Rockland, Maine: Art, Lobster, and Windjammers on Penobscot Bay

On the western shore of Penobscot Bay, Rockland has transformed from a hardworking lime-and-fishing port into one of the most rewarding small cities on the Maine coast. Here you can tour a world-class art museum, walk a mile of granite out to a lighthouse, set sail on a historic schooner, and feast on lobster in the self-styled “Lobster Capital of the World.” Here is a guide to Rockland, Maine.

From Lime Capital to Arts Hub

Established in 1767 as part of Thomaston, Rockland grew rich on the sea and the surrounding hills. Great limestone quarries and kilns once made it the “Lime Capital of the World,” and shipbuilding, granite, fishing, and lobstering all fueled its economy before it was incorporated as a city in 1854. That gritty maritime heritage survives in its working waterfront — but today Rockland is just as well known for its lively downtown of galleries, restaurants, and shops. It is the seat of Knox County, about 80 miles northeast of Portland, with a population of around 7,200.

The Farnsworth Art Museum and the Wyeths

Rockland’s cultural crown jewel is the Farnsworth Art Museum, one of the finest art museums in New England, devoted to Maine’s role in American art. Its Wyeth Center holds the world’s largest collection of works by N.C., Andrew, and Jamie Wyeth, and the museum also owns the Olson House in nearby Cushing — the very farmhouse that appears in Andrew Wyeth’s famous painting “Christina’s World.” Rockland’s art roots run deep: it is the hometown of sculptor Louise Nevelson and the birthplace of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, and the downtown Center for Maine Contemporary Art keeps the scene thriving today.

The Rockland Breakwater and Lighthouse

One of Rockland’s signature experiences is walking the Rockland Breakwater, a nearly seven-eighths-mile wall of granite built between 1881 and 1899 to shelter the harbor. At its far end stands the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, completed in 1902, reached by strolling out over the massive stone blocks — a bracing walk with wide views of Penobscot Bay. Back in town, the Maine Lighthouse Museum displays the largest collection of lighthouse artifacts and lenses in the country.

Windjammers on Penobscot Bay

Rockland’s harbor is home port to one of the largest fleets of classic Maine windjammers — graceful, traditional sailing schooners, some of them more than a century old. Visitors can hop aboard a two-hour day sail or a sunset cruise, or book a multi-day voyage to explore the islands and coves of Penobscot Bay under canvas. For more ways to get out on the water, see our guide to Maine boat tours and charters.

The Maine Lobster Festival

Every summer, usually in early August, Rockland throws the Maine Lobster Festival, a five-day celebration of the state’s most famous catch. Tens of thousands of visitors pour in for fresh lobster, a big parade, live entertainment, the crowning of the Maine Sea Goddess, and family fun on the waterfront — a fitting party for the Lobster Capital of the World.

Around Rockland

The area rewards exploring. Just south in Owls Head, the Owls Head Transportation Museum displays antique aircraft and automobiles near the pretty Owls Head Light, and to the north, Camden Hills State Park offers hiking and sweeping bay views. Ferries sail from Rockland to the islands of Vinalhaven, North Haven, and Matinicus, and the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport is well worth a visit. A little farther afield, the Boothbay Harbor area is home to the renowned Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Explore More of Maine

Rockland’s story of the sea is one thread in Maine’s larger tapestry. Inland, our own town of Winslow sits on the Kennebec River, where the colonial-era Fort Halifax has guarded the water since 1754. From the working harbor of Penobscot Bay to the riverbanks of the Kennebec, Maine’s history is written along its shores.

Frequently Asked Questions