News

The Wendell Gilley Museum will be closing, out of an abundance of caution, on Saturday, March 23 due to the forecast for inclement weather. The Haiku Class with Kristen Lindquist has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 20, at 1pm. If you have questions, call the museum before 6pm on Friday, March 22, or email mel@wendellgilleymusuem.org.

There has been a time change for the All-ages Paint 'n' Sip for Saturday, March 9. Originally scheduled for 10:30am, the workshop has moved to the afternoon and will now begin at 1:30pm. Students will create a winter wonderland in watercolor with local artist Erika Rosso, using the white of their paper for the snow and learning how to reserve that space as they paint in trees, birds and sky. This class is more suited for older children and adults, ages 7 and up! Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages provided. 

The Gilley will be closed all day on Saturday, January 13, due to a forecast of high winds, flooding from historic high seas on the coast, rain, and widespread power outages.

The Nature Bas Relief Class scheduled for that day has been rescheduled for Friday, January 19, at 10:30am. The All-Ages Paint 'n' Sip will be rescheduled for a future date.

Stay safe, and we’ll hope to see you next week!

It’s the holiday season and the Gilley is celebrating with a sale in the Museum Store. Beginning on Friday, Nov. 24,  and extending through Sunday, Dec. 17, everything in the store except consignment items is on sale. Non-members are eligible for 10% off while Museum Members get 20% off. The Museum is open 10am-4pm on Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 16. The store will also be open on Sunday, Dec. 17 from 1 to 4pm during our annual Community Open House & Art Show.

The Museum’s second annual Winter Session starts Friday, Jan. 5, 2024 and runs every Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm through Saturday, April 27.

Members get free admittance to the museum and discounts on classes as part of their memberships.

Non-members may purchase a pass for $25 that is good for January-April; it can be credited toward purchase of a membership for the rest of 2024 at the end of the Winter Session.

Workshops and activities for all ages will be offered throughout the Winter Session. Visit the Calendar or Events pages for more information about scheduled programs.

To purchase a Winter Pass or membership, contact office manager Jane Holland at jane@wendellgilleymuseum.org or call 207-244-7555.

Snowflake photo by Alexey Kljatov.

The Museum’s current special exhibit, Nature’s Masterpiece: Elephant Photographs of Peter Beard, closes this Saturday, Nov. 4. Don’t miss your chance to experience this powerful display of the famed photographer’s iconic elephant images on loan from the collection of David and Susan Rockefeller. These gelatin silver prints highlight some of Beard’s close encounters with these powerful creatures, while simultaneously eulogizing their passing.  

Beard was a ground-breaking Long Island-based naturalist, photographer, and artist. From his first visit to Africa at age 17, he devoted much of his life to recording—and paying tribute to—the creatures he encountered there, receiving the greatest attention for his images of African elephants. Beard’s work was featured in many solo exhibitions, including at the International Center of Photography in Manhattan, and the Centre National de la Photographie in Paris. 

He died in 2020, leaving behind an artistic and personal legacy defined, as several publications at the time noted, by the word “wild.” In a statement on Beard’s website, his family wrote, “Peter was an extraordinary man who led an exceptional life. He lived life to the fullest; he squeezed every drop out of every day. He was relentless in his passion for nature, unvarnished and unsentimental but utterly authentic always.”

Sculpture created by Northeast Harbor artist Dan Falt is featured alongside Beard’s photos.

The Gilley is open Tuesday through Saturday, Oct. 31-Nov. 4 this week from 10am to 4pm each day. Admission is $10 per person or free for Museum Members.

The Wendell Gilley Museum will be closed Saturday, Sept. 16, out of an abundance of caution due to Hurricane Lee’s potential impacts on Mount Desert Island. We will be closed as usual on Sunday and Monday; then resume our regular schedule, reopening on Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 10am.

Avian Artistry: Treasures from Maine Collections closes Thursday, Aug. 17 at 4pm. Don’t miss this chance to see a stellar art exhibit featuring more than 100 pieces from more than 50 private donors and galleries.