News
Find out what’s going on at Victoria Mansion and learn more about the collection in these posts and by joining our mail and e-newsletter lists.
Featured Articles
Christmas with Mr. Dickens Recap
On Saturday, December 2, 2017, attendees delighted in dramatic readings of Charles Dickens' holiday classics by British actor, Andrew Harris. Mr. Harris performed selections from A Christmas Carol, The Pickwick Papers, and The Chimes among other notable works, demonstrating Dickens' effect on Christmas in the 19th century and as we know it today. After the readings, guests perused the Mansion decked out in holiday splendor. Mr. Harris has been active in professional theater and theater education for over forty years, including projects with The Royal Shakespeare Company, The National Theatre and The Globe London. He is currently the Artistic & Executive Director of Deertrees Theatre [...]
The Mansion Featured in Boston Magazine
We were so pleased to be featured as part of Boston Magazine's 'Four New England House Museums with Stunning Holiday Decorations!' The Mansion is in fantastic company with the Newport Mansions in Rhode Island, and the Eustis and Crane Estates in Massachusetts. Click HERE to check out the full article by Madeline Bilis and the fabulous feature image taken by Dan Kennedy of Harmon's Floral Company. Be sure to come see the holiday splendor at Victoria Mansion for yourself anytime between now and January 7, 2018. Click HERE to view our hours.
Conservation of Reception Suite’s Walls and Ceiling Almost Complete
Conservators are currently working to complete the wall and ceiling conservation portion of our massive project in the Reception Suite. The project will encompass paint conservation and inpainting, repair of moldings and plaster elements on the ceiling , restoration of the decoratively painted surfaces in the window bay, and the conservation and reinstallation of the canvas roundels that punctuate the room. Four conserved canvas roundels were reinstalled Thursday, September 14, under the supervision of paper conservator Lorraine Bigrigg. She attached the roundels with a conservation-grade wheat paste with the gluten extracted, in order to prevent the breakdown of any organic [...]
Victorian Fair Recap
Over 300 visitors attended our third biennial Victorian Fair on September 10! The weather was beautiful and the Mansion's grounds were brimming with exhibitors and special guests, including the 3rd Maine Regiment Civil War reenactors, Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, master food preservers from the University of Maine Extension, Portland Barrel Company, Sunshine Daydream Farm & Gardens, Rock 'n Roll Dogs, and musicians Owen Kennedy and Terry Foster. Visitors also learned about historic knitting, tea etiquette, calligraphy and cider, and watched live Punch & Judy performances. Mansion staff and volunteers would like to extend a huge thank you to our patrons and our sponsors Back [...]
Mourning at the Mansion
Friday and Saturday, October 13 & 14 at 6:00 and 7:30pm, Victoria Mansion will be open for a special event highlighting the unique practices and traditions surrounding death in the Victorian Era. The tour will take you back in time to learn about how ordinary Americans dressed, ate, and entertained visitors while in mourning. In addition to the tour, visitors will see a haunting selection from Portland Ballet's Giselle. Lights will be dimmed to gaslight levels for the entirety of the evening, casting a particularly eerie glow over the Mansion's original interiors. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for Victoria [...]
Breaking Records at the Carriage House Museum Shop
This season, the shop has seen spectacular success with sales up over 40% from just last year! Shop Buyer and Manager Patti Chase has been bringing new and unique items to mix in with old favorites on the shelves. Expect to see new fall merchandise on your next visit, including a Mansion cross-stitch set, Victorian-themed Halloween decorations, and fall attire. Don't forget that members receive a 10% discount on all shop merchandise and visitors are welcome to peruse anytime the shop is open without purchasing admission tickets.
A Special Visit from Libby Family Descendants
On August 5, 2017, four great-grandchildren of J.R. Libby visited the Mansion with twelve members of their family. Ellen Libby Hyde, Katharine Libby Stuka, Anne Libby Dontonville, and Daniel B. Libby are the children of the late Daniel B. Libby and his wife Katherine Jordan Libby, both of whom passed away in 2015. The late Dan Libby was the son of J.R. Libby's son Ralph G. Libby. Curator Arlene Palmer Schwind had met the senior Dan Libby in 1997 when he and his wife came to the Mansion with his twin sister Ellen Libby Lawrence. At that time, he very generously gave the [...]
Save the Date: Victorian Fair September 10, 2017
The much anticipated 3rd biennial Victorian Fair at Victoria Mansion will feature more interactive exhibits, performances, and hands-on activities than ever before. This year's offerings will include 19th century blacksmithing demonstrations, Civil War reenactors, a Punch & Judy show, phrenology demonstrations, the Kotzschmar Junior organ, and much, much more! The fair will begin at 11:00am and run until 5:00pm, with last admission at 4:30. Discounted admission rates will get you a tour of the house plus entry to all the wonders that our grounds can hold! $10 for adults, $7 for college students and FREE for Victoria Mansion Members, children up [...]
7th Annual Opera at the Mansion
On July 17, the Mansion once again reverberated with glorious singing when it hosted the 7th annual Opera at the Mansion, a joint benefit with Opera Maine (formerly PORTopera). We introduced a new format for the evening that was very successful. Before the concert, more than sixty attendees gathered under the Mansion's tent on the lawn to enjoy wine, cocktails, and delicious hors d'oeuvres from Blue Elephant Events & Catering. Guests returned to the Stair Hall for the concert which featured Eliza Bonet, Anna Bridgman, Andrew Paulson, and Mackenzie Whitney from Opera Maine's upcoming production of Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata. Ms. Bridgman and Mr. Paulson, members of the company's Studio Artist Program, had also recently [...]
Visitation in Full Swing at the Mansion
We're right at the height of tourist season at Victoria Mansion, welcoming visitors from Pennsylvania to the Philippines! We're so pleased that so many travelers from around the world have taken the time to sign our guestbook. Here are a few of the comments we've seen so far: "The house has such an exciting history! What a delightful journey through time."- Benedetto & Sara, Crown Point, IN "Great concept with the staff being so knowledgeable and so passionate about the house and the history! We can't wait to return."- The Overweel Family, Hilversum, Holland "One of the most beautiful homes I've [...]
Remembering Our Friend, Alice Dwyer Ross
It is with heavy hearts that we report the passing of our friend and former Museum Shop Buyer and Manager, Alice Dwyer Ross. Alice passed away surrounded by her family on June 6 after a battle with cancer. Her memorial service was held on June 19 in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. She is survived by her children Gavin, William, Patrick, and Kathleen, along with nine grandchildren and many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, siblings, and friends. We were so lucky to have Alice as part of our staff here at Victoria Mansion, a place she cherished. Her charm, humor, and impeccable taste will [...]
Renovations in the Carriage House Museum Shop
Recent visitors to the Mansion may have noticed the new glass paneled doors of the Carriage House Museum Shop. What was predicted to be a straightforward installation proved to be more complicated, as the old wooden doors, badly in need of updating, produced a considerable amount of rot underneath the granite thresholds of the shop's entryway. Our long-time wood and technology conservators, Bob and Sebastian Cariddi, removed the rot and the new doors were installed by O&P Glass of Augusta last month. The doors are just another step in the on-going renovation of the Carriage House, which hasn't seen substantial [...]