Brunswick

Rich in tradition, history, and natural beauty, Brunswick is a community of talented, innovative and involved citizens.

Brunswick’s residents are fortunate to have access to beautiful recreational areas, high quality educational and medical resources, and growing employment opportunities. Bordered by the Androscoggin River and Atlantic Ocean with its 67 miles of coastline, Brunswick is a coastal community, offering residents and visitors an array of recreational opportunities. The town, designated as a Main Street Community in 2012, offers a balanced mix of retail, professional and arts-related businesses, along with light to medium industry and traditional farming, foresting, and commercial fishing. Downtown Brunswick’s distinctive broad Maine Street combines village flavor and city flair. Dotted with specialty shops, open spaces, and restaurants to satisfy every mood and palate, Brunswick’s pedestrian-friendly downtown attracts shoppers, sightseers, and foodies alike.

Brunswick is a college town offering rich and diverse arts and cultural resources, anchored by Bowdoin College’s noted museums, theater, and concert hall. Established in 1794, Bowdoin was the first college in the state of Maine, and it remains an important influence in Brunswick’s continued development. It has one of the most scenic tree-lined college campuses in all of New England and is a great location for a casual stroll or impromptu picnic.

The school’s Museum of Art is world- renowned, and located just a short walk from the town’s downtown where you can browse through craft shops, restaurants and galleries serving some of Maine’s best artists and crafters. You also can enjoy a concert on the town’s grassy parkway (complete with gazebo) that becomes a concert hall on Wednesday evenings during the summer. The Brunswick Station, part of the Amtrak Downeaster train, with an adjacent Visitors’ Center is the perfect hub for excursions around the downtown area. You’ll find specialty gift shops, restaurants, and plenty of green spaces to relax or enjoy outdoor concerts, festivals, and fairs.

Most Unusual: Tucked into an older building on the Bowdoin campus, it seems likely that many tourists in Maine never come across the Perry-MacMillan Arctic Museum. You’ll find artifacts from several expeditions to the arctic, along with explanations of the area’s customs and history, and a terrific overview of early efforts to explore the top of the globe.

Hidden Gem: The Skolfield-Whittier House is a time-capsule museum located in a 17-room sea captain’s house. Closed and unheated for sixty years, the house remains almost exactly as it was in 1925 when it was last occupied full-time. It’s a real step back in time.