Come and explore our renowned Revolutionary War, cryptology and maritime history collections, enriching educational programs and acclaimed special exhibitions at one of our many museums. From toddlers to grown-ups and everyone in between, museums like the Annapolis Maritime Museum and HistoryQuest cater to a variety of interests. Spark your curiosity and satisfy your quench for learning at one of the museums listed below.

Ann Arrundell County Historical Society
The Ann Arundel Historical Society operates the Benson-Hammond House Museum at BWI Airport and the Kuethe Library for historical and geographical research in Glen Burnie. A year-round schedule of programs and activities to perpetuate the county's historical resources.

Annapolis Maritime Museum
Preserving and teaching 400 years of maritime history. Current exhibit: " The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse Experience," gift shop. Thomas Point Lighthouse tours available mid-summer. Open Sat & Sun Call for hours. Group tours by appointment.

Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum
Explore 40 acres of railroad history at the Birthplace of American Railroading. See and touch the most important railroad collection in the Western Hemisphere. Seasonal train rides available.

Banneker-Douglass Museum
Museum of African American history and culture, changing exhibits, lectures, films, tours and educational programs. Open Tue-Fri., 10a.m. - 3 p.m.; Sat, noon - 4p.m.

Benson-Hammond House
The Benson-Hammond House, circa 1830, is one of the last surviving farmhouses of the once booming local farm industry. Fully furnished, the house also serves as a period museum. Tours are available. Handicapped accessible.

Charles Carroll House of Annapolis, Inc
Home of Charles Carroll, the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence and one of the wealthiest men in colonial America. Partially restored House, 18th century terraced gardens overlooking Spa Creek. Open Fri. and Sun, 12-4p.m.; Sat. 10-2p.m. or by appointment. Fee.

Chase-Lloyd House
Georgian mansion built in 1769 by Samuel Chase, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The house is open for tours March 1-December 30, Mon-Sat. Closed Jan.-Feb., holidays and the eves of holidays.

Chesapeake Children's Museum
Hands-on museum for children of all ages. Interactive exhibits: Bay Window, Watermen, Center Stage, Body Works and Express Yourself. Admission $4 for ages one and up. Hours 10am-4pm, summer hours 11am-5pm. Groups by appointment on Wednesdays.

Four Rivers - Heritage Area of Annapolis, Londontown & South County
Four Rivers connects visitors and residents with local heritage through development and support of tourism products, such as brochures, exhibits, and programs that enhance our rich historic, cultural, and natural resources.

Galesville Heritage Society
Galesville Heritage Society, Inc. operates the Galesville Heritage Museum, in the Carrie Weedon House at 988 Main Street The Museum is open on Sundays from April through November, 1 - 4 p.m. or by appointment. The Heritage Museum contains many interesting artifacts from the surrounding area, collected histories and memorabilia. Visitors may browse through the library of reference books on local history or view the videotaped interviews with local residents.

Hammond-Harwood House
Visit America's "most beautiful Anglo-Palladian house." This jewel was built in 1774 by English architect William Buckland for wealthy tobacco planter Matthias Hammond. See on of America's finest collections of 18th-Century decorative and fine arts.

History Quest
Discover all the ways to encounter three centuries of history in Annapolis! Complete orientation center, multimedia presentations, exhibits, and gift shop. Starting point for walking tours, tickets for venues, events and more.

Jewish Museum of Maryland at the Herbert Bearman Campus
Welcome to the Jewish Museum of Maryland, America's leading museum of regional Jewish history, culture and community. The Museum interprets the Jewish experience in America, with special attention to Jewish life in the state of Maryland. The Museum was founded in 1960 to rescue and restore the historic Lloyd Street Synagogue, and has become a cultural center for the Jewish community and for those interested in Jewish history and traditions.

McBride Gallery
Annapolis' largest art gallery. 7 rooms of original paintings, sculpture and fine graphics, viewed in a historic colonial home. Enjoy landscape, wildlife, still life and nautical scenes. Mon - Sat 10:00 am - 5:30 pm, Sun 12:00 - 5:30 pm, Thurs til 7:00pm.

Mitchell Art Gallery/St. John's College
Museum quality exhibitions that change regularly. Gallery talks and tours, children's programs. Open Tuesday thru Sunday, noon-5 pm. Friday, 7-8 pm. Closed Mondays. Free.

Mount Clare Museum House
Maryland's first house museum, a National Historic Landmark, and Baltimore's oldest house, Mount Clare colonial estate is the 1760 home of Charles Carroll, Barrister, containing original family furnishings interpreting the grand style of 18th century living.

National Aquarium in Baltimore
The National Aquarium in Baltimore exhibits over 14,000 fish, birds, reptiles, invertebrates and mammals. Displays take visitors on a journey through various aquatic environments, from rain forests to coral reefs. Daily dolphin shows and marine mammal exhibits.

National Sailing Hall of Fame
The National Sailing Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit educational institution dedicated to preserving America's sailing legacy.

Shady Side Rural Heritage Society, Inc/Captain Salem Avery House Museum
Home of the 19th-century waterman boat shed featuring historic bay workboats. Located on West River in Shady Side. Open March - December, Sundays 1-4pm.

William Paca House and Garden
The home of William Paca, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a governor of Maryland, this estate was built between 1763 and 1765 and restored by Historic Annapolis. It's one of two such houses in town (another, the Brice House, is around the corner but isn't open to the public). The five-part structure is composed of a central block, flanked symmetrically with hyphens, and wings. The house tour offers a glimpse of life during Annapolis's "Golden Age." A new exhibit is the sick room, which recalls when a little girl was ill in the house. The kitchen is also undergoing restoration. The tour of the home lasts about 45 minutes, but make sure you leave time to walk around the 2 acres of formal gardens. The yard also has a pond crossed by a Chinese Chippendale bridge, plus a two-story summer house