About the Museum
The Sail, Power, and Steam Museum celebrates the legacy of Maine’s maritime heritage. Located at the historic Old Snow Shipyard, we preserve the stories of the seafaring spirit and industrial strength that define our coastal community through exhibits, demonstrations, and unique collections.
Here's what Ann Morris (former SPSM Board member, author, historian, archivist, and Curator of the Rockland Historical Society) had to say about the Museum:
"The Sail Power and Steam Museum is one of the greatest treasures in Rockland. It preserves the maritime heritage of this blue-collar seacoast town. We have wonderful displays of the common tools and equipment of the hard working men of our maritime industries. Most museums only display items from rich people. Our museum represents the common man in this city of common men."
Maritime Collections
Explore our extensive collection of maritime and industrial artifacts, celebrating the story of Maine's nautical technology and shipbuilding legacy.
The Atrium
The Atrium, the Museum’s main entrance and gathering space, features a large compass rose, historic photographs, ship models, navigation equipment, and maritime artifacts. Explore the stories of Maine’s working waterfront and the vessels, people, and traditions that shaped our maritime heritage.
The Boat Room
The Boat Room, the Museum’s original entrance before the Atrium was built, features the bowsprit of the Schooner Stephen Taber, the oldest commercial sailing vessel in the United States. See a bit of her history, a 1912 International Harvester truck, and other artifacts from Maine’s maritime past.
The Windjammers
The story of the beginnings of the Midcoast’s Windjammer fleet, from Captain Frank Swift’s first Windjammer cruise in 1936 to the fleet that continues to sail the coast of Maine today. Captain Jim Sharp played an integral part in the development of the Windjammer trade, captaining and owning several historic schooners, including Adventure and Stephen Taber.
Historic Shipbuilding Tools
The Tool Room features a fascinating collection of tools used in traditional boatbuilding, including an unusual wooden bandsaw built at the Snow Shipyard when metal was scarce during World War I. And don’t miss the Stability Calculator—an ingenious piece of equipment that offers a glimpse into the science behind keeping a vessel safely afloat.
Fishing the Coast of Maine
The Fishing Room explores the rich fishing history of Maine’s Midcoast, from the lobsters and fishermen who have shaped our coastal communities to the cod and other fisheries that once brought boats into these waters. Discover the tools, traditions, and stories behind Maine’s working waterfront.
Shipwrecks
The Shipwreck Room explores the stories of vessels and lives lost along the Maine coast. Learn about the devastating Great Gale of 1898, which claimed hundreds of vessels and an untold number of lives, including the steamer Portland. Discover the stories and artifacts that help tell the history of these maritime disasters.
Limestone
The Limestone Room explores the industry that shaped the towns of Rockport and Rockland and helped drive the growth of Maine’s Midcoast. Discover how limestone was quarried, burned, and used in everything from shipbuilding and barrel making to theater and photography—and how this remarkable local industry left its mark on the region.
The Snow Shipyard
The Snow Shipyard operated on this site for nearly 140 years, building and repairing vessels that were an important part of Maine’s maritime industry. Today, the old shipyard property is home to the Sail, Power & Steam Museum, where you can see fascinating pieces from the yard and the Snow family and discover the story of this remarkable local shipbuilding legacy.
The Schooner Bowdoin
The Schooner Bowdoin Room tells the story of Captain Jim Sharp and the Bowdoin, built in 1921 for Arctic explorer Admiral Donald MacMillan. Explore her remarkable history of Arctic exploration, her restoration and return to service, and the important role she continues to play in education and maritime heritage.
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Navigation
The Navigation Room explores the fascinating history of finding your way at sea, from the discovery of magnetism and the development of the compass to celestial navigation and modern technology. See the tools and instruments mariners have relied on to navigate safely, including radar, LORAN, and other advances in maritime navigation
Dynamite Payson Shop
The Dynamite Payson Boat Shop is a step back into the days when a boat shop was the place to find just about everything a boat owner needed. Explore the collection of boating supplies, hardware, tools, boats, and other nautical treasures that tell the story of Maine’s working waterfront.
