Do you have 8 Minutes to help the Abbe?

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Good Afternoon!

The Abbe Museum, in partnership with other museums across the country, is launching a study to find out what you expect and want from museums so that we can serve you even better.

Would you be willing to share about 8 minutes of your time to help us with this important survey? Our museum will greatly benefit from this study by having access to the overall results as well as the results from our visitors. We’ll be using the results to make our museum more interesting, relevant, and even fun for you and your family.

In exchange, Reach Advisors, the audience research firm administering the survey, will be selecting some of the participants to win gifts ranging from museum memberships to gift certificates to Amazon.com.

Your individual information will absolutely be kept confidential and will not be shared or used for any solicitations.

To take the survey, click on (or copy URL and insert into browser):
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB22A55PEXG2V

If you have any problems with the survey, please feel free to e-mail Susie Wilkening, of Reach Advisors, at Susie@reachadvisors.com. She is happy to help you out.

Thank you for supporting not only the Abbe Museum, but museums across the country!

Best wishes,
Your Friends at the Abbe Museum

Abbe Invites All to Holiday Open House

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The Abbe Museum is excited to announce our upcoming Holiday Open House, to be held at our downtown Bar Harbor location. Please join us on Sunday, December 13th from 1:00 – 4:00 for a free visit to the Museum. Many exciting family oriented activities are planned for this day to celebrate our community, the holiday season and Wabanaki culture. Take part in “craft” stations where you can participate in hands on projects These projects will include weaving a star ornament, making a natural stained glass window ornament and beading a wigwam, just to name a few. Visitors will also enjoy a variety of games as well as goodies and refreshments.

The Holiday Open House is also a perfect opportunity to see our exhibit, Twisted Path: Contemporary Native American Artists Walking in Two Worlds, before it closes later this month. Visitors will also want to stop in the Abbe Museum Shop, where everything is 20% off with a selection of books at 40% off. For more information about the Abbe Museum Holiday Open House, the Museum, or the gift shop sale, call 288-3519.


Dinner and a Movie Helps Sustain Community Programs

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The Abbe Museum is proud to announce Dine & Donate, a fundraising opportunity with Guinness & Porcelli’s! On Thursday December 3 from 4:30 to close, diners can take their evening meal at Guinness & Porcelli’s in Bar Harbor and 100% of the profit from the night will be donated to the Abbe Museum.

Owner, Michael Boland is a long time supporter of the Abbe and a former board member of the museum. He has had a long standing commitment to preserving the environment and supporting the local economy through sustainable and eco-friendly buying and operation practices at all of his restaurants including Guinness & Porcelli's. Past president of the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce for 5 years but still active in many different environmental causes, Michael continues to mix a love of business, tourism and sustainability and is excited to participate in Dine & Donate with the Abbe.

Through exhibitions, educational programs, research, collections, and collaborative partnerships, the Abbe Museum seeks to remember past life ways, consider the present, and educate the public about the Wabanaki, Maine’s first people. The Abbe works closely with Maine educators to help them fulfill their academic requirements for teaching school children about Maine culture and history. Through Abbe-produced lesson plans, field trips, and teacher education, the stable of programming has become integral to the educational experience of children here in Maine. Participation in this unique fundraiser will promote all that the Abbe does toward fulfilling this important classroom role and so much more.

Combining Irish Hospitality with the Flavors of Italy, located in downtown Bar Harbor, Guinness & Porcelli’s features the finest in Italian cuisine including classics like Lobster fra Diavlo, Pasta Bolognese, Saffron Seafood Risotto, Chicken Piccata and Osso Bucco. For dessert, indulge in Tiramisu or locally made Gelato. Also enjoy their Award Winning All-Italian wine list including over 200 wines from all over Italy. Their menu changes with the seasons to ensure they offer you the freshest ingredients available.

As an extra bonus, after dinner at Guinness & Porcelli’s you can watch a free movie at the Abbe! From 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, the Museum will screen a local documentary that explores the Penobscot tribe’s connection to their river of the same name, and the importance of maintaining its health not just for their people, but for all of Maine. Following the movie their will be a discussion. Film details are available at www.abbemuseum.org.

