Maine MILL

Join us Friday, August 30th for our next Movement at the Museum - Broadway Dance: Fosse 101. Danielle Eaton of L/A Community Little Theatre will be here to lead us through some jazz hands, snapping fingers and shoulder rolls, a few of Fosse's classic moves and learn some short choreography to express not only the moves but the overall attitude that is Fosse choreography! Appropriate for all dance-abilities. Dancers should wear comfortable clothing and dance-safe shoes. This event is free for all and made possible by Austin Associates, P.A. .

In anticipation of this year’s Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival, our objects of the month are photographs from the first Great Falls Balloon Festival, held on August 20-22, 1993. The festival attracts tens of thousands of spectators each year, eager to see the balloons rise from the banks of the Androscoggin River. We can’t wait for this year’s balloons!

THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for this year's Soirée en Blanc: White Christmas in July! It was a huge success and we loved every minute. We are so grateful to all of our sponsors and partners for making the night possible.

Christmas in July? This month we highlight an ornament from our collection commemorating the 200th year anniversary of the Lewiston-Auburn Lions Club. We share this in anticipation of Soiree en Blanc, happening on July 26th. Join us for the second annual night of music, food and dancing in support of our mission and the many untold stories of Maine people. We will celebrate in Lewiston’s Peck building – where everyone would line up to meet Santa as Christmas approached. Get your tickets for this 21+ event today!

This Friday, join us for our next Movement at the Museum - Greek Folk Dancing. Dance to beautiful music from the Greek islands and mainland. No experience necessary. This event is free for all and made possible by Austin Associates, P.A.

Join in the fun with Greek dancing for everyone at our next Movement at the Museum on June 28 from 5-6pm. In this class, you will learn some commonly done Greek dances, such as Syrtos, Sta Dhio, Hasapikos, and Tsamikos. These dances are done to beautiful music from the Greek mainland and islands. No previous experience necessary. Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes. This event is free for all and made possible by Austin Associates, P.A.

Get your ticket for this year's Soiree en Blanc: White Christmas in July. July 26, 6-9pm at the former Peck Building. Tag us in your Peck's Christmas photos or email a copy to us and we'll display it at the magical event.

Join us this Friday from 5-6pm for our next Movement at the Museum session - Improv. Interactive games and exercises prompt participants to respond quickly and creatively to various situations or suggestions. Improv relies heavily on collaboration, active listening, and building upon the contributions of others to create a cohesive and entertaining narrative. No performance experience necessary. This event is free for all and made possible by Austin Associates, P.A.

Students from Auburn Middle School and Hebron Academy have partnered with Maine MILL to create murals for the walls of the Bates Mill Complex reflecting the theme of "Our Community." These beautiful murals, created by students in grades 6-12, reflect their hopeful vision for who we are as a community and are the result of months of creative hard work. We invite you to join us on May 20th from 4:30-6:00, remarks at 5:00, for a celebration of the students' work and to learn more about this collaborative effort.

This week only! Don't miss artist Abigail DeVille’s interactive lunar capsule on view at the museum today (May 15) through Saturday (May 18). We collaborated with Bowdoin College and the work invites visitor participation, providing an opportunity for audiences to record their stories about life in Maine. Visitors are welcome to view the sculpture and to sit inside it to share their story. DeVille will weave a sampling of the stories into an audio installation as part of her upcoming exhibition at the in Brunswick: Abigail DeVille: In the Fullness of Time (Saturday, June 29 through Sunday, Nov. 10).

Photo - Outer: Abigail DeVille, Azul, 2022, wood, MDF, paint, paper. Inner: Abigail DeVille, Lunar Capsule, 2022, steel, aluminum, gold fabric, gold leaf, found chair, recorder, gold paint. Courtesy of the artist and The Bronx Museum. Photo: Argenis Apolinario

Join us for the second annual Soiree en Blanc. This year we’re marrying the wonder of Christmas with the warmth of summer in one of Lewiston’s most iconic buildings. You’ll be transported to a magical, sparkling white wonderland at the former Peck’s department store, once home to the most beloved Christmas displays in Maine.

