Zillman Art Museum
4.5(161)google
ArtEducationalGuided TourIndoorDate Spot
Overview
Zillman Art Museum-University of Maine (ZAM) is an art museum in downtown Bangor, Maine. It is part of the University of Maine, which is located in nearby Orono, Maine. The University of Maine Art Collection was established in 1946, under the leadership of Vincent Hartgen.
Practical Info
MonClosed
Tue10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wed10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thu10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
SunClosed
Suggested Duration1-2 hours
Best TimeOpen year-round, this indoor contemporary art gallery is a perfect cultural escape. Visit on a weekday afternoon between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM when the galleries are exceptionally quiet. Run by the University of Maine, its rotating quarterly exhibitions display cutting-edge prints, sculptures, and photography. It makes a sophisticated 1-hour addition following a downtown lunch.
Getting ThereConveniently situated on the ground floor of the historic Norumbega Building at 40 Harlow Street in downtown Bangor. From I-95 Exit 185, head down Broadway, turn right on State Street, and turn left onto Harlow Street; short-term street parking spaces wrap around the square. It is a scenic 4-minute stroll northward from Bangor's main Pickering Square bus terminal.
Travel Tips
- Operated by the University of Maine under a permanent free-admission policy, this downtown gallery enforces hard weekly closures on Sundays and Mondays, with additional multi-day blockouts during quarterly exhibition turnovers.
- Focusing heavily on contemporary prints and low-tolerance works on paper, the highly controlled galleries forbid wet umbrellas, outside liquids, and individual luggage pieces exceeding 11x15 inches from entering secure zones.
- Lacking private vehicle facilities, the surrounding city core utilizes strict 1-to-2-hour street parking thresholds; parking enforcement officers fine violators instantly, making distant non-timed zones preferred for unhurried study.
Reviews
Positive
- A cultural gem in downtown Bangor. The modern and contemporary art exhibitions are sophisticated and highly curated. True to reputation.
- The best part is it's totally free to the public year-round! This makes it a highly accessible, top-quality art space with zero cost barrier.
- The space design is sleek and clean. The overall atmosphere is quiet and tranquil, without any crowded tourist rush, letting you enjoy art at ease.
- The staff are courteous and non-intrusive. The galleries are perfectly climate-controlled, showing proper service and venue management.
Heads up
- The museum size is small with just a few gallery rooms. You can finish it in 20-30 minutes, which may feel too brief as a standalone stop.
- Because they change special exhibits regularly, visits during installation periods mean even fewer open rooms. Check schedules online first.
- Located in a busy downtown block, dedicated parking is sparse; you mostly rely on timed metered street spaces, tricky for out-of-town drivers.
- Since exhibits are mostly avant-garde contemporary and abstract art, it lacks appeal and play interactives for very young, impatient children.