Uncover Bar Harbor's extraordinary Gilded Age story — when Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, and Astors built palatial 'cottages' on this remote island. The Bar Harbor Historical Society holds the photographs, artifacts, and secrets of one of America's most glamorous lost eras.
What to expect
Housed in a beautifully preserved historic building in downtown Bar Harbor, the Historical Society's collection brings to life the era when Bar Harbor rivaled Newport as the summer playground of America's elite. Guided tours led by knowledgeable docents move through photographs of the grand 'cottage' estates (most destroyed in the catastrophic 1947 fire), original letters from luminaries such as Joseph Pulitzer and George Vanderbilt, and extraordinary period artifacts. The story of the 1947 fire — which burned 17,000 acres and erased much of the old aristocratic Bar Harbor overnight — is told with remarkable depth and drama. Compact and perfectly paced for a port day.
Good to know
The Society is a short, flat walk from the pier — no transport needed. Guided tours run on a set schedule; check current hours at barharborhistorical.org and arrive 10 minutes early. The tour lasts approximately 1 hour, leaving ample time to combine with a harbor-front stroll or lunch. Groups of 10+ should book in advance.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Bar Harbor — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.
More to do in Bar Harbor
- Classic Acadia Private Tour: Cadillac Mountain & Thunder Hole
- Private Acadia National Park Van Tour with Expert Local Guide
- Schooner Margaret Todd: Windjammer Sail Around Frenchman Bay
- Puffin & Wildlife Boat Tour to Petit Manan Island
- Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse & Southwest Harbor Private Drive
- Bar Harbor Food & Lobster Culture Walking Tour