Library

Maine Maritime Museum’s Library contains information on every aspect of Maine maritime history and coastal life. Because of our location in Bath, there is a concentration of material related to shipbuilding, the maritime history of the Kennebec River region, and Bath history.

BOOKS & MAGAZINES: ca. 14,000 volumes on maritime history world-wide, ca. 53,000 issues of nautical periodicals.

PHOTOGRAPHS: ca. 40,000 historical photographs (180 collections), including prints and negatives, nearly all Maine-related. Copies of historical photographs from the collection can be ordered.

MANUSCRIPTS: 2000 linear feet (including 400 collections and over 1000 small manuscript groups) of hand-written or typed original papers and volumes from Maine maritime businesses and mariners.

MAPS & CHARTS: ca. 1,000 items, including maps of Bath and the local area, as well as all of Maine, and navigational charts of the world.

SHIP PLANS: ca. 42,000 sheets, the majority for Bath Iron Works vessels but the collection also includes some small craft, some available to order on-line. Copies of historical boat and ship plans from the collection can be ordered.

EPHEMERA: timetables, menus, broadsides, calendars, tickets, handbills, any printed item with a Maine maritime connection, not originally intended to last a long time.

MISCELLANEOUS: local newspapers and New York shipping papers on microfilm (620 reels), 73 reels of motion pictures, 482 videotapes, ca. 220 oral history tapes.

INQUIRIES: There is no charge for brief answers regarding the Museum’s collections or specific queries about your own maritime objects, but for responses that take more than 15 minutes there is a minimum charge of $20. (We will let you know the time estimated to answer your query.) There is no charge for responses to Museum Members, students, representatives of the press, and other museums and historical societies.

For historical research questions or for questions about items contained in the Museum’s Library, contact us online or mail your inquiry to: Library, Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington Street, Bath, ME 04530.

If you have a query about your own photograph, ship plan, map, chart, manuscript, or other printed material, or if you have an historical research question about maritime or family topics, please send a picture (if applicable) and a full description by mail or email making sure to enclose your full contact information including mailing address. Note that we do not provide appraisal (valuation) services on any artifacts.

DONATIONS: The Museum is happy to accept donations of appropriate historical objects or library material. Please contact the Curator to discuss potential donations, or call (207) 443-1316 ext. 328.