The date is set! Maine Open Lighthouse Day 2024 will be on Saturday, September 14, 2024! Mark your calendars and get ready to see some of the incredible, historic beacons of light on the Maine coast. Participating locations have yet to be set in stone, although historically, the same 20 lighthouse locations participate yearly. Most locations are open from 9 am to 3 pm, with some exceptions. I’ll update the list as locations are confirmed for Maine Open Lighthouse Day 2024 so check back soon!
Maine Lighthouse Day 2023 Participating Lighthouses (and most likely 2024 as well):
- Burnt Coat Harbor Light, Swan’s Island (offshore), 44°08′ 03″ N 68°26′ 50″ W
- Light tower and keeper’s house open 9-3
- Maine State Ferry out of Bass Harbor offers trips to the island daily
- Burnt Island Light, Boothbay Harbor (offshore), 43°49′ 31″ N 69°38′ 27″ W
- Light tower and keeper’s house open 9-12
- Visitors need to arrange private transportation to the island
- Curtis Island Light, Camden Harbor (offshore), 44°12′ 06″ N 69°02′ 54″ W
- Light tower and grounds open 9-3
- Visitors need to arrange private transportation to the island, kayak tours may be available from Camden Harbor
- NOTE: The gallery around the catwalk collapsed in 2023 and may not be open in 2024
- Doubling Point Light, Arrowsic, Kennebec River, 43°52′ 57″ N 69°48′ 25″ W
- Light tower and grounds open 9-3
- Dyce Head Light, Castine, 44°22′ 57″ N 68°49′ 07″ W
- Light tower and grounds open 9-3
- Fort Point Light, Stockton Springs, 44°28′ 02″ N 68°48′ 42″ W
- Light tower and grounds open 9-3
- Tower contains a Fresnel lens
- Goat Island Light, Cape Porpoise (offshore), 43°21′ 30″ N 70°25′ 30″ W
- Light tower and keeper’s house open 6-11
- Visitors must find their own transportation, the island is accessible by kayak
- Kayak Excursions: 888-925-7496
- Coastal Maine Kayak: 207-967-6065
- Grindle Point Light, Islesboro (offshore), 44°16′ 56″ N 68°56′ 34″ W
- Keeper’s house, Sailor’s Museum, oil house, and gift shop open 8:30-4:30
- Maine State Ferry Service out of Lincolnville provides transportation to the island
- Kennebec River Range Front & Rear Lights, Arrowsic, 43°53′ 00″ N 69°47′ 42″ W
- Front and rear range lights and grounds open 10-2
- Marshall Point Light, Port Clyde, 43°55′ 03″ N 69°15′ 41″ W
- Light tower and keeper’s house (which has a museum and gift shop inside) open 9-3
- Monhegan Island Light, Monhegan Island (offshore), 43°45′ 54″ N 69°18′ 54″ W
- Light tower and keeper’s house with museum inside open 11:30-3:30
- Accessible only by water
- Monhegan Boat Line: 207-372-8848
- Hardy Boat Cruises: 207-677-2026
- Balmy Days Cruises: 207-633-2284
- Moose Peak Light, Mistake Island (offshore), 44°28′ 27.7″ N 67°31′ 55.3″ W
- Light tower and grounds open 9-3
- Visitors must arrange private transportation, the private owners of the light will make 2 boat trips of 7 passengers per trip and can be reached at moosepeaklighthouse@gmail.com
- Owls Head Light, Owls Head, 44°05′ 33″ N 69°02′ 39″ W
- Light tower and keeper’s house (with an interpretive center and gift shop inside) open 9-3
- Pemaquid Point Light, Bristol, 43°50′ 12″ N 69°30′ 21″ W
- Light tower and keeper’s house (which has a museum inside) open 9-3
- Light tower has a Fresnel lens inside
- Portland Breakwater Light (Bug Light), South Portland, 43°39′ 20″ N 70°14′ 06″ W
- Light tower and grounds open 9-3
- Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, 43°37′ 24″ N 70°12′ 30″ W
- Light tower, keeper’s house (with museum inside) and gift shop open 9-3
- NOTE: Approximately 300 tickets will be available for visitors on a first-come, first-served basis to go to the top of the light tower
- Rockland Breakwater Light, Rockland, 44°06′ 15″ N 69°04′ 39″ W
- Light tower and keeper’s house open 10-4
- Spring Point Ledge Light, South Portland, 43°39′ 07″ N 70°13′ 26″ W
- Light tower and grounds open 9-3
- Squirrel Point Light, Arrowsic, 43° 49′ 00″ N 68° 48′ 06″ W
- Light tower and keeper’s house open 10-3
- West Quoddy Head Light, Lubec, 44°48′ 55″ N 66°57′ 04″ W
- Keeper’s house (with museum inside) open 9-3
Maine Open Lighthouse Day 2024
Check out this map showing participating lighthouse locations and start planning your adventure today to explore as many lighthouses as possible during Maine Open Lighthouse Day 2024! This annual event is sponsored by the United States Coast Guard, the Maine Office of Tourism, and the American Lighthouse Foundation. While many participating locations are located on land, some are only accessible by water. Many charters and cruises offer trips to the islands or scenic cruises that pass by many of Maine’s beautiful lighthouse locations. Book early if you plan to take a charter or cruise, as they fill up quickly on Maine Open Lighthouse Day!
Don’t Want to Wait Until September?
No worries! The grounds of many of the lighthouse locations listed are open to the public, and many have on-site museums open during the summer months as well. You can also learn more about Maine’s rich lighthouse history by visiting one of our many museums that celebrate Maine’s long seafaring heritage listed below! Most are open May through late October.
- Maine Lighthouse Museum, Rockland
- Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport
- Maine Maritime Museum, Bath
- Portland Harbor Museum, Portland
- Sail, Power, and Steam Museum, Rockland
- American Lighthouse Foundation Interpretive Center, in the Owls Head Lighthouse keeper’s house
- Great Harbor Maritime Museum, Northeast Harbor
- Kittery Historical and Naval Museum, Kittery
- Maine Coast Sardine History Museum, Jonesport
- McCurdy Smokehouse Museum & Mulholland Market Gallery, Lubec
- Moosehead Marine Museum, Greenville