Kittery Historical & Naval Museum
Kittery Historical & Naval Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Wander through Kittery's past as you browse our exhibits, from colonial times to grand hotels, shipbuilding and lighthouses, up to the present day. Join us for community events, year-round. Open seasonally April - November, and by appointment in the winter. See our website for more information and hours. Find out what makes Kittery special... at the Museum!
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Full view
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
225 within 3 miles
Attractions
191 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
22 reviews
Excellent
14
Very good
7
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Maurene_K
Dover, NH12,283 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
In April 2023, there was a special event to commemorate Ron Ames, who was a donor to the museum and a very active volunteer at the museum.
When I arrived, there were five volunteers running the special event to honor Ron. As I signed the guestbook, I learned that a friend through whom I’d met Ron had just left.
The volunteer named Shea conducted a tour of the exhibits and pointed out Ron’s many contributions in the forms of artwork, carpentry, created props, donated items, a costume, and arranged exhibits.
The first item was the red velvet outfit on a mannequin near the admissions desk. Ron made it for Frank C. Frisbee III to wear when he portrayed his ancestor, Sir William Pepperrell, a very important figure in Kittery’s history and for whom Pepperrell Cove was named.
The exhibit on Frisbee’s Market and other items connected to the Frisbee family was arranged by Ron.
One of the most striking things Ron created was the artificial food in multiple exhibits. His work on numerous food items from pancakes, a plate of cooked vegetables, and a cooked chicken to a loaf of bread and bowls of succotash and creamed peas in the garrison house were extremely realistic and not the poor excuses for food that one normally sees in displays. The reason for such realism was that Mr. Ames had worked in New York City on Broadway productions for many years in Theatrical Design, creating costumes, making sets, and making props.
Also in the Garrison House, there is a set of antique tankards/mugs that Mr. Ames bought and donated to the museum.
There is even the steam wheel from the USS Franklin which was the flagship of Admiral David Farragut.
The Kittery Historical & Naval Museum is fortunate to have so many items from Ron Ames and so many artfully-arranged displays. The museum has benefitted from the various aspects of his fabulous artistic talents. He was even active in local theater productions ~ sometimes as a cast member.
I rate the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum at 5.0 and highly recommend a visit.
The reason for the delay in submitting this review was due to a months-long loss of my ability to post photos with my reviews and some health issues.
If you found this review useful, please click the THUMBS UP to indicate HELPFUL.
When I arrived, there were five volunteers running the special event to honor Ron. As I signed the guestbook, I learned that a friend through whom I’d met Ron had just left.
The volunteer named Shea conducted a tour of the exhibits and pointed out Ron’s many contributions in the forms of artwork, carpentry, created props, donated items, a costume, and arranged exhibits.
The first item was the red velvet outfit on a mannequin near the admissions desk. Ron made it for Frank C. Frisbee III to wear when he portrayed his ancestor, Sir William Pepperrell, a very important figure in Kittery’s history and for whom Pepperrell Cove was named.
The exhibit on Frisbee’s Market and other items connected to the Frisbee family was arranged by Ron.
One of the most striking things Ron created was the artificial food in multiple exhibits. His work on numerous food items from pancakes, a plate of cooked vegetables, and a cooked chicken to a loaf of bread and bowls of succotash and creamed peas in the garrison house were extremely realistic and not the poor excuses for food that one normally sees in displays. The reason for such realism was that Mr. Ames had worked in New York City on Broadway productions for many years in Theatrical Design, creating costumes, making sets, and making props.
Also in the Garrison House, there is a set of antique tankards/mugs that Mr. Ames bought and donated to the museum.
There is even the steam wheel from the USS Franklin which was the flagship of Admiral David Farragut.
The Kittery Historical & Naval Museum is fortunate to have so many items from Ron Ames and so many artfully-arranged displays. The museum has benefitted from the various aspects of his fabulous artistic talents. He was even active in local theater productions ~ sometimes as a cast member.
I rate the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum at 5.0 and highly recommend a visit.
The reason for the delay in submitting this review was due to a months-long loss of my ability to post photos with my reviews and some health issues.
If you found this review useful, please click the THUMBS UP to indicate HELPFUL.
Written September 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maurene_K
Dover, NH12,283 contributions
Sep 2021
One Sunday afternoon in Kittery, I revisited the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum.
Admission for AAA members was $5.00. For other adults, admission was $7.00.
Included in the price of admission was a guide to the 2021 exhibits and a nice pamphlet titled A Brief History of Kittery, Maine ~ 16 pages cover to cover. It had information on the Colonial Period, shipbuilding in the Age of Sail, vacationers in the Gilded Age, the Modern Era of the 1900’s in which Route US-1 was developed, and Kittery Today.
