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Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Store

Kim M.
Kim M.
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4 out of 5
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2
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Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

The museum is more of a campus than a traditional museum. There are separate buildings housing exhibits on oystering, lighthouse life, building and operating boats on the Bay, harvesting food from the bay, and people on the bay. Tall ships occasionally visit, as there is a working dock as part of the complex. It also hosts special events like a crab weekend and log boat races.

The thing that I liked best about the museum is that there is something for just about anyone. I preferred the oystering exhibit because it showed a lot about the cultural history of the area and the lives of the oysterman and the cannery workers. A friend preferred looking at some of the historic boats and the boatbuilding ship. Another person might be fascinated by their extensive decoy collection.

Since there are 14 buildings/areas on the museum grounds (including a museum store), you could spend a very long time here if so inclined.

There are a few hands-on exhibits for kids, but many of the exhibits are more adult or older student oriented. The museum is located right in downtown St. Michael's, so if you are planning to walk around the town and its shops, a visit to the museum fits right in with no extra stop required.

From journal Maryland's Eastern Shore in Spring

Editor Pick

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

  • February 5, 2003
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Kim M. from Key West, Florida
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is wonderland for those of us who love the water and messing about in boats. It explores man's relationship to the Chesapeake Bay over time, and delves into the many facets of human interaction with this delicate ecosystem. It chronicles the evolution of boats and fishing methods, and takes a look at tourism starting way back when. There is much to be learned about fish and fowl, oysters and watermen, and steamboats and bridges. There are even exhibits that go beyond history, exploring new possibilities and the challenges of today. In my opinion it is simply impossible to learn in one day all that this museum has to offer.

The museum opens at 9 a.m. and closes anywhere from 4 to 6 p.m. depending on the time of year. Purchase tickets at the entrance, or become a member and enjoy free entry all year. The museum covers 18 acres of waterfront property and is home to several display buildings and tons of exhibits, many of which are hands-on for the kids. There is also a museum shop that I really enjoyed visiting. I found a wonderful sailboat pendant that is now a favorite possession. The museum also hosts special events throughout the year. The calendar can be found on the museum website, and there are a few members-only events in addition.

The museum relies on member contributions and volunteer efforts to survive. There are many volunteer opportunities available, and those are listed on the website as well.

Some of my favorite activities were:
Touring the Hooper Strait Lighthouse
Writing a postcard to put on the wall in the Steamboating exhibit
Viewing the boat and quarters used by a typical oystering crew
Peeking in at softshell crabs in the tanks
Taking photos with the busty ship's figurehead
Learning about the many types of waterfowl native to the Chesapeake Bay

I have been to the museum several times now, and I still have not seen everything!

From journal A Weekend Trip to St. Michaels, MD -- Under Sail!

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