Outdoor Learning

The Museum’s green spaces showcase art and history outdoors.

About the Campus

The Museum’s campus contains five historic 19th century buildings and connecting green spaces that visitors are welcome to enjoy. In the spring, summer and fall, visitors can enjoy the outdoors while touring the Museum’s historic gardens and visiting art displays while getting away from the bustle of Main Street.

Historic Gardens

The Victory Garden

The Museum maintains a 1940s Victory Garden, encouraging hands-on learning about food conservation and gardening while producing much-needed fresh vegetables for our local food pantry. Read below for more information and learning resources about 1940s Victory Gardens.

Monarch Waystation

The Museum’s Monarch Waystation features flowers and milkweeds that sustain monarch butterflies on their journey across the continent. Monarch Waystations are places that provide resources necessary for monarchs to produce successive generations and sustain their migration. Without milkweeds throughout their spring and summer breeding areas in North America, monarchs would not be able to produce the successive generations that culminate in the migration each fall. Similarly, without nectar from flowers these fall migratory monarch butterflies would be unable to make their long journey to overwintering grounds in Mexico.

1825 Historic Garden

Premiering in 2025! To celebrate the Brick Store’s 200th anniversary of being built in 1825, the Museum’s Garden Team will be installating an historic garden which reflects kitchen gardens of the early 19th century.

In Focus:

What is a Victory Garden?

Although Victory Gardens are usually associated with World War II, Victory Gardens actually started during World War I when farmers were drafted into war. However, it was not until the 1940s that they became immensely popular. In fact, at their peak there were more than 20,000,000 Victory Gardens planted across the United States.

By 1944, more than 40% of vegetables grown in the United States were grown in a Victory Garden. Even those who did not have back yard space would plant window-box Victory Gardens. Why so many? There was a growing concern about food shortage. A lot of the food grown commercially was being sent overseas for the war effort, leaving those on the home front with less. Victory gardeners also sent produce overseas to support their soldiers.

Because food was rationed, many of those who maintained Victory Gardens began canning their own vegetables so they would last through the winter. By canning, their ration coupons stretched farther. During World War II 75% of the nation’s food supply went to civilians, 13% to the armed forces, and 10% to allied nations. Everyone made their meals stretch the week – often practicing conservation techniques like “meatless dinners.” Citizens in Kennebunk and throughout the nation were encouraged to install Victory Gardens in their back yards to supplement these rationed goods. Whatever you grew, you could keep.

In addition to growing their own vegetables, Kennebunk citizens also went clamming, fishing, and hunting to add to their family’s food supply. Dandelion greens and berries were also plentiful in fields. Farmers that owned chickens sold the majority of their eggs to the government for the war effort; but would sell cracked eggs (the kind that we throw away today) to citizens who ran out of ration stamps.

Victory Gardeners produced over 10 billion pounds of food in 1943 alone, over one-third of all fresh vegetables in the country.

Learn more about “How Food Fought World War II” in our online exhibition. Interested in starting a home Victory Garden? Download the Museum’s Victory Garden Booklet. Interested in a video tour of the Museum’s Garden? Visit the Museum’s Youtube Channel!

Outdoor Installations

Visiting Art

Local artists and sculptors participate in outdoor installations at the Brick Store Museum, often linking to gallery exhibitions or annual themes. Current installations will be announced here.

For Educators

Explore the Museum’s offerings that support learning inside and outside the classroom. (Learn more…)

For Families

Discover activities and programs for families at the Brick Store Museum. (Learn more…)

The Museum School

Find classes for children and adults at the Museum School, offering explorations in art and history for all ages. (Learn more…)