Experience the New Winslow Homer Studio Tour!
TOURS DATES ARE available May 2 through November 10, 2024
Updated with new amenities, interactive activities, and immersive experiences, audiences who tour the Winslow Homer Studio will connect more deeply with the stunning landscape of Prouts Neck and Homer’s artistic practice.
Gallery visit: visit Homer’s 1894 painting Weatherbeaten, which was created at Prouts Neck, before boarding the Homer van
Field Guide: use for self-exploration, reference, and activities while at the Studio
Improved amenities: includes more seating, walking sticks, umbrellas, and binoculars to use during your tour
New reproductions and installations : learn more about the artistic processes that Homer practiced during his years at Prouts Neck and what inspired him to create his oil paintings, prints, watercolors, and drawings
Custom soundscape: have a more immersive sensory experience of how Homer lived and worked in Maine through the sounds in his Studio
Letter writing activity: read or listen to audio recordings of a selection of letters written to/from Homer
Updated studio lighting: see Homer’s objects and handwriting on walls better illuminated in the space
More self-exploration time: have more time to explore the Cliff Walk and Studio
Not a member? Members enjoy a 35% discount on Winslow Homer Studio Tours tickets, free admission to the PMA and special exhibitions, and much more. Join today!
Tour FAQs
How do I book a tour?
All reservations to visit the Winslow Homer Studio must be booked through the PMA. The studio is not accessible outside a tour. All tours of the Studio begin at the PMA, and each tour has a capacity of 12 people.
How much do tours cost?
Winslow Homer Studio Tours include transportation to and from the Studio and is a 2.5 hour guided experience. Tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable and tours will run regardless of the weather. Tickets also include complimentary admission to the PMA before and after your trip to the studio.
$70 | $40 for PMA members | $25 for students
Group tours of 10 people or more are available at a rate of $60 per person.
Offseason prices:
$60 | $30 for PMA members | $50 per-person for groups
Can I visit the Winslow Homer Studio without a reservation?
Because the Winslow Homer Studio operates in a private, residential neighborhood, advance tour reservations are required to visit.
Can I book The entire tour?
Yes! Please contact our Group Sales Manager Greg Norstrom at gnorstrom@portlandmuseum.org for availability and to book your tour.
Please have payment ready at the time of booking a tour. Refunds and rescheduling of private tours are not possible within 4 weeks of your tour date.
Where are you located?
The PMA is located at 7 Congress Square in Portland, Maine, at the intersection of High, Congress, and Free streets. The Winslow Homer Studio is located on Prouts Neck, and is not accessible to the public.
I have limited mobility, Can I participate on a tour?
Yes! Tours for those with limited mobility are available, though access to some parts of the studio may be difficult. We encourage guests to call our visitor experience team prior to booking for more information at (207) 775-6148.
Can I bring the kids?
Yes! Tours of the Winslow Homer Studio are great for families with teens and older children, however not intended for younger audiences. As such, children must be at least 8 years of age to attend a tour.
I’m a business owner, can I bring my staff as a work outing?
Absolutely! We offer a robust Business Partner program to companies, organizations, and institutions of all sizes. Included in the benefits are discounted rates of just $40 per person for group tours—over 30% off! Please call us at 207-775-6148 for more information about corporate groups.
Can I experience the Studio digitally?
We are in the process of developing an immersive digital experience for the Winslow Homer Studio and surrounding property.
Want to learn more? Join our mailing lists to be the first to know when the Studio goes live!
About the Winslow Homer Studio
The Winslow Homer Studio is a member of Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
In 2006, the PMA purchased the property and embarked on a six-year renovation project restoring the building to how it appeared during Homer’s life and, in 2012, opened its doors to the public for the first time.
Winslow Homer Studio Tours put you uniquely in touch with Maine’s artistic heritage, allowing you to walk the floors and balconies where Homer once walked, and to be inspired by the place that inspired one of America’s greatest painters. With its combination of cultural resonance, historical significance, and natural beauty, Winslow Homer Studio Tours offer a singular experience that you will remember for years to come and want to share with others.
Take a Winslow Homer Studio Tour and discover why this location is so crucial to our understanding of Winslow Homer, American art, and indeed, Maine.
About Winslow Homer
Widely regarded as one of the greatest American artists of the 19th century, Winslow Homer (1836-1910) also has deep and deeply influential ties to Maine and the Portland Museum of Art. Indeed, the PMA is the “home” of Homer in several important regards: the museum has deep holdings of his works spanning his entire career and it operates the Winslow Homer Studio, a landmark building perched on the rocky coast of Maine in which the artist resided from 1884 until his death.
Born in Boston, Homer began his artistic career in the late 1850s with an apprenticeship in a Boston lithography shop and then as a freelance illustrator working in New York City for popular magazines, such as Harper’s Weekly . He quickly came to national attention for closely observed and perceptive images of modern American life, particularly his Civil War subjects that explore the experiences of rank-and-file soldiers in the Union army and the broader social impact of the sectional conflict. While continuing to produce commercial illustrations until 1875, Homer increasingly concentrated his efforts on oil painting and watercolor. His paintings of contemporary life—including images of the Civil War, rural children, fashionable women, and modern leisure pursuits (such as croquet, hiking, and hunting)—as well as his loosely painted realistic style earned Homer critical acclaim as one of the nation’s most progressive and original artists.
In 1884, shortly after returning from an 18-month sojourn in the English fishing village of Cullercoats, where he painted the daily hardships of local fishermen and women, Homer moved from New York City to Prouts Neck, a small peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic about 12 miles south of Portland. Inspired by the raw beauty of the Maine coast, Homer’s art changed dramatically in theme and mood. He created monumental marine narratives and seascapes that investigate humankind’s life-and-death struggles against the sea and the elemental power of nature. Painted with vigorous brushwork and closely observed realism, these late paintings capture the titanic force of waves crashing against the rocky shore in varying seasons and climactic conditions. Homer’s Maine pictures influenced generations of artists and transformed marine painting in the United States. Highly acclaimed during his lifetime, they continue to be considered among the greatest masterpieces of American art.
The Winslow Homer Studio Tour Van is generously sponsored in part by Prime Motor Cars Mercedes-Benz.