The Gilley is in the midst of our fourth Winter Session and we hope you will come and visit. There is art to see, and art to make. We have activities for all ages, even the littlest patrons.

We are open regularly on Fridays and Saturdays, from 10am to 4pm, and we offer specials classes and programs on other days. Check our calendar for the most current updates.

Hope to see you soon at the Gilley, where we bring people closer to nature through art.

Join the artists behind Island Inspirations: Seven Artist Interpret Nature, the Museum’s winter exhibit in the special gallery, at a special reception on Saturday, April 11, from 1 to 4pm. Come enjoy the art and meet the artists. Light refreshments will be served.

Island Inspirations is a cooperative effort between the Gilley and the Bar Harbor Historical Society. The seven artists whose work comprise this show were chosen based on their work in the BHHS’s 2024 Hudson to Harbor art show.

 Acadia National Park Artist-in-Residence Samantha DeFlitch will share poems from her in-progress manuscript, “Singing Ground,” at the Wendell Gilley during National Poetry Month. She is interested in how different registers of speech amplify the tension between loss and hope, and her work emphasizes the importance of perception in addressing environmental crises. 

Following the reading, DeFlitch will lead a brief writing exercise . 

This event is free and open to all, but registration is required.

Join us for our monthly evening paint ‘n’ sip workshops with instructor Erika Elizabeth at the Gilley for a fun evening of learning and art. Students are guided step by step through the process of painting, with plenty of explanation and instruction along the way.

Each month has a different theme and inspiration-painting. We’ll use ink and watercolor in April to paint an adorable mouse and a mushroom under a strawberry moon.

Sip on wine, tea or seltzer as part of this adults-only class, which is suitable for artists of all levels who are at least 21 years old. All materials and beverages provided.