This home preserves the Colonial residence of George Tate, Maine's last British 'mast agent' (mast agents procured New England white pine trees as construction material for the British navy). Tate's elegant home is the only one in Portland that dates from pre-Revolutionary times that is open to the public. Besides getting a glimpse of upper-class 18th-century life, tours (departing on the hour) provide a grounding in the mast trade and general history of Colonial New England.
Tate House Museum
Portland
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.73 MILES
There's a palpable mix of reflective nostalgia and horizon-scanning adventure at this wonderful museum, which preserves the Kennebec's long shipbuilding…
5.49 MILES
Four miles southeast of Portland on Cape Elizabeth, 90-acre Fort Williams Park is worth visiting simply for the panoramas and picnic possibilities. Stroll…
5.46 MILES
Fort Williams Park, on Cape Elizabeth, has rolling lawns dotted with bunkers and gun emplacements. Within the park stands the beloved, and much…
2.52 MILES
Founded in 1882, this well-respected museum houses an outstanding collection of American artists. Maine artists, including Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper,…
18.68 MILES
Not quite a zoo but a great place to view native Maine wildlife, this park is a bucolic reserve with picnic tables, short walking trails and animal…
3.88 MILES
Portland is graced by a handful of handsome lights, including the 1875 Portland Breakwater Light with its Corinthian columns. Dubbed the 'Bug Light'…
24.55 MILES
Bowdoin, established in 1794, is one of the oldest colleges in the US and the alma mater of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne and US…
26.38 MILES
This 6-mile-long sandy stretch is one of the prettiest in the state, with views of offshore islands and the Kennebec and Morse Rivers framing either end…
Nearby Portland attractions
1. International Museum of Cryptozoology
1.14 MILES
Bigfoot, yetis, specter moose and other cryptids share the spotlight at this one-of-a-kind museum. Cryptids are animals thought by mainstream science to,…
2.52 MILES
Founded in 1882, this well-respected museum houses an outstanding collection of American artists. Maine artists, including Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper,…
3. Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine
2.55 MILES
Kids aged zero to 10 years shriek and squeal as they haul traps aboard a replica lobster boat, milk a fake cow on a model farm, operate a sound studio, or…
4. Institute of Contemporary Art
2.58 MILES
This small gallery, attached to the Maine College of Art, showcases an ever-shifting slate of modern artists, and hosts frequent readings, workshops, pop…
2.61 MILES
The revered American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) grew up in this Federal-style house, built in 1785 by his Revolutionary War–hero…
2.62 MILES
This Italianate palace, whose exterior would work well in a Tim Burton movie, dates back to 1860. Inside it's sumptuously decorated with rich furniture,…
2.66 MILES
The main branch of the Portland Public Library is located within the 83,000-sq-ft Baxter Building, an architectural gem that cleverly utilizes vast glass…
3.05 MILES
This small art installation honors a local fighter pilot who fought in WWII and Korea. Four 9ft-high granite standing stones inscribed with virtues…