Great place to be for the art lovers as well as art novices like me. Good collection of paintings,…read moresculptures and photos which makes it really diverse and makes you travel across so many different eras. The descriptions to the items are well written and well conveys the story and the message behind the display. It spans four floors (it has elevator) but the third and fourth ones won't take that much time. There is a nice cafe underground which has snacks as well. Note that you aren't allowed to take food/beverages upstairs. There were a few displays around the cafe too. Staff was nice and friendly. Definitely recommended.

Whenever I travel, I like to take in a museum. Even though I had been to Portland several times…read morebefore, I had actually never been to the Portland Museum of Art - opting to visit other cultural sites in the city. However, since I had some time in my itinerary I decided to check PMA out during my most recent trip to Maine. PMA is split into four levels, and is mainly broken up by American art, European art, and modern art. You won't find many famous works here, however they did have a couple of pieces by Picasso, Monet, and Sargent. During my time there, they had a special exhibition displaying the works of Winslow Homer. One of the more noteworthy components of the museum are restorations of historic homes that are attached to the exhibition spaces. The museum isn't large, so it only took me about 90 minutes to get through it all (though I admittedly don't dawdle). My favorite part was their modern art section - modern art speaks to me so I enjoyed taking in their selection. The staff was friendly, and their gift shop had a decent selection of merch. Overall, I wouldn't necessarily call PMA a must-do in Portland. However, I think it's a good way to spend an afternoon, take in a little culture, and learn about some of the city's history.

I always LOVE this festival and parade, but it seemed like the "energy" was different this year…read more Too much talking on stage and not enough live music. Love the elaborate costumes as much as ever though. Missed the lack of a beer garden this year too

Excited will definitely add to my review later just wanted to start it off with 5 stars!! Already…read moregot my bracelet and necklace to show my support! Much later.. A parade.. Lots of awesome rainbow outfits.. Bands in the park. Bands and BBQ at a Church on Cumberland.. And BEAUTIFUL weather..!

Amazing intimate venue for being up close and personal with musicians and performers. Great…read moreacoustics and nearly feel as though the performance is just for you with limited seats and proximity. Staff is great, super friendly and welcoming. On tap beer selection, wine and snacks available if desired. Unfortunately I am not local or I would definitely grab a membership to enjoy the front row tables and be a regular here. Street parking is available or short walk from some of the larger public lots as well. Walking distance to a number of local restaurants and bars to grab a bite prior to or after events. Highly recommend getting out to support this awesome venue!

This is a great venue to watch artists in a very intimate setting, where you could almost have…read moreconversations with the artist as they played on the stage. The seating is limited with some obstructed views, but the audio was great and there's a selection of beverages that you could have as well, including free water. The staff was super friendly as they escorted people in and checked IDs at the door and the show that we went to was phenomenal and enjoyable. I will definitely come back if an artist comes through that I wanna see here. Oh the show we saw was the Jackie Greene set.

Amazing College of Art. My review is based only on my experience as a viewer and not as a college…read morestudent. While touristing around in the streets of Portland, we came across this awesome College that features amazing art galleries (open to the public + free of charge) with all of the amazing work of the talented local students. Coming here on the weekend wasn't too crowded, we even went up the stairs and explored some more art work and some of the cool art rooms. Some students were working on their art and we even got to see the really dope photo room with its own dark room. So so dreamy! The art and talent of these students truly reflects on their art work. Can't wait to come back in here and check out some of the newer art work. The galleries and art work changes constantly so make sure to stop by and check it out. Everyone is welcome!

If I could do it all over again... I would either be a doctor or an art student. And if I chose the…read morepath of the latter of those two, I would want to come to Maine College of Art - it's something that passes through my mind every time I'm here! The location of MECA is amazing - I imagine being a young person, attending school here, must be nothing short of fantastic given the proximity to every "cool" thing Portland has to offer. The interior of the school is also lovely: the facilities always seem clean, modern, and a safe place for creativity-fostering and imagination-wandering. I always love the times I get to come here and encourage you - if you never have - to take advantage of the open exhibits they have for the community (of which they are very welcoming of). I've been here on First Friday's (it's usually one of my first stops up Congress St and usually sets the tone for the rest of the Walk), for their annual Holiday Art Sale (which can be SERIOUSLY packed, but if you're patient and accommodating, you can find some real art/jewelry gems during that time), for MECAmorphosis in Spring (one of the coolest art events I've been to in the city), or their "COLLECT" show in October. Some incredible art I've seen here (and there's been so much it's hard to recall after all these years)?: 1. Video games created by students and available for testing/playing with. 2. A student who created an interactive art installation of a 1920's circus-themed birthday party for a little boy (there was another one nearby that was of a vegan restaurant, this must have been a project for the graphic design class or something). 3. A split-screen video, half of pre-recorded footage of seagulls eating donuts and half of real-time footage of people looking at the art eating donuts. Hysterical. Love this place and am continually happy it's a part of our city!

