The penobscot nation museum is moving to a newly built location and will undergo a transformative exhibition design process with a professional museum design and fabrication firm in order to integrate…

Federal Grant Award Summary

The Penobscot Indian Nation received a $249,925 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program (CFDA 45.308), effective October 1, 2025, with a completion date of March 31, 2027. The award supports the Penobscot Nation Museum's relocation to a newly constructed facility and comprehensive exhibition redesign. Funded activities include script writing, translation, transcription, and language integration; audiovisual recording and associated equipment; graphic design and production; digital infrastructure development; and technology investments such as sound systems, lighting, touchscreens, and interactive exhibit elements.

These museum modernization efforts will expand the institution's capacity to present its extensive collection through innovative, technology-enhanced exhibits while advancing language preservation for the endangered Penobscot language. The project positions the Penobscot Nation Museum as a cultural knowledge hub for the tribe by integrating interactive content and advanced technology into visitor experiences, thereby enhancing engagement while supporting indigenous cultural and linguistic continuity.

The penobscot nation museum is moving to a newly built location and will undergo a transformative exhibition design process with a professional museum design and fabrication firm in order to integrate interactive content and advanced technology into the new exhibits and space. Project funds will support script writing, translation, transcription, and language integration; audiovisual recording and equipment; graphic design and production; digital infrastructure development; and essential technology investments such as sound systems, lighting, touchscreens, and other interactives for the new exhibits. These updates will allow the museum to share more of its extensive collection in innovative and impactful ways, enhancing visitor engagement and supporting the endangered penobscot language, while reinforcing the museum's role as a hub for penobscot cultural knowledge.