To participate in Dine & Donate simply call 288-0030 and make your dinner reservation for the evening of December 3, 2009. For more information about Guinness & Porcelli's, located at 191 Main Street visit www.guinnessporcellis.com

To learn more about the Abbe Museum and how you can become involved in its mission and programs visit www.abbemuseum.org or call 288-3519.

Stories Shared Through Art Help Renew Native Communities

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The Abbe Museum invites the public to a discussion panel comprised of contemporary Native American artists from 3:00pm to 5:00pm on Saturday November 14th. As part of the Museum’s exhibition Twisted Path: Contemporary Native American Artists Walking in Two Worlds, the panel will be moderated by Darren Ranco, Penobscot scholar and professor at the University of Maine, Orono who states “the discussion will explore the many ways that traditional and contemporary Native art forms represent and shape who we are as Native people.”

Panel artists Watie Akins, Penobscot, Rick Hunt, Abenaki, Lenny Novak, Abenaki, Jennifer Neptune, Penobscot and George Longfish, Seneca/Tuscarora represent indigenous people from the Northeast. They will discuss the ways they use art to express their personal and collective journeys in re-connecting with traditions, communicating untold stories, and healing our communities. Ranco notes “In particular, we will explore notions of cultural sovereignty, whereby we use art as Native people to structure our own norms and values in structuring our collective futures."

Rick Hunt, curator of Twisted Path relates that “Drawing, for me, is a way to meditate and pray. It is by pen on paper that I am able to be right there in the moment. If the purpose of art is to inspire, then I hope the viewer will simply experience and feel my art. If it talks to you then I hope that a positive dialogue is created.”

The Twisted Path Discussion Panel is free, open to the public and made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Food Fuels the Body, Soul, and a Community Icon

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The Abbe Museum is proud to announce a “nourishing” fundraising opportunity with Café Bluefish! On November 3, 4, and 5 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., diners can take their evening meal at Café Bluefish in Bar Harbor and 30% of the bill will be donated to the Abbe Museum.

Chef/Owner Bobbie Lynn Hutchins, a fourth generation native of Mount Desert Island, is a supporter of the Abbe’s mission and its programs. Hutchins is also executive director of United World Citizens, based here in Bar Harbor. “I have enjoyed the Abbe museum since I was a child, the dioramas at the Sieur de Mont Springs location always fascinated me. I love history and promoting awareness of and respect for other cultures is one of United World Citizen’s primary goals.”

Through exhibitions, educational programs, research, collections, and collaborative partnerships, the Abbe Museum seeks to remember past lifeways, consider the present, and educate the public about the Wabanaki, Maine’s first people. The Abbe works closely with Maine educators to help them fulfill their academic requirements for teaching school children about Maine culture and history. Through Abbe-produced lesson plans, field trips, and teacher education, the stable of programming has become integral to the educational experience of children here in Maine. Participation in this unique fundraiser will promote all that the Abbe does toward fulfilling this important classroom role and so much more.

Although, the United World Citizens has donated to many local causes, it’s major focus has always been on raising awareness of global issues and helping children in developing countries but Hutchins points out that because the Wabanaki are Maine’s first peoples, “Their connection to the land and each other should be of interest and concern to all of us. When I visit the Abbe, I am inspired by the Native American stories, traditions, and art and I am reminded how the diversity of culture right here in Maine enriches our daily lives.”

One of the area's premier fine dining establishments, Café Bluefish has been serving "creative unique cuisine" in downtown Bar Harbor since 1990. Seafood specialties include the famous lobster strudel, recently featured on the FOOD NETWORK'S Roker on the Road.

As an extra bonus, on the evening of November 5, you can have dinner at Café Bluefish and watch a movie at the Abbe! From 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, the Museum will screen two films that address cultural and religious appropriation, with a discussion to follow. Film details are available at www.abbemuseum.org.