Date and Time: Friday, July 26, 6-9pm
Venue: First floor of the Peck Building, 184 Main St., Lewiston
Dress Code: Arrive on theme in your best white attire!

Peck’s was where everyone went to catch a glimpse of Santa in his glory, and for one night, we bring that magic back. 21+ event. White Christmas magic awaits -- get your tickets now!

✨ Soiree en Blanc: White Christmas in July ✨ Join us for the second annual Soiree en Blanc, a gala evening of dining, music, and dancing in support of Maine MILL.

In honor of Memorial Day this month, our object for May is a soldier’s uniform jacket. While textile factories like Bates chiefly produced bedspreads along with a variety of other household linens, Lewiston’s industries also played a role in multiple war efforts. Starting during the American Civil War, when the North was experiencing a scarcity of slave-picked cotton, Bates (as the result of Benjamin Bates’ stockpiling before the war) continued producing cotton materials supplying Union soldiers. Less than half a century later, Bates supplied the U.S. Army with cotton fabric for the production of uniforms during both the first and second World Wars. Additionally, the Hill Mill, adjacent to Bates Mill No. 1 & 2, supplied materials such as nylon for parachutes during WWII.

Today is the 6 month anniversary of the shootings in Lewiston. We are remembering the lives lost, and gathering with survivors and the whole community tonight as we all continue to heal. Thank you to Maine Resiliency Center, DaVinci's Eatery, Platz Associates, and Official City of Lewiston, Maine for making this possible. This beautiful sign was painted by .

Join us this Friday from 5-6pm for some fun music, easy to follow beginner moves and lots of laughter at our next Movement at the Museum - Hip Hop/Freestyle. Wear comfortable clothes, clean sneakers and bring water. This event is free for all and made possible by Austin Associates, P.A.

We are honored to be helping Samantha and Justin Juray install memorial bowling pins at Just-In-Time Recreation ahead of their reopening. Made and donated by Garland Manufacturing, and painted by Jimmy and Max.

Join us on Friday, April 26 from 5-6pm for our next Movement at the Museum - Hip Hop/Freestyle. Boost your mood, improve cardiovascular performance and endurance and relieve stress! You can expect fun music, easy to follow moves and lots of laughter! This class will include choreography rooted in beginner hip hop, freestyle and basic dance aerobics. Wear comfortable clothes, clean sneakers and bring water! This event is free for all and made possible by Austin Associates, P.A. .

We are closed today, April 4, 2024. Stay safe and warm!

Our April object of the month is this Bates educational poster titled "The Creation of a Woven Bedspread." Most likely from the 1950s, the poster provides a step-by-step guide to the intricate process of producing a bedspread from raw cotton. It covers each production stage, from the cotton's arrival at the mills to the final packing of the finished product. This poster was initially used to educate both employees and consumers. It would have hung in the Bates factories and stores that sold Bates products. If you're interested in learning more about how Bates produced their bedspreads for over a hundred years, we invite you to visit our permanent gallery.

Join us this Friday from 5-6pm for Movement at the Museum - Rumba. This Latin dance with slow Cuban hip movements is easy for newcomers to pick up so no experience is necessary. Free for all and made possible by Rainbow Bicycle.

Due to inclement weather, we are closed today, Saturday March 23, 2024. See you next week.

Join us Friday, March 29 from 5-6pm for our next Movement at the Museum - Rumba. This Latin dance first arrived in the US in the 1920s. The slow speed of the Rumba makes it easy for newcomers to pick up quickly, so no experience is necessary. John Blanchette and Kayla Larrivee will be here to teach you this partner dance with Cuban hip movements and long smoldering looks. Free for all and made possible by Rainbow Bicycle .