My wife and I recently went to our first show at Blue the other night. Had never really known it…read morewas a spot prior to this concert. It was an album release party for local pop-punk/emo band Broadwing. The card featured other local bands as well as a New England DJ. I know now that some shows at Blue are free or minimal cover which is great. Tickets for this show ended up being $12 which is a great value for a concert/night out. Hard to find tickets that cheap nowadays. The person working the door was friendly and had our name already so didn't even need to pull the tickets up. Bartenders were friendly and the drinks were well made. I especially liked their spicy cocktail Bing Bong which had the perfect kick to it! Prices were reasonable for drinks as well. Venue is on the small side as expected but had a great vibe for intimate smaller shows. Even with a sold-out show it was not overpacked. The acoustics and sound were good for a smaller venue as well. If you love smaller concerts I would recommend checking out their event schedule to see if something piques your interest. Also if you are a fan of pop punk music then do yourself a favor and check out Broadwing (especially their song New England Baby)! Very down to earth friendly band!

The online presence of Blue is a dumpster fire. Why do I need to enter my contact information just…read moreto see what's happening tonight? If I don't, there is NO current reliable information on who's scheduled. Pathetic and unreliable. I'm not doing it. I've enjoyed many evenings there, but the basic management of the venue is a joke. It will be a shame when it closes. What acts are scheduled for the NEXT WEEK? How difficult is that to maintain? Apparently, it's not possible.

It's a History to Me…read more Founded in 1822, the Maine Historical Society's sole purpose is to preserve the history of Maine thru rotating exhibits that include historical photos and artifacts. The Good: *Free admission to the Longfellow Garden (May - Oct) during normal hours of operation *Wadsworth-Longfellow House is a separate part of the museum, with a separate fee ($18/GA). We didn't do this, so I can't comment if it's worth it. *Admission is reasonable at $12/adults *Reciprocity program with other museums, if you're a member ($25-75/year). *Located in beautiful Downtown Portland The Meh: *Not the world's biggest museum, as you can probably see the whole thing in 1-2hrs, depending on how much you read the placards for each item/display. The Ugly: *Location is in Downtown Portland, which is great, but you'll most likely have to deal with paying for parking at one of the garages. Pro Tip: If the garage DOESN'T advertise their pricing on the outside, then skip it on and move onto the next one that does. Evidently these predatory parking garages are a big thing here in DT Portland. Conclusion: Nice place to visit if you're in Portland and looking for a little culture.

I highly recommend the guided tour over the self-guided tour. The tour guide was enthusiastic about…read morethe history and home. We enjoyed stories of all the family members. Well maintained home! The historical society displays were well done. Informative and high quality artifacts.

Don't have the time to write a review that does this place justice. Plus I really only know for…read moresure that it's a kids studio that children 2 and up may attend classes at. And that inside it is absolutely adorable. I have stuck my head in during classes for info and the kids are having a ball and there is work from varying levels on display. If I had a young child this is as me be a place I would the interest in having my children attend. Located on Congress Street near Congress Square and other great places to shop and eat I definitely say check it out.

Abacus is a very nostalgic store for me. I have been going since I was a little girl, far more than…read more20 years. Every time I go, there something new to discover. I've bought many unique trinkets over the years, and I always find something special to bring home. Many items are very high-quality, therefore very expensive. There's also a variety of affordable artwork, trinkets, nice umbrellas... Really something for everyone. Whenever I'm in old Port or Freeport, I always make a point to visit. I hope the store is around another 20 years or more!

Abacus is a wonderful gallery we stumbled upon on our way to the arts district. It had…read morecontemporary art pieces and jewelry. An enjoyable stop. Limited street and lot parking.