Date: November 2024
Amount: $7,275

The Brick Store Museum, founded in 1936 in Kennebunk, Maine, connects people to local history, art, and culture through exhibits, education, and community programs. Housed in a campus of five historic buildings, the museum highlights the rich history of Kennebunk and its surrounding areas, including the first telegraph and radio office. The museum offers a variety of programs, including STEAM initiatives in local schools, multi-generational learning opportunities, and rotating exhibitions that explore the region’s human, scientific, and artistic history.

With the ARDC grant, the Brick Store Museum plans to create an educational radio station within its education gallery in collaboration with the New England Radio Discussion Society (NERDS). This station will feature a dedicated HAM radio room where visitors can observe operators in action during weekly sessions. When operators are not present, the station will remain active, with a visualizer displaying radio waves and interpretive panels illustrating the history of HAM radio and its ties to the museum’s historic buildings. As part of the project, NERDS club members will provide educational programming for both children and adults, introducing them to amateur radio. The museum will also offer licensing opportunities through Volunteer Examiners, allowing visitors to take exams to earn their amateur radio licenses.

Learn more at https://brickstoremuseum.org/.