Free Program
Discover the wonders of nature and wildlife seen in the Passages in American Art exhibition. Engage in art-making activities with local artists, explore the galleries, and connect with others.
Plan Your Day
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Read & Relax space for families in the Lower Ground Floor. Unwind and re-center within this space with some fun family-friendly books.
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Pick up a Seek and Find activity and discover some nature in the PMA collection. Once you are done, bring your completed activity to the Great Hall and win a prize.
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Let’s design some signs with children’s author Minquansis Sapiel and become advocates for wildlife and Mother Nature.
11 to 11:45 a.m. | Walk around the museum with educator Heather Livingstone for a kid-centered, interactive tour.
Noon to 1:15 p.m. | Watch Flik go on a journey to recruit fighters to defend his ant colony in Disney’s A Bug’s Life.
12:30 to 3 p.m. | Create a Habitat Thaumatrope (an optical illusion to combine two images) and learn about wildlife from Maine with Jane Affleck Fitz from Maine Audubon.
Free with museum admission; Children 21 and younger are always free; All workshops taking place in the Great Hall are free
Meet your author and educator
Heather Livingstone is an artist and educator with 20 years of experience teaching art in Maine public schools, most recently at Presumpscot Elementary in Portland. She has conducted research in the field and presented her work at the national level. As part of her MFA , her studies included dealing with themes of gender, curriculum engagement, and student motivation. Heather is passionate about making art education accessible for all students by making relevant connections to their lived experience, diverse backgrounds, and personal interests.
Minquansis Sapiel (pronounced “Min-Gwon-sis”) is an enrolled member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe (part of the Wabanaki Confederacy) from Sipayik, one of the two Passamaquoddy reservations in Maine, and grew up in Sipayik overlooking the Passamaquoody Bay. She is a published author of the children’s book Little People of the Dawn; has received her master’s degree in social work; and has also earned her captain’s license. In earning the latter, she has big plans to start her own business called “Passamaquoddy Eco Tours” that will provide whale watching and historical cultural boat tours. The hope is to connect people to the Passamaquoddy Bay and provide them with a better understanding of Wabanaki history and culture through an experience they will love and enjoy. In the meantime, Minquansis has collaborated with Portland Explorers to get more experience guiding and chances to speak about Wabanaki/Abenaki History in the Portland, Maine area.
Jane Affleck Fitz is the Community-Based Education Programs Manager for Maine Audubon. The mission of Maine Audubon is to conserve Maine wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people in education, conservation, and action. Jane has worked environmental education for the last 20 years, having received a Masters of Education from the University of Washington. Jane believes that to help conserve nature, we must provide opportunities to build attention, care and love in our children.