To participate in this fundraiser simply call 288-3696 and make your dinner reservation for the evening of November 3, 4 or 5, 2009. Upon arriving at Café Bluefish, tell your server that you are dining in support of the Abbe Museum fundraiser. Even the wait staff at the Bluefish are participating in the event and have volunteered 15% of their tips for the evening to go to the Abbe.

For more information about Café Bluefish, located at 122 Cottage Street, visit www.cafebluefishbarharbor.com and for UWC, please visit www.unitedworldcitizens.org. To learn more about the Abbe Museum and how you can become involved in its mission and programs visit www.abbemuseum.org or call 288-3519.

Native American Film Series Explores Identity Issues

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The Abbe Museum is pleased to present the second film in a three part series, funded by the National Endowment of the Arts. Thursday November 5th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, the Museum will screen two films that address cultural and religious appropriation, with a discussion to follow. This program is free and open to the public.

 White Shamans and Plastic Medicine Men is an award-winning documentary that deals with the popularization and commercialization of Native American spiritual traditions by Non-Indians. Important questions are asked of those seeking to commercially exploit Tribal rituals and sacred ceremonies...and those vested with safeguarding sacred ways. The film represents a wide range of voices from Native communities, and speaks to issues of cultural appropriation with humor, righteous anger and thoughtful insight.

Image from White Shamans and Plastic Medicine Men, 1996

Invisible examines the history of relations between the Anglo and Native American communities in the northeast. The tribal people of Maine often feel invisible and to many Non-Indians in the state, they do not exist. Many of those who do know of the Indians presence are unaware of both their history and their present circumstances. Through the voices of persons telling their stories, Invisible looks at some of the underlying reasons for the racism so deeply embedded in white American culture and how that racism continues to shape Native American reality today. It then asks how we can begin to change our own racism and confront the invisible racism that still lies beneath much of Anglo American society.

Following these short documentaries there will be a discussion session hosted by Raney Bench, Abbe Museum Education Coordinator and James E. Francis, Penobscot Tribal Historian and Invisible producer.

Look Twice Evokes New Thoughts About History

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Friday, October 9th, 2009, Bar Harbor, Maine – The Abbe Museum is pleased to announce a new exhibit, titled Look Twice: The Waponahki in Image and Verse, by Maliseet artist/writer Mihku Paul Anderson. A wide variety of images depicting Maine's tribal history exist and are seldom seen except by researchers and scholars in the field. In addition, the general public is rarely given a broader cultural context in which to view them. Providing contemporary poetry, juxtaposed with historic imagery, Look Twice will simultaneously alter and reframe the context of those images. The effect mediates the historical gaze of a marginalized people. The prose that accompanies each image is one method of bringing history into the present moment, supporting another possible view of that history. The connection between past and present is then strengthened and new ways of understanding history result.


Exhibit designer and writer Anderson is a member of Kingsclear First Nation, N.B., Canada and a graduate student in the Stonecoast MFA program. Mikhu says "I created Look Twice with

the goal of redirecting the visitor's objective gaze at Waponahki life and history in this region. The river motif reflects the importance of these waterways to my people, and is symbolic of time-flow, history and memory as they function to both create and maintain identity." Mihku artfully combines her original writings, colorful graphics, and historic photography in a way that evokes new thoughts about the history of Waponahki people, the people of the Maliseet, Mik’maq, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes.


This exhibit will hang in the Community Gallery of the Abbe Museum until April 2010. An artist’s opening reception will be on October 9th from 5:00 – 7:00pm, highlighted by a short poetry reading by Mihku.



Abbe Museum Partners with Tribes to Promote Wabanaki Tourism in Maine

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This summer, the Abbe Museum has partnered with 4 Directions Development Corporation to produce an exhibit about the Wabanaki tribes in Maine. This exhibit is on display at the Maine Heritage Village in Wiscasset which is a popular stop for tourists as they travel the famous Route 1. On display are panels representing the Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, Penobscot and Micmac. Each panel gives an overview of each tribe in Maine. There is also a "Wabanaki Territory" panel which is an large map of the state showing where each reservation is located and how one can get there. It also shows "Native" points of interest including the Abbe Museum. With similar missions to promote Wabanaki heritage and culture, the Abbe Museum and 4 Directions have developed this exhibit to educate visitors about Native Americans in Maine. It is the first step in a broad plan overseen by former Penobscot Tribal Representative Donna Loring to promote Wabanaki Tourism in Maine and beyond.


