We foster meaningful engagement with the histories of Mount Desert Island.

Member benefits include free admission to exhibits, subscriptions to our newsletter & our history journal Chebacco, invitations to members-only events like History Happy Hour, and year-round access to the Ralph W. Stanley Research Room.

In addition to our annual events, such as January’s Bean Supper, we also organize public programs at island libraries based on exhibits, collaborations, and Chebacco articles as well as online offerings such as Chebacco Chats and our Book Club.

The Journal of the Mount Desert Island Historical Society is published each May on a variety of topics. Members receive a copy free. Browse through past issues here, or purchase online.

Explore how climate change is affecting birds, pollinators, Frenchman Bay, the climate of Mount Desert Island, and how you can get involved.

“Year One Final Results” available now!

The Sound Schoolhouse was opened in 1892 for the children of the quarrying and farming village of Somes Sound, and now serves as our staff offices. Step back in time and think about how education in a one-room school would differ from today’s schooling.

Our Somesville campus also includes the Selectmen’s Building, constructed during the 1780s by John Somes, and the Somesville Bridge, one of the most photographed sites on Mount Desert Island.

Exhibits at the Sound Schoolhouse, the Somesville Museum, and Selectmen’s Building mean there is always something to learn about the histories of our dynamic, evolving community.