The best arts & culture spots in Cumberland County

Brunswick Naval Aviation Museum keeps Naval Air Station Brunswick’s 65-year story of submarine hunting and maritime patrol aviation alive with artifacts, personal accounts, and a quiet Memorial Gardens. If you live here, it’s a thoughtful local history fix...

From the Topsham newsletter, October 15, 2026

Bowdoin College Museum of Art keeps things fresh with rotating shows that jump from ancient Mediterranean bling to striking documentary photography from apartheid-era South Africa. It’s open to the public and free, so you can swing by between errands when inspiration beats laundry.

From the Topsham newsletter, October 8, 2026

Bayview Gallery shows paintings by New England’s finest, spanning contemporary American Impressionism through Realism. If you’ve been meaning to add some regional art to your walls or just want a quiet browse in Brunswick, this is a reliable place to discover work with genuine local roots.

From the Topsham newsletter, October 3, 2026

Pejepscot History Center keeps Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell stories alive with two walkable 19th century house museums, the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum and the Skolfield-Whittier House, plus exhibits at The Pejepscot Museum, all guided by seasoned docents who make the past feel surprisingly current.

From the Topsham newsletter, September 28, 2026

Museum in the grand, restored 1820s residence of Civil War hero, college professor & governor.

Community history center celebrating the history of Brunswick, Topsham, & Harpswell, Maine.

Set inside the restored Etz Chaim Synagogue, Maine Jewish Museum keeps things fresh with eight-week rotating exhibits from Jewish and Maine-connected artists, plus moving permanent displays like Jack Montgomery’s portraits of Holocaust survivors and the Maine Jewish Hall of Fame.

From the Portland newsletter, September 23, 2026

This week, step inside Victoria Mansion, a 19th-century Italian villa-style house museum where the interiors are gloriously extra and the details deserve a slow lap. Tour the place, then poke around the museum shop for that perfect gift, all while supporting a local nonprofit doing serious preservation work.

From the Portland newsletter, September 30, 2026

State Theatre keeps Portland's calendar loaded with national acts across genres, showing up on their stage or out at Thompson's Point. This week’s lineup swings from Chiodos to Indigo Girls to Jordan Davis, so pick a vibe, grab a friend, and let the week sound better.

From the Portland newsletter, October 7, 2026

Portland Museum of Art pairs an I. M. Pei designed museum with a collection that jumps from Warhol and Monet to Maine staples like Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, and Edward Hopper.

From the Portland newsletter, October 14, 2026

Free museum at Bowdoin College, with artifacts & photos from Arctic expeditions of the early 1900s.

Tate House Museum peeks behind 1750s walls to show how the mast trade powered the Royal Navy and stirred rebellion, with guided tours through rooms furnished like an 18th-century merchant household. It’s a quick local history reset when you need a break from errands.

From the Portland newsletter, September 18, 2026

Community-theater staple since 1931, The Portland Players keeps it lively with big musicals and scrappy crowd-pleasers. Jesus Christ Superstar kicks off September 11, with The Hobbit and more on deck... grab tickets, cheer on neighbors, then argue about your favorite number on the ride home.

From the Portland newsletter, September 12, 2026

Whether you're craving smart, locally made theater this week or curious about brand-new voices, Portland Stage is rolling out handcrafted productions, fresh work via the Clauder Competition and Little Festival of the Unexpected, plus the From Away festival with the International Writing Program...

From the Portland newsletter, September 26, 2026

Whether it’s drizzly or blue-sky perfect, Umbrella Cover Museum on Peaks Island turns forgotten sleeves into a 20-minute joy burst, complete with interactive bits, prizes, a theme song, and Nancy 3. Hoffman herself. Admission is by donation, so bring curiosity and ferry karma.

From the Portland newsletter, September 7, 2026

Housed in an 1888 memorial hall built by Civil War veterans and listed on the National Register, Fifth Maine Museum digs into Peaks Island’s wild past from “Coney Island of Maine” days to WWII, with stained glass, an ocean-view veranda, and exhibits like Defending the Coast and Abandon Ship!.

From the Portland newsletter, September 12, 2026

Modest museum displaying American wartime artifacts from the Revolutionary to Vietnam War.

Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine nails that sweet spot where kids burn energy and actually learn something. Three floors of hands-on exhibits, an Outdoor Adventure area, and Maddy’s Theatre, the nation’s longest-running children’s theatre, make it an easy yes for after-school diversions or weekend resets.

From the Portland newsletter, October 21, 2026