Maine Discovery Museum began with a public forum in 1997, sponsored by five community organizations led by Partnerships for Healthy Communities. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and a feasibility study was commissioned, a board of directors formed, and the museum was incorporated in 1998 as the Eastern Maine Children’s Museum.

Government support came from the City of Bangor, whose leaders believed in the museum’s mission and saw the children’s museum as a catalyst for downtown economic development, the cornerstone of a downtown arts, culture, and entertainment district. Located in part of the historic Freese’s Department Store building, the museum opened its doors in February, 2001, with a new name: Maine Discovery Museum, reflecting its statewide reach and broad vision.