On Saturday, Nov. 3, Maine Maritime Museum will open a new exhibit, “The Tropics Next Door: A Look at Maine and the Caribbean.” The exhibit will be on view through May 5, 2019.

This winter at the museum, visitors can escape to the tropics by exploring the story of Maine’s strong ties to the Caribbean region, both past and present. “The islands” were regular trading stops in the days of sail, and Maine mariners and their families came to know the region well. Using objects of trade, accounts, personal sketches, artworks, photographs, and souvenirs, “The Tropics Next Door” explores the long-standing relationship of Maine seafarers with a vastly different region that is not very far away.

The exhibit introduces more recent perspectives through the mid-20th century paintings of Stephen Etnier (1903-1984), a sailor himself who traveled south for decades.