About Us
The Old York Historical Society, doing business as the Museums of Old York, was founded more than one hundred years ago to preserve the history and artifacts of York, Maine. Originally referred to as Gorgeana, York is one of New England's earliest colonial settlements. It also has the distinction of being the nation's first chartered city (1641) and first incorporated city (1642). Offering thirty-seven period room settings and several galleries housed throughout nine historic museum buildings, the Museums of Old York showcases a wealth of early New England art, architecture, and decorative arts. The exhibits focus on the stories of southern Maine's men, women, and children and the world they created and lived in from the earliest settlement in the 1600s to the present day.
New Strategic Plan in the Works
Why is a new strategic plan needed for Old York?
It has become quite evident in York and throughout the country that audiences for historic house museums have been declining. With this in mind, the board and staff of MOY are undertaking an evaluation of our properties and programs and rethinking our approach, so that we may be a vibrant and exciting organization within our community, reflecting people’s interests and becoming more sustainable. As we put time and energy into rethinking the way the Museums of Old York operates, we are interested in feedback and input from community members and organizations. Click here to read more about our strategic planning process
Let’s Talk: We Want Your Thoughts About Key Themes in York History
Staff, trustees, and volunteers have been working for several months to fulfill the first goal of
our recently adopted strategic plan: creation of a master interpretive plan for Old York. In
plain terms, an interpretive plan defines what subjects we treat and by what means.
Our current effort is to identify the key themes and stories that characterize this town and
span the four centuries since English settlers first set foot here. Staff members have defined six
broad themes we think tell our community’s story, and have shared them with the board. We
now would like to know what others think of these themes. Reactions from Old York’s members are of particular interest to us. Click here to read more about our themes and send us an email with your thoughts.