RANGELEY — The Rangeley Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum has opened for its third season with many new displays and exhibits for your enjoyment and appreciation. Museum visitors will begin their journey through the rich outdoor sporting history of the Rangeley region by stepping back in time when they enter the Welcome Center. The Center is a reassembled authentic 1890s log sporting camp, furnished with period items.

Visitors then view actual artifacts of the very first visitors to the region, the Palaeo-American Indians who hunted migrating caribou in the Upper Magalloway River Valley 15,000 years ago. The chronological history of the region then unfolds in a series of exhibits and displays covering trophy 10-pound brook trout, Oquossoc Angling Association, Kennebago Lake, transportation to Rangeley, Captain Barker, Herb Welch, Carrie Stevens, Shang Wheeler and more contemporary personalities.

Recent additions and events planned for this season include exhibits of Louise Dickinson Rich’s personal photos and the typewriter on which she wrote “We Took to the Woods,” a circa-1850 glass target ball launcher, award-winning sculpture by local artist Ashley Gray, fly-tying demonstrations by Sharon Wright on Friday and Saturday, June 14 and 15; and Glenna Allen on Saturday, June 22. Graydon Hilyard will be available in June to discuss his books on Carrie Stevens and Stan Bogdan and plans for one on Herb Welch. His son, Les, will give fly-tying lessons during the last week of June.

A special June event will be an art exhibit by Fr. Paul Plante, pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes parish. The exhibit “Birds of Maine” will feature several hundred paintings of the eyes of birds found in Maine. His unique 4-1/2” x 4-1/2” oil and pastel paintings focus on the eye of birds reflecting his fascination with birds, their spirit and elusive character. A preview party will be held from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, June 16. All are welcome.

OSHM is pleased to announce that it is one of 1,800 museums across the country participating in “Blue Star Museums” which offers free admission to all active-duty U.S. military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day. This program offers these families an opportunity to visit museums this summer when many will have limited resources and limited time together.

In June and September OSHM is open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and Saturday and in July and August, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, call 207-864-3091 and follow us on facebook/RangeleyOSHM.

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