Museum professionals from across Maine are joining with legislators and government officials at the State House in Augusta for the inaugural “Maine Museums Day” from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29.

Museums from around the state will display objects and information in the Hall of Flags in an effort to raise awareness about Maine’ cultural heritage and the major role museums play in the state’s economic development and quality of life.

At 2:30 p.m., Representative Tori Kornfield, co-chair of the Education Committee, will present a gubernatorial proclamation celebrating Maine Museums Day, followed by remarks from museum and government officials. Scheduled to speak are Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, Representative Erik Jorgensen, State Historian Earl Shettleworth, Julie Richard, director of the Maine Arts Commission, and representatives from the New England Museum Association and Maine Archives and Museums.

Museums in Maine contribute $158.4 million in economic impact, employ more than 2,200 people, and serve hundreds of thousands of school children on educational visits each year. Museums are part of the state’s creative economy: over 17 percent of Maine’s non-profit community is dedicated to arts and education. These more than 1,100 collecting institutions (museums, archives and historic sites and societies) make the state a more appealing place to live, work, and create.

The event, which coincides with the international event #MuseumWeek, is organized by the New England Museum Association and Maine Archives and Museums, and graciously sponsored by History IT, CERC Maine, the Maine Arts Commission, Corning Kennebunk, the Abbe Museum, the Ski Museum, and the Cole Land Transportation Museum.