Maine history museum and house

Maine Historical Society and Wadsworth-Longfellow House

About 0.8 mile

The Maine Historical Society campus combines changing statewide-history exhibitions, a museum store, research library, Longfellow Garden, and guided access to the 1785–1786 Wadsworth-Longfellow House when tours are offered.

The place

About Maine Historical Society and Wadsworth-Longfellow House

General Peleg Wadsworth built the brick family home in 1785–1786. His grandson Henry Wadsworth Longfellow grew up there, wrote his first childhood poem in the house, and drew on Portland and Maine history throughout his career.

Anne Longfellow Pierce bequeathed the property and family furnishings to Maine Historical Society in 1901. The house became Maine’s first historic-house museum and preserves a rare family-linked interior within a dramatically changed downtown block.

Maine Historical Society, founded in 1822, also operates museum galleries, the Brown Research Library, the Longfellow Garden, a museum store, and statewide educational resources. The house is one part of that campus—not a synonym for every open hour.

For 2026 the Society publishes “Pathways to Freedom: Maine Stories of the American Revolution” in the museum through December 31. Its current store page confirms guided Wadsworth-Longfellow House tours, but the reviewed public surfaces do not provide a clear universal 2026 house-tour timetable or price. Call or check the current ticket surface before promising an interior visit.

What stands out

Historic family house

See the Portland home occupied by generations of the Wadsworth and Longfellow families and preserved with family-linked furnishings.

Current Maine exhibition

The 2026 Pathways to Freedom exhibition interprets six people navigating Revolutionary-era Maine.

Longfellow Garden

A compact historic garden preserves breathing room around a house now surrounded by downtown development.

Maine history resources

Museum, store, library, public programs, and statewide digital resources broaden the visit beyond one famous resident.

Pair it with the train

Why it belongs in a Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum trip

Maine Narrow Gauge’s narration introduces Portland and Casco Bay from the two-foot railroad; this stop extends that story on foot without substituting a generic chain or a distant regional attraction. The Society adds the city’s family, literary, political, and Revolutionary-era history to the railroad’s industrial and waterfront story, making it a natural second interpretation stop rather than generic downtown filler.

Before you go

Plan your visit

  • Museum and storeCurrent official material publishes Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. for the museum store; confirm gallery and holiday changes.
  • House toursGuided tours are offered, but the reviewed 2026 sources do not publish one clear universal house schedule or admission table. Confirm directly.
  • 2026 exhibition“Pathways to Freedom: Maine Stories of the American Revolution” is published through December 31, 2026.
  • Research libraryBrown Research Library hours and appointments differ from the museum, store, garden, and house-tour schedule.
  • GardenThe Longfellow Garden is a distinct outdoor part of the campus; seasonal condition, events, and access can differ from the house.
  • AddressUse the Maine Historical Society entrance at 489 Congress Street; older building records sometimes identify the adjacent house as 487.
  • AccessHistoric-house circulation, stairs, narrow passages, seating, service animals, bags, and caregiver needs are not fully documented in the reviewed current sources. Call before booking.
  • TimeAllow more than a quick photo stop if combining a house tour, current exhibition, store, or garden; each has a different purpose.

Return to the waterfront story

Add Portland Observatory

Pair the house and Maine history galleries with the harbor signal tower and a high Casco Bay view.

View the guide →

Useful answers

Frequently asked questions

Is the Wadsworth-Longfellow House the same as the Maine Historical Society museum?

It is part of the same campus, but house tours, museum galleries, store, library, and garden can use different schedules and rules.

Can I tour the house in 2026?

The Society’s current store material confirms guided tours, but the reviewed public pages do not provide one clear universal 2026 timetable. Contact the Society for the exact day.

What is on view in the museum?

The Society publishes “Pathways to Freedom: Maine Stories of the American Revolution” through December 31, 2026, alongside changing programs and resources.

What are the current hours?

The official museum-store page publishes Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Do not assume those hours guarantee a house tour or library access.

Is the historic house accessible?

The reviewed current sources do not publish enough route-specific detail to promise full access. Call 207-774-1822 about stairs, wheelchairs, seating, sensory needs, bags, and assistance.

Why pair this with Maine Narrow Gauge?

The train introduces Portland’s harbor and two-foot industrial history; the Society adds family life, literature, politics, and Revolutionary-era Maine.

Trust and accuracy

Sources

Source checked 2026-08-14. This free guide has not yet been confirmed by the venue. Current hours, prices, services, and accessibility can change; confirm time-sensitive details directly.