Exhibits

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Exhibits & Collections

Our Museum is situated on a small campus at the mouth of Back Creek, overlooking the Chesapeake Bay and is housed in the last surviving historic oyster-packing plant in Annapolis. This special setting allows us to engage visitors in an interactive experience that highlights the oyster and its role in shaping both the history and maritime culture of Annapolis. The Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park houses a collection of roughly 10,000 objects, photographs, and archival documents. To access the collections please email the curator or call 410-295-0104, ext. 13.

Museum Exhibits

By integrating technology with authentic artifacts, the AMM’s permanent exhibit is designed to engage visitors with the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay and local maritime heritage. The exhibits focus on three thematic sections: Bay Health, Oyster Economy and Annapolis Waters.

Interactives that invite visitors to learn, play and experience the maritime history and ecology of the Chesapeake Bay. Visitors can step up to a large-scale, four player digital game, interact with a life-like hologram of a Bay waterman, or board one of three boats to experience the Bay in a virtual reality setting.

Art Exhibits

The Buchanan Bay Room Gallery offers approximately 88 linear feet of well-lit, air-conditioned exhibition space for two-dimensional artwork. The shows are all Maritime or Chesapeake Bay-themed to complement the mission of the Museum and generally run for 6-8 weeks. Displayed art is for sale with partial proceeds benefiting the Museum.

Current Exhibit:

Jay Fleming’s photographs on exhibit in the museum’s Bay Room reflect the rich maritime history and the diversity of the aquatic ecosystems of the Chesapeake Bay. The prints are select works from Jay’s book, Working the Water, works from trips on the bay to photograph wildlife in their natural habitats and photographs from his forthcoming book on the bay’s inhabited offshore islands, Island life. The exhibit is constantly changing as Jay creates new work from his trips on the Chesapeake. 

Virtual Exhibits

The Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park offers virtual exhibits through the generous support of the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County.

Dynamically Different: The Owens Yacht Company

Discover how the Owens Yacht Company, one of the first family owned and operated boat building companies in Annapolis, grew into an empire and then eventually disappeared. Learn about the family’s story, as well as the story of some of their most valuable employees while admiring the craftsmanship of the boats that they built. View the bibliography for “Dynamically Different: The Owens Yacht Company”.

Arnie Gay: The Father of Annapolis’ Modern Sailing Industry

Discover how Arnie Gay, a hardworking dedicated sailor, transformed the Annapolis waterfront into the Sailing Capital of America. Follow Arnie’s story from sailing into Annapolis harbor aboard Delilah through his work with the Annapolis Yacht Club and the many changes Gay inspired in our modern waterfront.

Crab Pots, Eel Spears, and Fish Nets: Seasonal Changes in Watermen’s Work

Discover how watermen’s work reflects the biological seasonality of the various species native to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Many commercial fishermen in Annapolis and the traditional watermen’s neighborhood of Eastport found additional work at local boatyards, at nearby farms, or in other lines of work with odd jobs. View the bibliography for “Crab Pots, Eel Spears, and Fish Nets: Seasonal Changes in Watermen’s Work”.

About Us

The Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park educates youth and adults about the Annapolis area’s rich maritime heritage and the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay through programs, exhibits and community events.

Visit Us

Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park
723 Second Street
PO Box 3088
Annapolis, MD 21403
410-295-0104
[email protected]

Hours:

Museum currently closed for renovations.
Check back Spring 2021 for updated hours.

Office: Monday – Friday | 9 AM – 5 PM

Maritime Museum

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