BRADLEY — As of May 15, the Maine Forest and Logging Museum has established a regular admissions process and gate. During its regular season, the museum’s new hours will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The museum will be closed Mondays, Tuesdays and most holidays, except in the case of special events and private rentals. The museum will be open for the season through Nov. 15.
The new admission fee will be $3, free to children 12 and under and to museum members. Members, as well as receiving free entrance to the museum during regular hours, will receive museum store discounts and discounted admission to events and programs.
While at the museum, patrons may to visit the Leonard’s Mills campus, which includes a settler’s cabin, a replica of the first known commercial alewife smokehouse, a 1920s sawmill complex (still under construction), the alewife fish ladder, and view the Grady Machine Shop and Lombard Log Hauler, one of only three steam-powered Lombards known to still be in operation. The museum also has a nature and wilderness trail for hiking, grounds for picnicking, and many beautiful sights, museum officials said.
Self-guided tours with interactive maps soon will be available at the entrance gate which will be housed in the museum store. On most weekends, guided tours will be available, but museum-goers are advised to call ahead or email for tour times and details.
The museum will continue to put on its annual events including Heavy Metal on Aug. 4 when the Lombard Log Hauler will be running. The event also will have on display other large logging machines, and visitors can give blacksmithing a try.
Life in the American Revolution will take place Sept. 12-13, and Living History Days on Oct. 3-4. Also, patrons can enjoy the Bradley Alewife Festival, a free to the public event on May 30, as well as the museum store grand opening. The museum store now houses local artisans’ work as well as other unique items.
The museum will continue to add other programs and smaller events such as photography classes, hands on blacksmithing, woodworking and other ways to engage with the forest culture of Maine — past, present and future. For information about the museum and new programming, or to volunteer, go to the museum Facbook at Maineforestandloggingmuseum, keep up on Twitter @MFLMuseum or visit maineforestandloggingmuseum.org.
For information about the changes that are coming up at the museum, the public is invited to participate in a town hall style conference call. To participate, RSVP to communications@maineforestandloggingmuseum.org to receive the call In date and time, and to register.