In honor of Women’s History Month, our object for March is a “Rosie the Riveter” lunch box currently on display in our 2024 exhibit, “Unseen Hands: The Hidden Elements of Labor.” Over the last several decades, J. Howard Miller’s design of a female worker dressed in a denim jumpsuit and a red bandana presenting her bicep has been a notable symbol of women’s empowerment in and outside the workplace. Initially published in 1942 and privately distributed on a small scale, “Rosie the Riveter” was just one of thousands of wartime posters produced in the 1940s to increase production, boost morale, and prevent strikes. After being lost for nearly a half-century, Miller’s poster resurfaced in the 1980s and has since become an indistinguishable portrayal of feminism in the United States and across the world.

This Friday, Maine MILL and The Third Place - Maine will host Alejandro Graciano for our next Made in Maine event. Music, food and conversation!

Made possible by the Onion Foundation. Photo by Winky Lewis.

Looking for something to do during school vacation week? Come visit our newly opened "Unseen Hands" exhibit featuring works by Tanja Hollander. Museum hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10am - 4pm.

Photo by Ryan Captures Life. The exhibition is made possible in part by Historic New England. Additional support is provided by Maine Community Bank and Sherwin Williams.

Join us this Friday at 5:00 and kick up your heels with some old-time jigs & reels! Caller Cindy Larock will lead attendees in a few fun and easy contra, square & circle dances similar to those enjoyed at the Franco-American kitchen parties popular here in the Lewiston community years ago. True to the tradition, live fiddle music will ratchet up the joie de vivre! No previous experience is necessary. Free and fun for all ages. Come either with a partner or solo. Made possible by .

Maine MILL - the Maine Museum of Innovation, Learning + Labor - opened a wonderful new exhibit this week titled "Unseen Hands: The Hidden Elements of Labor." Maine MILL's mission is to document the history of Maine workers, with a special focus on the industrial roots of Lewiston.

And they're growing! The museum is moving to a larger, permanent home at the former Camden Yarns Mill at 1 Beech Street. Lee Auto Malls chairman Adam Lee presented Maine MILL's executive director Rachel Ferrante with a $25,000 contribution to that effort at the opening of the new exhibit. Lee Auto was founded in Lewiston 88 years ago and we're grateful to the museum for preserving the area's unique history!

OPENING TODAY! Our 2024 exhibition explores the complex ways labor (both seen and unseen) shapes our lives, our communities, and the world at large. Featuring works from Auburn-based artist Tanja Hollander and Candy Chang, ‘Unseen Hands’ re-examines the story of Maine’s hard-working people and invites you to join the conversation.

Made possible in part by Historic New England. Additional support provided by Maine Community Bank and Sherman Williams. 'A Monument for the Anxious and Hopeful' is made possible by Berman & Simmons. Cover photo by Tanja Hollander, Artist.

Maine MILL reopens for our new exhibition, ‘Unseen Hands: The Hidden Elements of Labor’ on February 8!

Throughout the month of January our team was hard at work installing this show, featuring works by Tanja Hollander and Candy Chang, set against complex themes of unseen labor. Both of these artists’ works relate directly to Maine MILL’s memorial efforts following the October 25, 2023 mass shooting and a number of memorial items will also be on display.

Scroll for some behind-the-scenes shots of the installation. 1400 historic images, 217 volunteer hours, 10 cans of paint, and 4 tubs of wallpaper paste later, we are ready for ‘Unseen Hands’ to be seen.
Tanja Hollander, Artist

Maine MILL is closed for the month of January as we prepare to open our 2024 exhibition "Unseen Hands: The Hidden Elements of Labor" in early February, exploring how unseen labor shapes our community and the world at large. We look forward to seeing you then! 👋

Holiday presents may have already been unwrapped, but it’s certainly not too late to make your annual gift to Maine MILL! Consider an unrestricted gift to our annual fund—at any amount—to help us build on the important work we’ve done in 2023.

Did you know that Maine MILL is on Venmo? You can give directly and quickly to Maine MILL () in the Venmo app. You can also donate from any page of our website by clicking the 'Donate' button in the top right corner.

We have a lot in store for 2024, and your support helps fuel the dreams of tomorrow.

Maine MILL | Museum of Innovation Learning and Labor Welcome to the Maine MILL, where history and culture spark creativity, inspire ingenuity, and drive connection.