MAINE, Maine — The Portland Museum of Art has placed more than two dozen replicas of its collection outdoors. Most of the original pieces can be seen inside the walls of the museum, and this project is a way for Mainers and tourists to enjoy some of the art the museum has to offer as they walk, run, jog, and enjoy the great outdoors.
This year, the reproductions can be found in five parks in southern Maine.
"By bringing these artworks out, it gives us the opportunity to introduce art to new audiences, and then hopefully make them feel like, 'Oh, maybe this is something I'd want to go see inside the space,'" Hayley Barton, the museum's marketing manager, said. "You'll notice that there are so many similarities between what's going on in the artwork and what's going on in the space that's around you when you can see it out here."
"Art Outside and On the Trail" is possible thanks to the sponsorship of L.L. Bean, the Maine Department of Agriculture, the Conservation and Forestry's Bureau of Parks and Land, and the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.
These are the parks that have art pieces:
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
105 Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay, ME 04537
109 Bowery Beach Road, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
426 Wolfe's Neck Road, Freeport, ME 04032
5 Boardwalk Drive, Saco, ME 04072
26 State Park Road, Poland Spring, ME 04274
All people, including children, are invited to stop by the Portland Museum of Art to grab a free booklet that outlines activities people can do as they walk and visit all five trails. Once the booklet is fully completed, they can return it to the museum for a free one-year family membership.
Here is a link with all of the artwork that can be found along the five trails.