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
What’s New at the Carriage House Museum Shop
No visit to Victoria Mansion is complete without stopping in at the Carriage House Museum Shop. In the off-season, Museum Shop Manager and Buyer Patti Chase was busy preparing the shop and its new merchandise for visitors to peruse and enjoy. The shop has also undergone a bit of a face lift, with some changes to the paint and reorganization of shelving and displays, including a special Victorian library-inspired book section in the back. Even if you're not touring the Mansion, come by and see what's new! The shop is open everyday, Monday-Saturday from 10:00-4:00 and Sunday from 1:00-5:00. You [...]
2016-2017 Annual Report Now Available
The Mansion's 2016-2017 Annual Report is now available! The report includes up-to-date information on the previous fiscal year, including updates on restoration, development, education, curatorial, events, and the Carriage House Museum Shop. The report also includes short biographies on the team of talented artisans who have worked on the Mansion over the years, including conservator Gianfranco Pocobene, who also served as the guest speaker at the Mansion's annual meeting on April 24. The report was mailed to members who did not attend our annual meeting a few weeks ago. If you did not receive a copy or would like one, [...]
2017 Season Opens With A New Website
After a busy off-season including a few months of successful school tours (nearly 600 students visited the Mansion between February and April this year!), the Mansion officially opened to the public last Monday, May 1st, with admissions doubling those of last year's opening day. Some of you may have noticed we also rolled out our new website, created by our friends at Mainely SEO, last month. A new interface and user-friendly tools allow for easier navigation, and our new blog and detailed events page let visitors easily view the exciting roster of events we have planned this year, including special [...]
April Reception Suite Conservation Update: Inpainting Begins!
Since December, we've been providing you newsletter updates of the project to conserve the spectacular ceiling and wall paintings in the Mansion's Reception Suite. While many other activities continue to go on-- particularly planning for the upcoming visitation season that commences May 1 (less than a month away!)-- the conservation work continues to amaze and impress the staff and all who see it. In March, conservators sprayed a removable barrier varnish on the main Reception Suite ceiling, protecting the original paint they had fully cleaned and stabilized. With that barrier in place, they have begun the inpainting process with a [...]
Victoria Mansion Upcoming Annual Meeting
Victoria Mansion members are invited to join us at the Cumberland Club on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 for our Annual Meeting. The evening will commence at 5:00pm with refreshments and mingling, followed by a business meeting and the election of officers for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Following the meeting, we will be treated to a presentation by Gianfranco Pocobene, Principal of Gianfranco Pocobene Studio in Malden, MA. Mr. Pocobene has worked on several projects at the Mansion in the past and also serves as Head of Conservation at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum. He is leading the team of conservators currently working [...]
Alice Dwyer Ross Retires from Museum Shop
On behalf of Victoria Mansion staff, volunteers, and friends, we would like to express our deep thanks to Alice Dwyer Ross, who served as Museum Shop Manager and later Museum Shop Buyer for 13 years. Alice is responsible for spearheading a campaign to change the direction of Victoria Mansion's gift shop, turning it into an attraction almost as important as the museum itself for some visitors! Alice is known for her impeccable taste, which will continue to be reflected in the merchandise you see in the shop. She will be sorely missed by all and we wish her the best!
Architecture History Adventure Day Camp
On Tuesday, April 18, from 1:00-4:00pm Victoria Mansion and Maine Historical Society will be leading a History Adventure for students grades 7-12. This program is an afternoon-long exploration of some of Portland's most well-known buildings as well as some that are rarely given a second glance but have a lot to say. Participants will take part in walking tours, study historic maps and blueprints, and discuss the importance of different types of architecture in the city of Portland. At only $25, this program is a great value for students interested in architecture and design, or who just love the [...]
Volunteer with Victoria Mansion!
It's the time of year when we start preparing to open our doors on May 1st. That means we're looking for new faces to join the ranks of Victoria Mansion docents! If you love the Mansion and wish you could spend more time here, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the house, architecture, design, and the history of Portland. Our volunteers come from a wide range of professional and academic backgrounds, and we provide extensive training. It's also great fun! For more information contact Director of Education, Lucinda Hannington at lhannington@victoriamansion.org or 207.772-4841 ext. 104.
Conservation Technician Harper Batsford Gets the Mansion in Tiptop Shape
A lot happens behind closed doors in the off-season! Since last year, the Mansion has been lucky to retain the services of Harper Batsford, a trained Collections Maintenance Technician. Harper has been going from room to room, intensively cleaning the hard to reach nooks and crannies of the house, including the intricate perforated frieze work cornice in the Library. Harper also recently spotted a signature on the Library cornice from one of the original craftsmen in 1860! Harper has trained with Arts Conservator Siobhan Lindsay and Curator Arlene Palmer Schwind and works as a Collections Maintenance Technician at the Tate [...]
Dress from Mansion’s Collection featured in Maine Historical Society Exhibit
Victoria Mansion is pleased to have a pure-dye silk taffeta dress and jacket ensemble from our collection featured in the Maine Historical Society's current exhibition, World War I and the Maine Experience. The exhibition, which opened February 3 and runs through early June, celebrates the centennial of America's entrance in World War I, specifically honoring Maine's role in the Great War. Although little is known about the dressmaker, the ensemble is one of three known surviving examples made from silk manufactured at the Haskell Silk Company, which operated in Westbrook from 1874 to about 1930. The dress originally belonged to [...]
School Tours at the Mansion
Closed to the public doesn't mean that there's down time here at the Mansion. This off-season over 550 students from area schools will be coming to participate in the Mansion's interdisciplinary programs, free of charge. This year elementary students in Scarborough, Windham-Raymond, Cape Elizabeth, Portland, and the Levey Day School will benefit from A Century of Change, which teaches students about different facets of the Victorian era, including technology, immigration, and etiquette. In order to keep these school visits free for students, we are currently seeking corporate or individual underwriting in the amount of $5000. For more information on our [...]
March Reception Suite Conservation Update
Conservators are now finishing the cleaning and stabilization of the Reception Suite ceiling. Next they will coat the surface with a removable barrier varnish to protect the original paint while also allowing for future conservation efforts to take place. Once the varnish is in place, in-painting of areas with damaged paint can begin. Many of the thin canvas roundels on the walls and ceiling have been cleaned with synthetic erasers and the room's original chestnut shutters have been conserved and finished with a UV inhibiting varnish to minimize damage from sunlight. We await paint analysis to determine how to proceed [...]