Free Childrens Workshop at the Abbe Museum- Sat, Sept 12th

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The Abbe Museum invites you to participate in our Free Children's Design Workshop called Patterns in Nature. Join us Saturday, September 12th from 10:00am to Noon at the Abbe Museum's Downtown Bar Harbor location. Children will observe several patterns from nature and see how artists and architects have used them for inspiration. They will learn a drawing technique based on the design of a chambered Nautilus shell. Space is limited. Please pre-register by calling Raney Bench at 288-3519. For ages 8 and older.

Abbe Museum Hosts Native American Drum Group

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August 29, 2009, Bar Harbor, Maine – On Saturday, August 29, 2009 the Abbe Museum will host Rez Dog Singers, a Native American drum group well known throughout the pow-wow circuit. Performances locations and times are as follows:
• 10:00 am to 12:00 performance at the Abbe Museum, Sieur de Monts Springs in Acadia (in case of bad weather, this 10 to 12 performance will be moved to the Abbe Museum’s downtown location)
• 2:00pm to 4:00 performance at the Abbe Museum downtown at 26 Mount Desert Street in Bar Harbor, across from the Village Green park.

Rez Dog Singers is made up of young men from Native American communities throughout New England. This award winning, energetic group’s commanding vocals are enhanced by the deep rhythm of their powerful drum. The Abbe Museum and Rez Dog Singers invite you to share in their performance and engage them with questions between songs. This performance is free with admission to the Abbe Museum.

Storytelling Mural Project Timelapse

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On Sunday, June 7th, Laughing Couple Duo Rick Hunt and Carolyn Black entertained and educated visitors at the Abbe Museum in downtown Bar Harbor. Both from the Abenaki tribe of Vermont, Carolyn told stories of Abenaki legend from long ago, as Rick illustrated them on large mural panels. These panels are now on display in the classroom on the bottom level of the museum. Throughout the day, we captured images of the mural in progress and blended them together in this time lapse animation for you to enjoy. This performance was sponsored in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

N.E.A Funds Free Children’s Workshop at Abbe Museum

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August 14, 2009, Bar Harbor, Maine – Please join us on Monday, August 24, 2009 from 10:00 to 12:00 at the Abbe Museum Downtown for a Free Children’s Dream Catcher Workshop. As part of a National Endowment for the Arts grant that was received for the Twisted Path: Contemporary Native American Artists Walking in Two Worlds exhibition, Lenny Novak, Abenaki, will teach children up to age 18 the art of weaving a natural dream catcher. (children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult) Interested adults are encouraged to register for the 2:00 to 4:00 workshop where they will get the same chance to create their own natural dream catcher. The cost for this workshop is $35 for museum members and $45 for non-members. Call (207)288-3519 to register. Lenny Novak is well known in Native American art circles for his finely crafted dream catchers. Adults will have the chance to work with bone, antler, sinew, feathers and wood.

On Tuesday, August 25, Lenny will demonstrate the art of his uniquely intricate web weaving and discuss how he came to produce this incredible feat of hand weaving in which he uses up to 300 feet of sinew for one web. This demonstration is free with admission to the Abbe Museum Downtown and takes place from 1:00 to 4:00. Support for this program is made possible, in part, by the Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, a proud sponsor of Cultural Connections museum programming.

The Abbe Museum is the only museum in the world dedicated to the Wabanaki, the Native American people of Maine and the Maritimes. The Abbe has a collection of over 50,000 archeological, historic and contemporary objects including stone and bone tools, pottery, beadwork, carved root clubs, birch bark canoes, and supporting collections of photographs, maps, and archival documents. It holds the largest and best-documented collection of Maine Native American basketry in any museum. Its collections conservation program is recognized nationally as a model for museums.

