Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum

The Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum collection is built around material donated by Donald B. MacMillan during his long career as an arctic explorer and researcher. MacMillan gave the museum his unparalleled collection of over 5000 black and white photographs, as well as glass lantern and 35 mm slides, motion picture films, and objects he collected in Greenland, Labrador and Baffin Island. Since that time the museum collection has continued to grow. Photographs and motion picture film continue be an important aspect of the collection, as do historic Inuit artifacts. We also continue to purchase contemporary art and crafts from across the Arctic. Highlights of the collection are discussed in more detail below.

Researchers interested in studying the collections should contact the curator. Read about the policy and fees for using images from the collection.

Special Collections and Archives, at the Hawthorne-Longfellow Library at Bowdoin College also houses important Arctic collections, including Donald B. MacMillan's papers, Robert A. Bartlett's papers, and some archival material relating to Robert E. Peary. Journals and diaries of members of MacMillan's expeditions as well as some earlier Bowdoin-sponsored expeditions are also housed there.