts in Acadia National Park began as a collection of artifacts of the native people who lived in the Frenchman Bay area. It was founded by Robert Abbe in 1926 to hold artifacts of his and other collectors in the area. The museum opened in August 1928 in the building that still stands today. Abbe himself never saw the grand opening, for he died a few months earlier in March.
Over the years, the museum grew to include Native American artifacts from all over Maine, and by the 1990s the small building at Sieur de Monts had been outgrown. In 1997, the Abbe Museum organization purchased the former YMCA building in Bar Harbor and turned it into its flagship museum. It is open every month of the year except January, while the original Sieur de Monts location is only open from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October between the hours of 10 AM and 5 PM. Times can always change, so be sure to get the current schedule on the Abbe Museum’s Hours and Locations web page.
Since the Abbe Museum is not owned by the National Park Service, there is a fee to enter that is not covered by any National Park or Acadia National Park entrance passes. The adult fee is only $3 as of this 2023 writing, and if you purchase a ticket and later visit the main museum in Bar Harbor, which costs $10, you get a $3 discount. Current prices are also given on the museum’s Hours and Locations web page.
The Sieur de Monts museum is 2,000 square feet and is divided into three rooms. The first that you come to holds a large collection of artifacts such as arrowheads, pottery, and stone and bone tools. There is not a lot of information to read, so time spent in the room depends on your interest in Native American artifacts.
Artifact room at the Abbe Museum, Acadia National Park
Collection of bone tools at the Abbe Museum, Acadia National Park
The second room is a very small gift store, which you pass through on the way to what I consider the most interesting room, one that is largely comprised of information panels on the history of the Wabanaki Indians—settlers of eastern Maine—and their dealings with both the early French and English explorers. The French wanted to trade with the Wabanaki and convert them to Catholicism, whereas the English simply wanted to conquer the land and drive out both the Wabanaki and the French. The story is fascinating and brings to light a history of Indian-European relationships that is rarely mentioned in history books today. There are quite a lot of information panels, but I was able to read everything in about twenty minutes.
Wabanaki Indian history exhibit at the Abbe Museum, Acadia National Park
Collection of European items at the Abbe Museum, Acadia National Park
Because you must shell out some cash to enter the Abbe Museum, I recommend it mainly to those who have an interest in Native American cultures. A thorough visit takes about a half hour.
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Last updated on August 9, 2023
