We Bring People Closer to Nature Through Art... with select pieces of Wendell Gilley's work and others from our permanent collection, plus visiting exhibits. We offer demonstrations, classes and events of all kinds to bring people together. The Wendell Gilley Museum is a museum and community center that celebrates the life and work of Wendell Gilley, a pioneer in the field of decorative bird carving. It teaches the art of bird carving and presents art exhibitions and educational programs with a special focus on people, nature and art. The Museum endeavors to inspire appreciation of the visual arts, engagement in artistic creativity, and respect and care for the natural world. Its mission is to make connections between people, nature and art.The Museum was opened in 1981 to honor the life and work of Wendell Gilley, a local resident of Southwest Harbor, Maine. By trade Gilley was a plumber; he was also a keen observer of wildlife and an early master of the art of decorative bird carving. In the second half of his life, his passion for bird carving became his profession, and the exceptional nature of his work has gained recognition in both the United States and abroad. The Museum, which is located in Southwest Harbor,Maine, is housed in a unique facility with an award-winning, green architectural design by Roc Caivano. Today, the Museum displays a growing permanent collection of Gilley's carvings. It also offers a variety of other exhibitions, programs and resources that are in accord with the spirit of Gilley's life and work.