BAR HARBOR, Maine (NEWS CENTER) --- Nearly one year after fire destroyed many of its exhibits, the Bar Harbor Oceanarium has opened again for another season.
A new lobster museum greeted visitors on opening day Friday morning. Visitors included a school group from the Bay Ridge Elementary School in Cutler.
Last June a fire swept through the original lobster museum at the oceanarium. Several live lobsters and priceless artifacts related to the state's lobster industry were destroyed.
Owners David and Audrey Mills say that the community did respond as many friends donated their old buoys and vintage traps to help restore the museum.
"It was just a real blessing because we were really knocked down by the fire...and just emotionally it was really tough to think about the things we'd lost," said David Mills, "and so we were just kind of going along and then people would start calling us us that they had some new things...and people we didn't think had any connection with the lobster industry would bring things in."
The Mills say that they want to thank the dozens of volunteers who played a part in getting the lobster museum back. This July the oceanarium in Bar Harbor will celebrate its 40th anniversary.
NEWS CENTER