Kittery Historical & Naval Museum

Maritime artifacts that reflect Kittery’s rich past.

Settled in 1623, and incorporated in 1647, Kittery holds the unique distinction of being Maine’s oldest town. Inextricably linked to the sea, Kittery’s early history includes those who made their name plying the oceans, fishing the bountiful waters, and building the vessels that withstood the unforgiving rigors of the sea.

From pre-revolution days to the modern navy, Kittery has played a pivotal role in the development of our country’s defenses… and the place to relive those contributions is through a visit to the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum.

Opened in 1976, in a building that previously housed the Town Garage, the Museum has continued to expand its ever-growing collections of artifacts from days gone by.

In 2002, groundbreaking began for the new addition to house the Andrews-Mitchell Garrison… a fortified farmstead that once offered protection from marauding Native Americans.

Today the Museum is chock-a-block full of Kittery’s rich past… a treasure trove of local history… including its maritime and military contributions.

The mission of the Kittery Historical & Naval Museum is to promote and encourage the study of local history through research, the collection of documents, artifacts and properties associated with Kittery’s history, to perpetuate the memory of those associated with the same, and to operate and maintain a public historical and naval museum to display its collections.

The Museum is 100% volunteer-run and operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.