The Heritage Fund
supporting the preservation of Maine’s history.
THE HERITAGE FUND
The Railway Village Annual Fund
The Heritage Fund provides invaluable unrestricted annual resources to support Railway Village Museum operations.
All gifts, no matter the size, make a significant impact on our campus and on our community.
A Celebration of Our Past
Founded in 1964, the Railway Village Museum’s mission is to conserve, display and interpret artifacts, authentic period structures and technologies utilized in Maine during the historical period of the mid-19th through the mid-20th centuries.
Through the utilization of our unique village setting, we actively engage adults and children in hands-on activities designed to create a better understanding of Maine village life during this time in history.
An Investment in Our Future
Aspiring to transform the way we view and relate to Maine’s rural past, the Railway Village Museum offers interactive visits, educational opportunities, and a variety of dynamic programs to enrich our daily lives — today and for generations to come.
Due to our generous donors to the Heritage Fund, the Railway Village annual fund, we have been able to provide this incredible connection to our history for more than a half century.
Supporting More Than a Train Ride
THE CAMPUS GROUNDS
35 Acres • 1 Acre Green • 60+ Village Buildings • 30+ Historic Structures/Exhibits • 1/4 Mile Loop of Walking Trails • 2 Goats • 250+ Varieties of Flowers, Plants, Trees
THE COLLECTIONS
1,000+ Artifacts • 30+ Collections • 1 Digital Catalog with 7 Classifications
THE AUTO MUSEUM
60+ Vintage Automobiles • 100+ Road Maps & Atlases • 200+ Vintage License Plates • 50+ Vintage Hub Caps
THE MODEL RAILROAD
3.5 Scale Miles of Main Line Track •
4 Live Steam Models • 1 Model Train Shop
30-Year Depiction of Maine Life (1950-1980) • 40+ Years of Volunteer & Staff Work
THE TRAIN SYSTEM
2 Vintage Station Buildings • 1 Vintage Narrow-Gauge Train • 6 Locomotives
4 Henschels (#4, #7, #13) • 2 Baldwin
3 Coach Cars • 4 Vintage Box Cars • 1 Merci Car • 4 Engineers
DID YOU KNOW?
The Railway Village Museum
was established as nonprofit organization in 1981.
For more than 45 years, the Museum has relied on our Maine local and seasonal communities – as well as worldwide individuals, families, and foundations – who are passionate about history, transportation, and advances in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to support museum operations with tax-deductible gifts to the Heritage
Fund, the Railway Village annual fund.
Full STEAM Ahead
Support of the Heritage Fund allows the Railway Village Museum to not only share the exploration and celebration of the past, but to also significantly emphasize the importance and relevance that science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) have had on the evolution of industry as we know it today — with specific emphasis on transportation, innovation, and ingenuity — and how we incorporate STEAM into all aspects of our Museum campus and our classes, programs, and events.
SCIENCE
Through exploration and application of physics, chemistry, and aerodynamics over the past century, the transportation industry has been fueled by advances in science. This is evident in all aspects of our train and automotive operations at the Museum and allows our incredible staff to share the science behind the history of our trains and automobiles that quite literally makes the wheels turn.
TECHNOLOGY
With the advancement of technology in all aspects of our lives, the Railway Village Museum is proud to bring the times of old into the digital age with the Museum Digital Archives — an in-depth online catalog of the Museum’s breath of collections from the early to mid 1900s, including: automobiles, hardware, historic structures, musical instruments, salt and pepper shakers, toys, and woodworking tools.
ENGINEERING
Engineering is at the root of our train operations at the Museum. From steam engines to diesel-electric locomotives, our train system boasts the incredible transportation fuel transition in the mid-19th century, a feat of engineering that Museum visitors can see in-person by engaging with our engineers; taking a train ride; or participating in the Engineer’s Society program.
ARTS
Living history exhibits, events, and demonstrations are abundant at the Museum throughout the year — especially during our active open season of May-December. The Museum also collaborates with local historical societies to host literary, photography, and artist forums; offers hands-on history and preservation classes, programs, and events; and hosts live demonstrations with artisans including weavers, blacksmiths, and woodcarvers.
MATHEMATICS
From our narrow-gauge tracks to our locomotive and automotive operations, and from our archives and curation to our restoration and grounds maintenance, math is the foundation in all operations and logistics and is utilized and emphasized in Museum tours, classes, and programs.