I am one to make audacious claims, but I’m serious when I say The Naturalists Notebook is the best bookstore in Maine. Somehow, against all odds, it has only 74 reviews on Google! This is a tragedy, a downright crime. I know it’s not in Bar Harbor, but it’s close enough! Everyone should have the joys of experiencing this quaint bookshop, which changed my outlook on what a bookshop can be.
The Naturalists Notebook is on the southern tip of Acadia National Park, and I would deem it an unmissable experience whether you read or not. You will laugh, learn, and maybe even buy a few books. This is a bookstore in a gift shop in a museum. If you only make it to Acadia and one other place, this should be it.
The Story
How did I stumble across this apparent hidden gem? Easy, a lack of planning and an inability to not go to every bookstore I see. We drove by the area by chance; we got lost trying to find a different trail, and I saw the quaint building sitting on the right. After conspicuously googling The Naturalists Notebook, I saw dozens of images of bookcases surrounded by plants. I stared at the building longingly when we passed by a second time and made puppy dog eyes at my boyfriend.
“You want to go to the bookstore?” He asked, already knowing his fate.
“Well, since you brought it up, I would love to go!” A+ for patience on his part, as we’ve gone into at least one bookstore every two days on this trip, if not more.
We pull into the parking lot – shared by two other buildings – and head inside. I’ve managed to get in and out of most bookstores in 20 minutes, I thought I could keep it just as short and sweet. I was wrong.
We walk into a small entryway. Greenery covers the walls. The ceiling has (fake) vines and leaves hanging, just brushing the tops of our heads. From my limited view of the shop, the theme continues everywhere. Fake and real plants hang from shelves, books are everywhere, and placards describing landscapes are placed strategically.
All this, and we haven’t even gotten past the entry.
First Floor
There are three directions; I pick at random and walk, leaving my poor boyfriend behind. The walkways are seemingly endless but small in width. It didn’t matter; in this bookshop, I was an explorer. I see endless information, trinkets, and books about the earth’s forests and the species that inhabit them. Nothing has made me more excited to read about the earth than this place.
I turn the corner and see another landscape, the South Pole and the Arctic. In this adorable corner, I read all about how animals survive in a freezing environment, and get recommended several books to read more about it.
The more I walk, the more I see. There were deserts, jungles, forests, oceans. Things to read about, draw with, draw on, and trinkets to play with. When something in particular piques your interest, there are books for you to read more. I was coming down from my high, thinking I explored the depths of this place when I gasped.
“There’s a downstairs!” I called my boyfriend.
Basement
Every stair was a different color, each decorated as a different time-period, hinting at what was to come. We walk toward the sun painted at the bottom of the stairs, eager to learn about the history of Earth.
We turned into the room and gasped. You can’t see more than 2-3 timelines ahead, but each timeline was assigned a color. Within that small room were rocks, books, and other little trinkets to show what existed in the period.
You zigzag through the rooms, each no bigger than a few steps across but packed with information. It started 2.5 billion years ago as a dark blue and worked its way to the present day with a bright pink.
Upstairs
With a sense of wonder, we make our way back upstairs. We glance around, not wanting to leave, when we come across yet another unexplored aisle and more stairs. This time going up. We happily trod upstairs, glad to have more to explore.
Upstairs was more diverse, with several different sections for different science-y things. The first room is a little brainy (haha). The whole room was painted like a brain, the walls painted all squiggly and painted pink. There were little brain sculptures to pick up and play with and several books on the topic.
The solar system room was all black and covered in stars. The music room had several instruments and explained things like sound waves and the light spectrum. There was a whole room dedicated to the sun, its temperature, and when it will explode.
Finally, going out with the best for last, the moon room. It had books, trinkets, a puzzle, and plenty of other activities to explore all things moon and moon landing. After, you walk straight back into the brain room, feeling thoroughly smarter for being here.
Conclusion
My best attempts to spend no more money on books were foiled by the fact I just HAD to support The Naturalists Notebook. It’s not often your worldview of what a bookstore can be is completely changed, and this turned mine on its head. I love a book that pulls me in. In this store, I wasn’t only pulled into the words on the pages, but into the world each book took place.
I purchased two books, Braiding Sweetgrass and Signs of Nature. My boyfriend, who hardly reads, also got two books to support this place. Regardless of whether you’re a reader, a science nerd, or just someone who loves cool places, I cannot recommend this place enough. Everyone will walk out a little smarter for it, and perhaps a few books heavier.
Have you uncovered any hidden bookstores that should be discovered? Leave a comment below and let me know, I love finding new places to explore. Thanks for reading, and if you want more bookish and travel content join my newsletter! I send out reviews, events, activities, and more every month. Stay brave!
