UMaine Museum of Art Extends its Lease in Downtown Bangor

The University of Maine Museum of Art has begun a new 17-year lease with Eastern Maine Development Corporation, maintaining the downtown Bangor location it has occupied in historic Norumbega Hall for more than a decade.

“On behalf of the people of Bangor, I just want to say how excited we are to have the University of Maine Art Museum right in the heart of Bangor for another 17 years,” says Bangor City Council Chairman Ben Sprague, who also is a member of the Museum of Art Advisory Council. ”The museum has been a cornerstone of the revitalization of downtown Bangor, and has brought the arts into the heart of our community for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy.”

In May, the University of Maine System Board of Trustees approved the new long-term lease, July 1, 2014–June 30, 2031, and expansion of museum space on the third floor of the building for much-needed fine art storage.

In a letter of support, the Bangor City Council expressed its interest in having the museum remain in downtown Bangor “as a cornerstone of the arts for years to come.”

“The museum is now one of our primary cultural assets and an important aspect of the quality of life for Bangor citizens and those of the surrounding communities,” the council said. “Perhaps most importantly, locating the museum in downtown Bangor has served to strengthen the bonds between the university community and the city of Bangor.”

The museum relocated in December 2002 to take on a new role as a regional fine arts center. The city of Bangor invested $400,000 toward the $955,000 renovation of the first-floor museum space in Norumbega Hall, built in the early 1900s. The additional 1,955 square feet of storage space that will soon be renovated on the third floor of the building will be used for the museum’s growing collection.

The University of Maine Museum of Art collection includes more than 3,600 original works created since 1900, with an emphasis on contemporary art on paper (1945–present). Since 2008, more than 280 works have been added to the permanent collection, most through donation to the museum.

“Over the years, the Museum of Art has contributed to the cultural life of Bangor and to the region,” says George Kinghorn, executive director and curator of the UMaine Museum of Art. “UMMA’s downtown location continues to advance the university’s land-grant mission of outreach and service to Maine citizens by providing quality visual art experiences. It has been most rewarding to play a key role in the revitalization and recent growth of downtown Bangor.”

Contact: Margaret Nagle, 207.581.3745