Immerse yourself in history & culture
History comes to life when you can see it, hear it, touch it, taste it, and smell it. Try traditional hand tools in the wood shop, hear the ring of the anvil in the blacksmith shop, see Castine history up close on a tour of the Perkins House, enjoy the smell of a brown ash log as it gets prepared and made into a basket, and taste delicious bread fresh from our outdoor bake oven.
See below for more information, including about a floating open house offered by the Maine Seacoast Mission at the Castine town dock!
Wood Shop - Youth visitors can gain experience using traditional hand tools while building a toy boat in our wood shop. They’ll learn how a spokeshave interacts with wood grain, how to make a mast hole with a hand drill, and how a nail bends when it gets hit a little off center.
Blacksmith Shop - In the blacksmith shop, watch a friendly blacksmith shape metal into a hook, a nail, or whatever special project they’re working on! Find out how quickly metal cools when dipped in the quench bucket and what happens to stock when it gets a little too hot. When you hear the ring of the anvil, you’ll know you’re in the right place!
Perkins House - Imagine living as part of a family of 10 during the 18th century on a tour of the John & Pheobe Perkins House. How might you spend your days? What would you eat for dinner? And what happens when the British move in?
And More! - Enjoy special demonstrations of basket making and ash pounding, delicious bread from the outdoor bake oven, and a dinosaur egg hunt! Dino eggs will be hidden around campus for youth visitors to find throughout the open house (one per person) while supplies last. Where will they be? Only time will tell! Eggs can be taken home to hatch in warm water (approximately 8 hours per hatching). Before you go, snap a picture in front of our dinosaur footprint as an extra memento.
Plus a floating open house with Maine Seacoast Mission
In conjunction with our Hands-On History Open House, Maine Seacoast Mission will be at the Castine town dock from 1 to 5 pm for a floating open house aboard their 74-foot flagship vessel, Sunbeam!
Visitors are invited to come aboard Sunbeam and learn more about the Mission’s work in coastal Washington County and on outer, unbridged islands. During the tour, visitors can see the inner workings of a vessel which welcomes more than 1,000 people aboard each year for basic healthcare, meals, community gatherings, and more.
Mission programming via Sunbeam regularly provides support through counseling, education initiatives, and education services. In addition, a full-time nurse offers flu and Covid vaccination clinics, leads a network of eldercare facilities, provides healthcare check-ups, and connects residents to mainland specialists.
The Castine town dock is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the Wilson Museum campus.
All Hands-On History activities are kid-friendly, open to the public, and free of charge.
Hands-On History at the Wilson Museum is made possible through the generous support of Camden National Bank.