At an event at the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine on Tuesday morning, kids talked about what they wish for in 2025.
Read MoreMainers party just a little differently than the rest of the world on New Year’s Eve.
Instead of dropping a ball from a big building in a big city, we drop a wild blueberry from a church bell tower in Kennebunk. Instead of making everyone stay up to the stroke of midnight, we hold some New Year’s celebrations in the afternoon or early evening, so kids and early risers can get to bed on time.
Read MoreOn return trips from her old college stomping grounds of Boston, Nancy Martin, business programs manager for the City of Portland, Maine, knows she is home when the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM) comes into view. It is arguably the most prominent venue in a development known as Thompson’s Point, which stands out right off Interstate 295. The peninsula setting symbolizes the natural amenities Maine possesses, while the ground below is a prime example of Portland’s desire to maintain its beauty inside and out.
Read MoreThis week, two guests walk us through all these “Beautiful Blackbird” activities – Jordia Benjamin, Executive Director of the Indigo Arts Alliance and René Goddess, a Portland-based theater artist who is Artistic Director of The Theater Ensemble of Color as well as the director of the stage play edition of “Beautiful Blackbird.”
Read MoreAssembled on a teal cardboard wall is a wide range of children’s artwork: doodles of multiple orange cats, crayon-drawn self-portraits, Acadia National Park depicted in markers, a drawing of a cup of boba tea. While the works vary in style and content, they come together in the mural to create a portrait of the children of the Portland area.
Read MorePortland, Maine, is often associated with the calm coastal and seaside lifestyles. With a lively working waterfront, picturesque lighthouses, and sea glass beaches, it’s never been a better time to plan a trip to Maine.
Read MoreThe Beautiful Blackbird Children's Book Festival (BBCBF) kicks off Saturday with a variety of events for families to celebrate Black culture in Maine and beyond. The statewide festival was founded in 2019 and was created to honor the award-winning picture book "Beautiful Blackbird" by Ashley Bryan. This year, the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine is turning the book into an interactive theater production for children ages five and under. The play debuts Saturday at the museum, which is also offering $1 admission to the museum and $1 tickets to the show.
Read MoreOne artist who spoke to kids at the museum emphasized the importance of these programs for LGBTQ+ children to feel accepted in society.
Read MoreThe Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine will showcase an array of works by local artists at a 21-plus event complete with food and cocktails, both a live and silent art auction, featuring music and comedy. The proceeds will all go toward its Community Fund, which supports kids and families who face barriers in accessing the facility.
This will be the museum’s second Flying Colors Art Auction Benefit and will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 10.
Read MoreOn Sunday, the Children's Museum and Theater of Maine hosted local authors to share their books for the special week.
Read MoreMadeleine Corson, a former media executive and board member for the Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine, died Monday after battling cancer. Corson was the former Chair of the Board of Guy Gannett Communications and a long-term member of the Museum & Theatre Board of Directors.
Read MoreIt’s almost time for the Solar Eclipse! “News Center Maine’s United in Totality” team stopped by the museum this week to learn about the exciting programs being offered by the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine to spark curiosity and creativity in young minds as the state of Maine prepares for Monday’s eclipse.
Read MoreThe Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine announces an opportunity for budding playwrights aged 17 and under to submit their original plays to the upcoming Youth Play Festival on June 1 and 2, 2024. The festival, which kicks off the 101st children’s theatre season, aims to ignite a passion for theatre and nurture the imaginative talents of young writers.
Read MoreJoin Watts Hall Community Arts and the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine for a captivating rendition of "‘Charlotte’s Web’ — a story of friendship and hope.
Read MoreThe Cape Elizabeth library hosted its inaugural whale-themed family discovery program. A follow-up event with the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine is planned for Jan. 27.
Read MorePopular children’s author Mo Willems’ musical adaptation of his “Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale” premieres later this month at Maddy’s Theatre at the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine.
The musical is about toddler Trixie and her dad and their trip to the laundromat, where Trixie loses her treasured stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny.
Read MoreWinners have been announced for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Maine Awards!
The 2023 Regional Awards honor regional productions, touring shows, and more which had their first performance between October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023. This year the BroadwayWorld Regional Awards were bigger and better than ever, including over 100 cities across America, Canada, Central and South America, Europe, and Asia.
Read MoreThe new playspace outside the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine in Portland, was a long time coming. Ckuwaponahkiyik Atkuhkakonol: Wabanaki Storytelling Through Art and Traditions is the 48-year-old institution’s first permanent exhibit dedicated to Maine’s indigenous people. “We’ve always told stories about this place we call Maine, but there has been a lack of Wabanaki voices,” says education and exhibits director Starr Kelly, who began developing the project soon after joining the museum staff two years ago.
Read MoreThere are plenty of events to choose from around Maine on Sunday to ring in 2024, from planetarium shows and family-friendly celebrations to dance parties and cocktail soirees.
The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine in Portland is hosting a New Year’s Eve Indoor Beach Party from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. There will be beach-themed play experiences for kids and families, including creating ocean-inspired artwork, making sea star wishing wands and finger puppets.
Read MoreLight your own path, with lanterns. The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine in Portland will host Celebrate the Solstice: Self-Guided Lantern Walk events on Thursday and Friday from 1-4 p.m. Children can create a colorful paper lantern in the museum with a light inside. Then they can walk with it through an outdoor labyrinth path, which will be lit. Admission is $16. For more information, including about discounts, go to kitetails.org/visit.
Read More