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Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels, MD

Photo: Hennigkg, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

MuseumsHistory BuffFamily FavoriteLocal Gem

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

213 N Talbot St · St. Michaels, MD

Why you should go…

This 18-acre waterfront campus in St. Michaels tells the story of the Chesapeake Bay through its boats, watermen and communities. The Hooper Strait Lighthouse, an 1879 screw-pile light barged here in 1966, anchors a site of more than 30 buildings and a floating fleet of historic vessels. In the working shipyard you can watch the restoration of the Bay's historic boats, and river cruises run aboard the Patriot. Admission is good for two days.

  • #maritime museum
  • #lighthouse
  • #boat cruise
  • #chesapeake bay
  • #shipyard

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Queen Anne's County

    Free

    Eastern Shore Maryland county of waterfront towns, farms, wineries and Chesapeake Bay recreation.

    14 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Tours
    Iconic

    US Naval Academy Visitor Center

    Under $25

    The official visitor center for the US Naval Academy, with exhibits, a gift shop and guided walking tours.

    20 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Tours
    Local Gem

    Watermark Journey

    $25–$50

    Harbor cruises, sunset sails, and water taxis on the Chesapeake out of Annapolis and Baltimore, running since 1972.

    20 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Museums
    Local Gem

    Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center

    Under $25

    A wooded sculpture garden and arts center in Solomons, Maryland, with a walking trail past rotating outdoor artworks.

    33 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Quirky Fun

    American Visionary Art Museum

    Under $25

    Explore art by self-taught creators, from Vollis Simpson whirligigs to kinetic sculpture, on a campus beside Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

    40 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    Maryland Science Center

    $25–$50

    Explore three floors of hands-on science exhibits, dinosaur skeletons, a planetarium and an IMAX theater on the Inner Harbor.

    40 mi awayMore like this