July 17, 2009 – through early 2010

Greetings of “wish you were here” await each visitor to the Brick Store Museum’s new exhibition, Mailed from Maine: Vintage Postcards of the Kennebunks. Open through early 2010, the show invites visitors to step back in time and visit the Kennebunks as seen through more than one hundred postcards selected from the museum’s permanent collections.

Postcards can commemorate a holiday or event, memorialize a location, or capture a moment in history and always deliver the message of “wish you were here.” Postcards in the exhibition celebrate the towns of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, representing all aspects of these communities, from their landmark hotels, to scenic views of the beach, to sights that have since disappeared.

To emulate the energy of the era, guests are surrounded by several large-format prints of vibrant postcards and the sounds of swing music. A colorful timeline illustrating the development of postcards welcomes guests to the exhibition, offering tips on dating postcards by the details. An interactive game challenges visitors to test their knowledge of postcard history. With the message on the back of a postcard often just as interesting as the picture on the front, guests are invited to look at dozens of hand-written postcard messages from the early 1900s and compare this historical form of “quick” communication with today’s Twitter community. Visitors even get an up-close look at several fascinating early twentieth-century cameras that produced the kinds of postcards on display.

Finally, exhibition-goers learn about postcard collecting as a hobby and appreciate how the tradition of sending a postcard while on vacation has lasted throughout the century, linking generations to this simple custom. As visitors depart the exhibition, they are encouraged to create and mail their own postcards to best describe the present community, thus carrying on the tradition of reflecting this area’s history through its postcards.

Exhibition made possible by our proud business partner, Ocean Bank.

    Planning a Visit

    Brick Store Museum Hours & Admission
    Open year round: Tuesdays – Fridays: 10 AM-4:30 PM and Saturdays, 10 AM-1 PM

  • Admission is by donation; suggested $5.00 per person.

  • Allow 30 minutes minimum for your visit.

  • The museum is closed on all national holidays and is typically closed the day after Thanksgiving and a few days between Christmas and New Year’s. If in doubt, please call the Museum at 207.985.4802 to verify public hours. Closings are posted on the home page of the Museum’s website.

  • The archives center is open to researchers only when an archivist is present. Public hours are typically Tuesdays through Thursdays, but appointments are strongly recommended. Call 207.985.4802 to schedule an appointment with an archivist.

  • The Brick Store Museum is partially handicapped-accessible. The main entrance to the museum is equipped with a ramp. There is also a wheelchair-accessible public restroom. The four gallery spaces on the first floor are fully accessible. The upstairs gallery on the second floor of our historic brick building is only accessible via a central staircase.

    Directions & Parking

    • From I-95/ Maine Turnpike: Take Exit 25. Make a left and proceed East on Route 35 toward Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. At the junction of Route 35 and Route 1, the Museum is directly across the street from the traffic light.

    • From Route 1: The Museum is on Route 1, approximately halfway between Portsmouth, NH and Portland, ME. Route 1 is Main Street in Kennebunk. If traveling northbound, the Museum is on the right; if traveling southbound, the Museum is on the left.

    • Get driving directions from your current location. Go now >

        • Free, curbside parking is available on Main Street directly in front of the Museum. Additional parking is on side streets and in marked public lots off of Main Street, within easy walking distance of the Museum.

        The museum is also accessible during the summer months via public transportation, courtesy of the Shoreline Explorer/Kennebunk Shuttle. Click here for routes and schedules >

        Group Tours

        Bus tours are welcome. Group tours and field trips by schools, camps and homeschoolers can be accommodated by contacting the Museum in advance: 207-985-4802.