Near the admissions desk was a mannequin of Sir William Pepperrell, one of Kittery’s foremost citizens who is best known for organizing, financing, and leading the 1745 expedition during King George's War to capture the French fortress of Louisbourg in Cape Breton. The mannequin was dressed in a replica of the red uniform he wore when he posed for the portrait that hangs nearby on the wall.
Next, I went directly to the room where a 25-minute video about Kittery’s history played continuously. It covered everything from the Colonial Period to contemporary times. I thought the video was well-done.
The museum had lots of models of famous ships, such as USS Constitution and Ranger, the John Paul Jones sloop. I spent a good amount of time admiring those.
I also liked the Marshall-Garrison House which was in the back room. It was a garrison farmhouse built in colonial times for protection against attacks.
Near the Garrison House was a diorama of two Native Americans of the Wabanaki Confederacy visiting with an English settler. One is dressed the way they did before they met Europeans; the other is dressed in European-influenced clothes that included a cloth shirt.
There were several uniforms in the collection. One was from USS Constitution.
In all, I spent nearly two hours there. I noticed that others were spending a lot of time there, too. And, no wonder; there’s a lot to see.
Granted it was a number of years ago, but I was amazed at the number of acquisitions and donations of items since my last visit. The collection of artifacts has more than doubled.
Since it’s not on a main road and not a large building, I’ll call it a hidden gem.
My rating of the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum is 4.50 and I highly recommend a visit to history fans.
If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below.
Admission for AAA members was $5.00. For other adults, admission was $7.00.
Included in the price of admission was a guide to the 2021 exhibits and a nice pamphlet titled A Brief History of Kittery, Maine ~ 16 pages cover to cover. It had information on the Colonial Period, shipbuilding in the Age of Sail, vacationers in the Gilded Age, the Modern Era of the 1900’s in which Route US-1 was developed, and Kittery Today.
Near the admissions desk was a mannequin of Sir William Pepperrell, one of Kittery’s foremost citizens who is best known for organizing, financing, and leading the 1745 expedition during King George's War to capture the French fortress of Louisbourg in Cape Breton. The mannequin was dressed in a replica of the red uniform he wore when he posed for the portrait that hangs nearby on the wall.
Next, I went directly to the room where a 25-minute video about Kittery’s history played continuously. It covered everything from the Colonial Period to contemporary times. I thought the video was well-done.
The museum had lots of models of famous ships, such as USS Constitution and Ranger, the John Paul Jones sloop. I spent a good amount of time admiring those.
I also liked the Marshall-Garrison House which was in the back room. It was a garrison farmhouse built in colonial times for protection against attacks.
Near the Garrison House was a diorama of two Native Americans of the Wabanaki Confederacy visiting with an English settler. One is dressed the way they did before they met Europeans; the other is dressed in European-influenced clothes that included a cloth shirt.
There were several uniforms in the collection. One was from USS Constitution.
In all, I spent nearly two hours there. I noticed that others were spending a lot of time there, too. And, no wonder; there’s a lot to see.
Granted it was a number of years ago, but I was amazed at the number of acquisitions and donations of items since my last visit. The collection of artifacts has more than doubled.
Since it’s not on a main road and not a large building, I’ll call it a hidden gem.
My rating of the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum is 4.50 and I highly recommend a visit to history fans.
If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below.
Written October 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cutter26
19 contributions
Nov 2018
If you have any interest in maritime, sailing or just want to know a little about the rich history of the waterways and how New England played a part in our history then this is a stop you must make while in the area.
Written September 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum!
Written September 6, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JanCee
Palm Beach, FL75 contributions
Jun 2018 • Friends
I thought this was very well organized and covered both the colonial period history and the naval history of the area...It is not overwhelming and a fun excursion in a great location.
Written June 11, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum. We are so glad you enjoyed it.
Written June 12, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Donna B
3 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Very interested piece of local maritime Kittery history. It's small, but lots to see. Highly recommended.
Written September 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew B
Somerville, MA1,286 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
The KHMM does a good job of presenting the history of Kittery and York county. The artifacts are interesting. The staff is professional, helpful and friendly.
Written July 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mommatothree_92
Centralia, IL34 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
Neat museum full of history. You get to walk through an actual submarine!! Gives you a sense of what life was like for the crew.
Written June 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tricia J
1 contribution
Jun 2020 • Couples
Wonderful historical spot! Worth the visit when you're around kittery. Lots of fun for families and couples
Written May 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amb
11 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Pretty cool place if your looking for something different to do with the family, well worth the trip
Written August 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve B
Columbia, IL47 contributions
Oct 2019
We stopped by the museum as a spur of the moment stop. We ended up staying more than an hour. There is so much to see and so much to read in the museum, an hour didn't do it justice. The history contained here is amazing.. I especially appreciated the 'Thresher" wall and all the information contained there.
Written November 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum.
Written November 5, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Showing results 1-1 of 1
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing