. Celebrates Baltimore's industrial past, including seafood packing and the maritime trades.
. Weekdays.
, Havre de Grace, Md., 410-939-3213. 1827 beacon and light keeper's house. Weekends.
. Decoys, carving demonstrations. $
. Battle site that inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner." $
. Restored 1784 house. Tue.-Sat.
. Maritime history exhibits, boatbuilders school.
Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, 410-685-3750;
www.mdhs.org. Bay and Port of Baltimore history. Wed.-Sun.
Mt. Harmon, Earleville, Md.,
www.mountharmon.org. 410-275-8819. Colonial plantation manor house. Visitors must walk a fairly good distance to get there from the water. Thu.-Sun. $
National Aquarium in Baltimore, Inner Harbor, 410-576-3800;
www.aqua.org. Marine and freshwater animals; ocean, coral reef exhibits; Immersion Theater.
Paw Paw Museum, Port Deposit, Md., 410-378-4480;
www.portdeposit.com/history/pawpaw. Local historic artifacts. Second & fourth Sun., first Sat.
Rock Hall Museum, Rock Hall, Md., 410-639-7611;
www.rockhallmd.com/museum. Boat models, watermen's gear, re-created decoy workshop. Weekends.
Susquehanna Museum/Lock House, Havre de Grace, Md., 410-939-5780;
www.lockhousemuseum.org. History of Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal. Weekends.
Tolchester Beach Revisited, Rock Hall, Md., 410-778-5347;
www.rockhallmd.com/tolchester. History of 19th--century amusement park. Weekends.
Upper Bay Museum, North East, Md. Fishing, decoys, hunting artifacts.
www.upperbaymuseum.org. Sat.-Sun. Memorial Day through Labor Day. To arrange a visit during other times, contact
[email protected].
USS Constellation, Inner Harbor, Baltimore, 410-539-1797;
www.constellation.org. Tour U.S. Navy's last all-sail warship.
Waterman's Museum, Rock Hall, Md., 410-778-6697;
www.havenharbour.com/hhwatmus.htm. Open on demand.
Middle Bay Museums
Alexandria Seaport Center, Alexandria, Va., 703-549-7078;
www.alexandriaseaport.org. Boat-building workshops Tue. evenings.
Annapolis Maritime Museum, Annapolis, 410-295-0104;
www.annapolismaritimemuseum.org. Local maritime heritage, interactive exhibit center; tours to Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse ($). Weekends.
Banneker-Douglass Museum, Annapolis, 410-216-6180;
www.bdmuseum.com. African American culture and history. Tue.-Sat.
Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, Md., 410-326-2042;
www.calvertmarinemuseum.com. Maritime & estuarine history, paleontology, lighthouse tours, fisheries exhibit.
Capt. Salem Avery House, Shady Side, Md., 410-867-4486;
www.averyhouse.org. 1860s waterman's house/museum. Sun.
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels, Md., 410-745-2916;
www.cbmm.org maritime history, lighthouse tours, restored workboats and boatbuilding workshops.
Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum, Chesapeake Beach, Md., 410-257-3892;
www.chesapeake-beach.md.us. History of local resort and railway that served it.
Colonial Beach Museum, Colonial Beach, Va., 804-224-3379. Local history, casino-era exhibits. Weekends.
Delmarva Discovery Center, Pocomoke City, Md., 410-957-9933;
www.delmarvadiscoverycenter.org. Heritage of Pocomoke River watershed. Wed.-Sat.
Dorchester County Historical Society, Cambridge, Md., 410-228-7953;
www.dorchesterhistory.org. Historic house tours (by appointment). Agri-cul-tural, carvers museums. Tue.-Sat. $
Gadsby's Tavern Museum, Alexandria, Va., 703-838-4242;
www.gadsbystavern.org. Restored Colonial tavern and hotel. Daily and Fri. evening lantern tours. $
Historic Annapolis Foundation, Annapolis, 410-267-7619, 800-603-4020;
www.annapolis.org. Operates William Paca House & Garden, HistoryQuest, tours.
Historic London Town & Gardens, Edge-water, Md., 410-222-1919;
www.historic-londontown.com. Colonial house, excavation site of early 1700s town. Wed.-Sun. $
Historic St. Mary's City, Md., 240-895-4990, 800-762-1634;
www.stmaryscity.org. Site of state's first capital; Maryland Dove replica ship, living history, archaeological sites. Wed.-Sun.
Historical Society of Talbot County, Easton, Md., 410-822-0773;
www.hstc.org. Museum (free) open Mon.-Sat. Tours of three historic homes Tue.-Sat.
Joppa Wharf Museum, West Denton, Md., 410-479-4950;
www.riverheritage.org. Choptank riverine transportation, restored steamboat wharf, skipjacks. Fri.-Sat.
Kinsale Museum, Kinsale, Va., 804-472-3001. Colonial port and steamboat era exhibits. Fri.-Sun.
Mount Vernon, Alexandria, Va., 703-780-2000;
www.mountvernon.org. George Washington's estate and gardens, interactive exhibit hall.
Oxford Museum, Oxford, Md., 410-226- 0191;
www.oxfordmuseum.org. Town & maritime artifacts. Mon, Wed., Fri.-Sun.
Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, Piney Point, Md., 301-769-2222;
www.co.saint-marys.md.us/recreate/museums. "Lighthouse of Presidents" Fri.-Mon.
