Artist, musician, teacher, inventor and publisher, Rufus Porter (1792-1884) thought well ahead of his time. His artistic life began as a painter of miniature portraits, then came his famous wall murals of the mountain, farm and lake landscapes around Bridgton, his childhood home, and Portland Harbor.The Museum is the only entity devoted to his work and displays his 1828 murals as well as other examples of his remarkable career. He founded the Scientific American magazine in 1845 to encourage the innovations which were vital to the Industrial Revolution.