The Maine Mineral and Gem Museum is much better than the phrase "rock museum" suggests. Its displays cover Maine's mining history, famous tourmaline finds, gems, minerals, and meteorites, including lunar and Martian material.
The museum gives Bethel a strong indoor anchor, especially on wet mountain days. It also explains why western Maine matters to collectors: the region's pegmatites have produced some of the state's most celebrated crystals and gemstones.