Partnership Spotlight: Hancock Lumber

Hancock Lumber CMO Erin Plummer, CMTM Director of Development Mariah Healy, and staff members Nolan & Joey in CMTM’s MakerSpace.

Partnership Spotlight: Hancock Lumber

Building creativity, community, and curiosity, one project at a time.

Here at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, play isn’t just fun – it’s foundational! Every day, we see how open-ended, interactive experiences spark curiosity, confidence, and joy in children. Our community partners make that possible, helping us bring these imaginative opportunities to life. One of those steadfast supporters is Hancock Lumber, whose generosity and creativity have shaped some of our most beloved programs and play spaces.

Crafting Confidence in MakerSpace

The WoodWorks section of MakerSpace offers visitors the chance to build with real materials and tools.

Inside MakerSpace, creativity takes many forms: cutting, gluing, painting, tinkering, and, of course, woodworking. The WoodWorks section offers visitors the chance to build with real materials and tools, using wood supplied by Hancock Lumber. With guidance from our MakerSpace team, young makers learn to use screwdrivers, drills, hammers, and saws safely and confidently.

This past year, children have made everything from wooden sculptures and puzzles to boats and birds. Projects like these remain some of MakerSpace’s most popular activities.

Sustainability and Imagination

Hancock Lumber’s partnership helps keep MakerSpace stocked and sustainable. We prioritize using recycled and repurposed materials like cardboard, fabric, wire, and wood to inspire experimentation while modeling environmental stewardship.

This summer, visitors worked together on a new collaborative project: the Story House, an indoor playhouse that became a bright centerpiece of creative activity. Children spent the summer painting it, inside and out, and using it as a puppet theatre, reading spot, and play space. MakerSpace also grew this year with the addition of a chalkboard wall, sewing table, and graffiti wall encouraging free expression.

The Try It Table has also evolved, offering more ways for children to test their problem-solving skills with new materials like combination padlocks, sanding blocks, hinges, and screw assortments. Adaptive supplies are available at every art table, ensuring everyone can create and explore with confidence.

Inspiring Young Artists through Art for Tots

Art for Tots is a weekly program designed for children ages two through five and their caregivers.

Last year, Art for Tots hosted more than 800 young artists and their caregivers. This program introduces children ages two through five to a wide range of artists and styles, focusing on creativity, confidence, and connection. Many families are now weekly regulars, and as children age out, they often continue into our Afternoon Art program.

This fall and winter, we’re featuring 13 artists, with a special focus on Maine and Wabanaki artists, including Passamaquoddy craftsperson and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, Jeremy Frey. We incorporate wood whenever possible, with featured artists like Louise Nevelson.  Nevelson grew up in Maine and& became an important avant-garde artist who used scrap wood to create large wooden collages. 

Hancock Lumber’s sponsorship helps make this program possible, from iconic red aprons to the steady stream of art supplies that fuel imagination each week.

Thank You, Hancock Lumber

To the entire Hancock Lumber team, we thank you for your years of partnership, creativity, and generosity. Your support helps Maine’s children grow as makers, artists, and innovators. We can’t wait to see what we’ll build together next!