Photo / Courtesy Abigail Jakub, Maine Historical Society
Modern, compact shelving increased collections storage capacity by 40%.
Updated: October 7, 2024
Maine Historical Society dedicates 18,000-square-foot collections center in Portland
Photo / Courtesy Abigail Jakub, Maine Historical Society
Ethan Merrill cuts the ribbon to open the P.D. Merrill Collections Center. Behind him, from left, are Peter Merrill, Sandi Goolden, Armand Demers and Tony Tenneson.
Maine Historical Society recently dedicated its 18,000-square-foot, offsite collections center in memory of Paul Douglas Merrill, a Portland businessperson and philanthropist who supported numerous MHS initiatives.
It raised over $2 million for development of its state-of-the-art collections center, including matching gifts from the P.D. Merrill Charitable Fund and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The campaign paid for install of modern, compact shelving and expand workspaces. It was also used to pay off the facility’s mortgage.
“The P.D. Merrill Collections Center has transformed Maine Historical Society’s ability to care for, grow and mobilize our collections to share Maine’s story,” said Steve Bromage, MHS’s executive director. “It helps MHS build capacity to serve a broader audience and play a more essential role in the civic life of Maine.”
The facility provides critical infrastructure for the collections, he continued.
“Collections are the heart and soul of MHS, and the foundation for our entire program,” said Bromage. “They drive creative exhibitions, research, scholarship, initiatives, education and our groundbreaking digital program, which serves people who love Maine throughout the world.”
Chair and CEO of Merrill Industries, Merrill helped to establish Merrill’s Marine Terminal in Portland. An international maritime gateway for Maine’s pulp and paper industry, it handled road salt for Maine’s highways, recycled metals and newsprint for over 40 newspapers.
The collections center houses historic items that include fine art, decorative arts, clothing, furniture, newspapers, books, photographic collections and archival materials and tell the story of what is now the state of Maine. The collection represents over 13,000 years of history and culture, with particular strength in the 18th through the 21st centuries.
A ribbon-cutting event attracted 100 donors and participants, including the Merrill family and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine 1st District, as guest speaker.
MHS recognized the matching donors and dozens of campaign supporters. Collections storage and workrooms are named for donors. The largest collections room was named for Maine State Historian Earle Shettleworth.
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments