A Letter from Our Founders

We love Maine.Back in the 70’s we bought our first small parcel of land and built a home in Albany Township. Our deep respect for Maine’s landscape combined with our passion for land conservation led us to eventually conserve 11,000 acres in Western Maine. To our surprise, it included a prospect mine. We instantly became absorbed in the fascinating story of Maine mining and were astonished by the breathtaking minerals and gems discovered. In a desire to preserve its unique history, we acquired the Bumpus Mine—where giant beryl crystals were found in the 1920’s. Over the years, we organized field trips for thousands of school children to visit the mine and one thing led to another…

We are about to open what will be Maine’s most interactive science museum, something we’d never imagined doing. Our original vision to display Maine minerals in a modest addition at a local historical society has evolved into a fully dedicated 14,000 sq. ft. facility on Main Street in Bethel. We saw an opportunity to preserve a part of Maine’s past and protect it for the future, and we added a world-class collection of meteorites to inspire a greater sense of wonder still.

The Maine Mineral & Gem Museum celebrates the perseverance of many: the miners who made the first discoveries and those pursuing the next big find; the rock hounds whose curiosity keeps them digging; the lapidaries who transform “rough” into stunning cuts; the educators who makes science fun and the scientists whose research has led the way. This is their story.

Creating the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum has been both inspiring and humbling. We are deeply honored to share it with the good people of Maine and beyond. We hope you enjoy the MMGM, and if you do, please consider joining the Museum and help secure this treasure for future generations. Thank you.