The Brick Store Museum

First of all it is important to point out that The Brick Store Museum is not about bricks. I wondered as I walked through the door would it just be room after room about bricks. Thankfully though it isn’t the museum is about “the Kennebunk’s” Maine. The museum is located in an old dry goods store. As you move up to the top floor you can still see remnants of that store. A hoist system still exists in the attic of the museum. When I was doing research for more info on the history of the museum I did come across a funny piece. The store was built from locally made brick so the title Brick Store Museum fits.

The museum although looking tiny from the outside is filled with many Exhibits History Showcase| Brick Store Museum Photography Contest Showcase, History Showcase| Through the Ages: 75 Years at the Brick Store Museum, Impressions of a World Traveler: Early 20th Century Through the Eyes of Edith Barry, Windows on the Past: Kennebunk's History Through Architecture, Learning is an Ornament: The History of Kennebunk's Schools, Renovations Revealed!, Salon Style: Fine Art from the 1830s to the 1920s, and Treasures of the Community. Eight very detailed exhibits on Kennebunk Maine.

As you walk through the entrance into the exhibit rooms your first stop is the Renovations revealed which details the renovations that took place from March of 2009 and till present. There are still some remodeling going on in the back but the project has since ended. The renovations were immense redoing the wooden parts of the museum infested with powder post beetles. As you move on through the hallway you come to the Brick Store Museum’s Photography Contest Showcase. This may not be a major part of the museum however it adds to the purpose of this museum to “The mission of The Brick Store Museum is to preserve the rich heritage of the Kennebunk’s for year-round residents, seasonal visitors and future generations through the collection, preservation, interpretation and exhibition of its material culture.” (http://www.brickstoremuseum.org/history.shtml) The contest is full of pictures taken by building enthusiasts capturing the beauty of Kennebunk’s historical sights and day-to-day things like cars or kids playing. Keep walking along and you will see the Windows on the Past: Kennebunk’s History through Architecture. This exhibit shows Homes that have been placed in Kennebunk’s guided tour of its historic section. The houses go through the generations (from the 1800-1970’s) and display 2 different photos for each house. A modern on to know what to look out for and a photo from back when the building was constructed. Continuing on into the main room where the staircase is you come to the next historical Showcase the 75 years of the Brick Store museum. It shows the timeline of the museum as it grows in size and place in the community. The photographs show the growth and the introduction of new exhibits. In the next room you see the amazing exhibit entitled Impressions of a World Traveler through the eyes of Edith Barry. Edith is able to travel because of her husband who works for the government. The exhibit follows her North Africa, Asia and 2 around the world trips through the photographs she took. You then head back to the steps in the main room and head up to the second floor where you find the exhibit entitled Treasures of the Community. It is a collection of furniture which represent the early American decorative art. The very last and most interesting exhibit is entitled Salon Style: Fine Art from the 1830’s and 1920’s. it is a collection of 1800^th 1900^th century paintings. The story behind each of the paintings is very interesting from ship captains to landscapes.

The Brick Store museum is jam packed with exhibits and history of the community it captures in its walls. It was a joy to walk through and learn about Kennebunk the town I so often travel through but know so little about. The museum entry is based on just a small donation of 5 dollars. It is open year round from Tuesday to Saturday and located at 117 Main Street, Kennebunk, ME. For hours and much more information visit http://www.brickstoremuseum.org/index.shtml. I encourage anyone interested in small town history to visit and explore both Kennebunk and the Brick Store Museum.