Boat building, sailmaking, fishing, and global trade are among the marine industries driving this state’s economy and shaping its character. And nowhere is the land-sea connection more apparent than at Maine Maritime Museum and its neighbor, Bath Iron Works, where ships have been built for the US Navy since 1893.
The museum’s well-designed exhibits and hands-on activities bring to life a mariner’s hard existence in days of yore, right down to scary dental tools for yanking out teeth, a last-resort pain remedy far from shore. But the museum doesn’t just dwell in the past.
"One of our goals," said Amy Lent, executive director, "is to connect people with contemporary maritime industries through workshops and exhibits."