The Bar Harbor Historical Society has laid off all five of its paid staff.
“All the staff fears for that collection,” former Executive Director Erin Cough said. “We’ve been told there will be no new exhibits next year … there will be no programming next year.”
Cough said the layoffs came after she had previously been assured by board members that there were no plans to let people go. She said staff were shocked when they were told the news, leaving them with few options right before the holiday season, when hiring typically slows.
The historical society has been operating in a deficit over the past four years, according to its IRS filings.
In 2024, expenses outpaced revenues by more than $128,000.
Since the historical society bought La Rochelle, a 123-year-old Gilded Age chateau, its contribution and grants income has waned year after year while its expenses have crept up.
But Cough said the nonprofit’s finances improved last year with revenue of more than $700,000, and staff could have closed the gap with more time.
It’s not clear how the layoffs will affect the organization’s operation of La Rochelle, but board members plan to monitor the museum while it’s closed to the public for the season.
In an email to staff, board members said they will take the winter for “thoughtful organizational restructuring.”
This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.