Exhibits
Know Before You Go: Essential History For Your Island Adventure
SOMESVILLE MUSEUM & GARDENS: Permanent exhibit
Our permanent exhibits explore the stories of MDI’s past—stories of resilience, labor, and life beyond the familiar lens of tourism. Explore the lived experiences of the Wabanaki people, early settlers, immigrants in the granite and construction industries, domestic workers, seasonal laborers, and year-round residents who worked in fisheries, boat building, and more. These narratives connect the island’s towns and villages, showing how MDI is both unique and part of a shared coastal Maine legacy. Know Before You Go is displayed in both the Selectman and the Museum buildings, accompanied by artifacts, historic documents, and images.
The Museums open for the 2025 season on Saturday, June 21, with regular hours from Tuesday to Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM. Admission is a suggested $5 donation—members and children enjoy free entry. For more details, visit www.mdihistory.org
Know Before You Go is an exhibit generously supported by the Davis Family Foundation. This installation was managed and designed by Saint Riewestahl, curated by Sean Cox with exhibition guidance from MDI Historical Society Director Raney Bench, and with curatorial support from Patrick Callaway. Illustrations of historic Somesville, flora, and fauna, created by Rosemary Santoro.
Digital Tour: MDI History Adventure What Happened Here?
Wherever you are on Mount Desert Island, something interesting happened! Download our free MDI History Adventure App to start exploring over 20 sites located in every island community and learn What Happened Here? Visit as many sites as you want, in any order. You will see new places, learn new things about Mount Desert Island, and discover how our communities are unique yet interconnected. The tour will connect you with places where you can learn more by visiting the historical societies, museums, and libraries that share the island's history.
Download the MDI History Adventure App from the Apple or Google Play stores, or access it on the web.
The “What Happened Here” app is made possible through donors Jake and Anne Citrin; Shelby and Gale Davis; and David and Nanette Schoeder, and Machias Savings Bank.
The Village of Sound and Island Schools
SOUND SCHOOLHOUSE: Permanent exhibit
The permanent exhibit at the Sound Schoolhouse, located at 373 Sound Drive in Mount Desert, tells of the schools and schoolhouse on Mount Desert Island around the turn of the 20th century. It focuses on the Sound Schoolhouse, the Village of Sound, and the eventual restoration of the schoolhouse for the Mount Desert Island Historical Society.
This exhibit is open by appointment only. Admission is by donation.