Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport opens its 2026 season on May 22 with Sardineland, an exhibit that dives into the history of Maine’s once‑thriving sardine industry and the people and communities whose lives revolved around it. Visitors can explore photographs, artifacts, and personal stories from cannery workers, fishermen, and families, tracing the industry’s rise in the late 1800s through its decline in the 20th century.

This season’s experience also includes a visit from “Big Jim,” the restored 40‑foot fisherman statue originally created in 1959 by the Maine Sardine Council and long known as a roadside symbol of the state’s sardine heritage. Big Jim is expected to arrive on campus in early June, where guests can see him alongside Sardineland before he returns to Prospect Harbor in the fall.

Museum exhibits and the store are open May 22 through October 10, 2026, Tuesday–Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information about Sardineland, Big Jim, and other exhibits and events is available at PenobscotMarineMuseum.org.