This summer, the Gilley Museum joins the celebration of the Centennial of Acadia National Park with our exhibition, Friends in Acadia. Our newly-renovated West Gallery features the Whitfield Painter Collection of never-before exhibited works by Wendell Gilley. Whitfield, a marine rope salesman, became friends with Wendell during his sales trips to MDI in the 1950’s. Usually spread across the country, Mr. Painter’s collection is reunited  by his family. The pieces are now shared for public exhibition at the Gilley for the first time.

Two special new permanent acquisitions are also on exhibit, a fantastic flock of Canada Geese given in memory of E. Robert Kinney, a founding board member and a pair of Ruffed Grouse in flight from the collection of William R. Grant, purchased in honor of our founding President’, Steven Rockefeller’s 80th birthday.

The new installation of carvings is complemented with a rare showing of all 20 Birds of Mount Desert Island collotypes by Carroll Sargent Tyson, who was a friend and painting mentor to Wendell Gilley. Pieces for this special show literally just flew in, so be sure to visit the Museum soon to enjoy it.