Free Photography Workshops at Acadia: Aug 20-27

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Visitors Can Learn From the Pros While Using Top-Tier Cameras
WHO: Canon and American Park Network will offer FREE digital photography workshops at Acadia National Park. Acclaimed wildlife and nature photographer Adam Jones (http://www.adamjonesphoto.com/) will be leading the free photo workshops on August 21 and 22.
WHAT: Participants will learn from professional photographers and will be able to use free, top-of-the-line Canon camera equipment to capture the picture-perfect sights. All participants will be able to print free copies of the images they have taken and will also be able to download their photos from the Web.
WHEN: The free photography programs will take place three times daily (except Tuesday) from August 20 through August 27. Participants should arrive approximately 15–30 minutes early.
WHERE: The daytime workshops begin at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Jordan Pond House. The evening program begins at 6 p.m. at the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor (26 Mount Desert Street). Daytime workshop attendees will receive free admission to the museum and are invited to visit any time after their session. Those who have not participated in daytime workshops but would like to attend the evening session may enter the museum after 5:45 p.m., free of charge.

WHAT TO BRING: No cameras are necessary. Canon will provide digital single lens reflex bodies and lenses for all participants, though guests are welcome to use their own equipment.

Photo on right by: Anand Subramanian, Canon Photography in the Parks contest winner, 2007/2008
Photo on left by: Erika Skogg/American Park Network

ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE PARKS: This year’s Photography in the Parks program kicked off in Yosemite National Park and traveled to the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone before wrapping up in Acadia. For more information, visit www.OhRanger.com/acadia/news or www.usa.canon.com/parks.

Abbe Museum Hosts Archeology Field School

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Originally posted on wlbz2.com by:
Chris Facchini, Anchor/Reporter, WLBZ2

SORRENTO (NEWS CENTER) --The Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor has a mission to protect and preserve the history and culture of Maines native peoples. That is why it is hosting an archeological field school this week in the Hancock County town of Sorrento.

The state's senior archeologist, Dr. Arthur Spiess, is overseeing the dig site. A group of about a dozen people took part in the field school, which is unearthing an encampment that is about 2500 years old. The group uncovered a variety of fish and animal bones, sea shells, and pieces of pottery

"100 years from now a majority of these archeological sites will be gone they'll be washed into the sea. So basically what we're doing now is rescue archeology we're getting data out of the ground that wont be here 100 years from now," Dr. Spiess said.

Those who participate in the archeology filed school will be at the dig site all week from 9am to 4pm, followed by a lecture series in the evenings.

Unearthing Ancient Artifacts on Maine's Coast

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Maine's history of Native American culture and heritage dates back over 12,000 years and continues to this very day. During these ancient times, the glaciers that once covered the region had receded to the north exposing the fresh and fertile land of what we now call Maine. The ancient indigenous people of this land often gathered in large settlements or villages up and down the coast, placing themselves near the bounty of the sea. These people left behind a legacy that we can study as their ancient artifacts are unearthed. The Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, Maine is on the forefront of uncovering these stories of the past through their annual Archaeological Field School.


During the week of August 9-14, Maine State Archeologist and long-time Abbe trustee, Dr. Arthur Spiess will lead an excavation of a coastal shell midden site in Sorrento, Maine. This field school offers first-hand experience in an archeological dig and will be excavating a site that was first explored by the Abbe Museum in 1939. New techniques and technology have the potential to shed new light on the lives of Maine's Native Americans prior to the arrival of the first European settlers. Stone and bone tools tell us how people harvested and processed food and other raw materials. Pottery sherds provide insight into the time periods during which a site was occupied, while animal bones and plant remains tell us what people were hunting and gathering for food and other uses. Field School participants will learn digging techniques, practice mapping the site, and learn about the analysis of artifacts. This will be complemented by lab sessions and lectures to give participants a broad understanding of archaeology and Maine's Native American heritage.

