The Maine Folklife Center (MFC) at the University of Maine is committed to document, interpret, preserve and present the traditional culture and living lore of Maine and the Maritime Provinces. The mission of the MFC is to enhance understanding of the folklife, folklore, and history of Maine and Atlantic Canada, to encourage appreciation of the diverse cultures and heritage of the region, and thereby to strengthen and enrich our communities. To fulfill our mission we collect—primarily through the use of recorded interviews—preserve, study, and disseminate information about the region’s history and traditional cultures.

All materials acquired by the MFC are housed in and managed by the Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History. The archive contains 160 plus collections with over 3,000 individual accessions (including 10,000 photographs). Our holdings are especially strong in documentation of occupations, foodways, community histories, lore and legends, traditional music, social activities, ritual and worship, material culture, and expressive arts. Collections in the Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History at the MFC include those that have been generated through various class activities and grant based initiatives, as well as materials that have been deposited by donors from outside the University community.