Museum in the Streets Marker

The Museum in the Streets is a Bar Harbor public history project that places large-format historical photo markers at significant locations throughout the downtown, turning the streets themselves into an open-air museum. For families who enjoy history, it transforms a regular downtown walk into an engaging, self-guided discovery tour.

Each marker features a historic photograph paired with explanatory text that brings Bar Harbor's remarkable past to life — from its origins as a fishing village to its transformation into one of the most fashionable summer resorts in America during the Gilded Age. Robber barons, presidents, and European aristocracy all spent summers here, and the markers tell that story through archival imagery and narrative.

For kids, the format works because it gamifies the experience: finding and photographing all the markers on the walking route gives the afternoon structure and purpose. The combination of real historical photos and the actual location where events occurred makes the history tangible in a way that a traditional museum can't quite replicate.

The markers are free, always accessible, and woven into the natural flow of a Bar Harbor downtown visit. Pick up a walking tour map from the visitor center on Cottage Street to guide your route. This works well as a morning warm-up activity before heading into Acadia, or as a relaxing afternoon wind-down after a full day in the park.