While the Abbe Museum's Archaeological Field School is important to the scientific community as a whole, it has a more intimate importance right here at home in Maine. Bonnie Newsom, a member of the Penobscot Indian Nation and the Tribe's Archeologist recounts her first time on a dig. "I was a recipient of an Abbe Museum Field School scholarship which was given to Native Americans. Had I not had that opportunity I would have not gone into the field of archeology. This Field School affords tribal members the opportunity to explore new career paths and opens the doors of archeology to Native people." Bonnie strongly feels that it is "Critical that the Field Schools are open to Native people as we have been a missing component of this profession . The Abbe is in a great position to help facilitate this by providing Native people an opportunity to engage with their ancestors and protect and preserve these important sites."

For more information on the Field School or its scholarship program, contact the Abbe Museum at 207-288-3519 or e-mail us at info@abbemuseum.org.

Kids Get Creative at Abbe Museum

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On July 18th at the Abbe Museum Downtown, children and their families joined Abbe volunteer Dee Lustusky for a hands on drawing workshop called "Art of the Star". Participants had the chance to use a bit of artistic geometry by first drawing a circle, then adding points to the circle and connecting the points to create a multi-faceted star. Once their line art was complete, they called on their own individual creativity to add colors and patterns to their stars which where transformed into original works of art. While simple in nature, this free workshop offered children and their families a chance to work together and to explore art and creativity with each other. It also helped expose the Abbe Museum to new people who are now advocates. Most of all, it was fun!

If this sounds like fun to you, Dee will be hosting 2 more free workshops this summer. Call Raney Bench, Education Coordinator at 207-288-3519 for details and to register.

Abbe Museum "Gathering Gala" is a Success

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The Abbe Museum is proud to announce that its annual fundraising auction called The Gathering: Reflection & Celebration Gala was a success this year on many levels. On Wednesday, July 15th, local admirers of the Arts and the Abbe arrived at the Bar Harbor Club where they were greeted with a preview of live auction items on display in the main lobby. As they mingled, they made their way down the broad lawn to the “pool house” where a silent auction and cocktail reception were in full swing. With a three piece band playing in the background, the atmosphere become charged as people aggressively bid and out bid each other to acquire their favorite pieces. With 22 items in the silent auction, the total raised was $6675. At the ring of a bell, the silent auction closed and guests made their way to the main ballroom for dinner and the live auction.

As the 208 guests entered the ballroom they found their seats and took a moment to absorb their elegant surroundings of soft blue tulle, live birch trees with white lights and handmade Butterfly Houses by Tim Smith which adorned each of the 22 tables as a centerpiece. After a three course dinner was served and many people were thanked by John Collier and Bonnie Flaherty, co-chairs of the gala, the Abbe’s new CEO, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko addressed the room with heartfelt words of thanks to all of the Abbe’s supporters.

With a roar of applause, Christie’s very own John Hays took the mic and the live auction began. Mr. Hays graciously donated his time as auctioneer and his expertise and enthusiasm helped gather top dollar for many of the items, most notably, $2000 for a watercolor by artist Eric Hopkins, $1700 for a traditional birch bark moose call by Penobscot artist Butch Phillips, and $1300 for and oil painting of Mount Katahdin by Ojibwa artist John Potter. The live auction was comprised of 23 items including paintings, photographs, prints, baskets, sculpture and jewelry and raised a total of $18,000 and guests even had a chance to bid on the centerpieces! With the last item going to the highest bidder, the live auction closed and the dancing began. Brian Catell and the Jump City Jazz Band played center stage to many guests who cut loose and showed their best moves on the dance floor.

The Gathering Gala grossed over $62,000 in total which will help fund the Abbe Museum’s mission of promoting the understanding and appreciation of Maine’s Native American culture, history, and archaeology. Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, Abbe’s CEO said "This year's Gathering Gala was a warm gathering of ardent art lovers and Abbe supporters. We are thrilled by the success of this year's event and we look toward next year with great enthusiasm.”