Point Lookout Lighthouse/Civil War Museum, Point Lookout, Md., 301-872-5085;
www.pointlookoutlighthouse.com. History of Civil War POW camp & old Point Lookout Lighthouse.
Richardson Maritime Museum, Cam-bridge, Md., 410-221-1871;
www.richardsonmuseum.org. Boatbuilding history, ship's models. Wed., Sat. & Sun. Ruark Boatworks: Model & building workshops Tue. evenings, Mon., Wed. & Fri.; tours Sat.
St. Clements Island Museum, Coltons Point, Md., 301-769-2222,
www.co.saint-marys.md.us/recreate/museums. Traces journey of first English settlers.
St. Mary's Square Museum, St. Michaels, Md., 410-745-9561. Town history and memorabilia. Weekends.
Smallwood's Retreat, Pisgah, Md., 301-743-7613;
www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/smallwoodhistory.html. Plantation home. Weekends, Sun. only June 15-Labor Day.
Smith Island Cultural Museum, Ewell, Md., 800-521-9189;
www.smithisland.org. Island history and cultural life.
Sotterley Plantation, Hollywood, Md., 301-373-2280;
www.sotterley.org. Historic plantation and manor house. House tours Tue.-Sun. $
Sturgis One Room School Museum, Pocomoke City, Md., 410-957-1913;
www.pocomokeriver.org. African American history. Tue.-Sat.
J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum, Crisfield, Md., 410-968-2501;
www.crisfieldheritagefoundation.org. History of lower Bay & its seafood industry.
Harriet Tubman Museum, Cambridge, Md., 410-228-0401. Harriet Tubman and Underground Railroad. Tue.-Sat.
U.S. Naval Academy Museum, Annapolis, 410-293-2108;
www.usna.edu/Museum. Historical exhibits, ship's instruments, Robinson naval print collections.
Ward Brothers Workshop, Crisfield, Md., 410-968-2501;
www.crisfieldheritagefoundation.org. Restored workshop of local decoy artists. Appointment only.
Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury, Md., 410-742-4988;
www.wardmuseum.org Comprehensive collection of carvings.
Lower Bay Museums
Cape Charles Museum, Cape Charles, Va., 757-331-1008. Railroads, boatbuilding.
Casemate Museum at Fort Monroe, Hampton, Va., 757-788-3391;
www.tradoc.army.mil/museum/museum.asp Old Point Com-fort, Ft. Monroe and Civil War history.
Deltaville Maritime Museum, Deltaville, Va., 804-776-7200;
www.deltavilleva.com/museumpark.
Gwynn's Island Museum, Grimstead, Va., 804-725-7949. Island, merchant marine history. Fri.-Sun.
Hampton History Museum, Hampton, Va., 757-727-1610;
www.hampton.gov/history _museum. Port of Hampton history.
Hampton Roads Naval Museum/USS Wisconsin, Norfolk, 757-322-2987;
www.hrnm.navy.mil. Lower Bay naval history, World War II battleship tours.
Historic Christ Church/Carter Reception Center, Weems, Va., 804-483-6855;
www.christchurch1735.org. History of 1735 church & its patron, Robert Carter.
Historic Jamestowne, Va., 757-229-1733;
www.historicjamestowne.org. James Fort site and archaeological museum.
Isle of Wight Museum, Smithfield, Va., 757-357-7459. Smithfield Ham exhibits, Civil War artifacts. Tue.-Sun.
Jamestown Settlement, Jamestown, Va., 757-253-4838, 888-593-4682;
www.historyisfun.org. Living history portrayals, exhibit gallery on America's first permanent English colony.
Ker Place, Onancock, VA, 757-787-8012;
www.kerplace.org. Regional history and 19th century plantation life. Tue.-Sat.
The Mariners' Museum, Newport News, Va., 800-581-7245, 757-596-2222;
www.mariner.org. Figureheads, half models, scrimshaw, small craft collections, library and archives. USS Monitor Center.
Nauticus, the National Maritime Center, Norfolk, 800-664-1080, 757-664-1000;
www.nauticus.org. Maritime-themed science center with interactive exhibits.
Naval Shipyard & Lightship Museums, Portsmouth, Va., (Shipyard Museum 757-393-8591), (Lightship Museum 757-393-8741)
www.portsnavalmuseums.com. Naval and naval shipyard history, lightship service exhibits.
Old Coast Guard Station, Virginia Beach, 757-422-1587;
www.oldcoastguardstation.com. U.S. life-saving service/Coast Guard history, shipwreck exhibit.
Reedville Fishermen's Museum, Reedville, Va., 804-453-6529;
www.rfmuseum.org. Menhaden fishing history, boatbuilding workshop, restored workboats.
Steamboat Era Museum, Irvington, Va., 804-438-6888;
www.steamboateramuseum.org. Steamboat artifacts. Thu.-Sun. Tugboat Museum, Norfolk, 757-627-4884. Tours of 1933 tugboat.
Virginia Air & Space Center, Hampton, Va., 757-727-0900;
www.vasc.org. Historic spacecraft & aircraft, interactive aviation gallery, IMAX theater.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach, 757-385-3474;
www.virginiaaquarium.com. Aquariums, touch tanks, IMAX 3D theater.
Watermen's Museum, Yorktown, Va., 757-887-2641;
www.watermens.org. Virginia watermen's history. Tue.-Sun.
Yorktown Victory Center, 757-253-4838, 888-593-4682;
www.historyisfun.org. Living history museum depicting life of Revolutionary War soldiers. $