10 Museums in Maryland That You Shouldn't Miss

The Walters Art Museum is a cultural hub in the heart of Baltimore. Located in the city’s Mount Vernon neighborhood, the Walters is free for all. The museum’s collection spans more than seven millennia, from 5,000 BCE to the 21st century, and encompasses 36,000 objects from around the world. Walking through the museum’s historic buildings, visitors encounter a stunning panorama of thousands of years of art, from romantic 19th-century images of French gardens to mesmerizing Ethiopian icons, richly illuminated Qur’ans and Gospel books, ancient Roman sarcophagi, and serene images of the Buddha. The Walters' mission has been to bring art and people together and to create a place where people of every background can be touched by art. Admission to the museum and special exhibitions is always free.

Established in 1845, this undergraduate college for the Navy prepares men and women to become professional officers in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

The National Capital Radio & Television Museum is the only museum devoted to broadcasting in the National Capital Region. Open to the public Friday 10-5 and Saturday/Sunday 1-5. Closed major holidays. The historic (1906) Harmel house serves as the Museum building. The first floor is accessible and there is a video about the exhibits on the second floor that can be played for those who cannot access the stairs.

Recognized as a top cultural site by the Maryland Department of Tourism, this free museum contains several rare historical artifacts from the surfing world collected by surfing legend Bruce Gabrielson over a 60 year period. Displays include Dale Velzey's original 1950's templates and planer, an original Makaha Skateboard, the first day edition of the Duke Stamp from both Huntington Beach and Waikiki, signed posters from numerous surfing legends, a signed poster from the Wooden Year's exhibit opening at the International Surfing Museum, a set of Rick Griffin drawings, plus paintings and photos from artists and surf photographers from the East and West Coast. Several antique boards are also on display. The museum requires reservations and is located in the offices of the National Surf Schools and Instructors Association. During the summer months the museum is closed when the surf is good.

At the Washington County Rural Heritage Museum you will learn about our region's beginnings and history; in addition to how the rural and agricultural heritage continues to play a role in Washington County today. he museum grounds consist of three 7,200 square-foot metal buildings, and an outdoor homestead and village of authentic period buildings from the 1800's. Exhibits range from those depicting early rural life prior to 1940, large pieces of farm equipment and farm implements; and in our newest building with local modes of transportation, most dating prior to 1940. Several events are held on the grounds throughout the year. One of our most popular is Spudfest, spotlighting the potato! Potatoes are harvested late summer by a horse-drawn plow and children can "get dirty" picking the crop. Other popular events are the Spring & Winter Holiday Open House, Apple Fest, and Country Breakfast Buffet. Open Saturday and Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm

The city's native son, the Great Bambino, is celebrated in the house he was born in, now a museum stocked with memorabilia like the catcher's mitt he used while learning baseball, the bat from his famed 1927 season and exhibits honoring the Orioles.

This popular museum is located in Harborplace.

*Before visiting, please visit welcome.cbmm.org for updates on our reopening. Each time you experience the Chesapeake Bay with us, you’ll find something different. Be sure to talk to our Shipwrights and apprentices in our Shipyard for insight into their current work in progress. Additionally, CBMM offers changing exhibitions, educational programs, boat rides on the Miles River, small craft rentals, and annual festivals celebrating Chesapeake Bay culture, boats, seafood, and history. With a waterfront, park-like setting, including numerous outdoor and indoor exhibitions, a Museum Store (with an ATM machine), and a member’s marina, you’ll find us on the Miles River in the heart of the historic town of St. Michaels. With two-day general admission, we encourage you to take a harbor-side stroll over Honeymoon Bridge to enjoy unique shopping, delicious dining, and fabulous lodging experiences. And be sure to check out the local brewery, winery, and distillery, and other town-wide events.

The B&O Railroad Museum, a full affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the birthplace of American Railroading, is home to the oldest, most comprehensive collection of railroad artifacts in the Western Hemisphere including an unparalleled roster of 19th and 20th century railroad equipment. You’ll enjoy exploring our expansive Museum campus, known as the Mount Clare Shops and Station and was the original railroading complex of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). Founded in 1827, the B&O had a dramatic economic, social, and cultural impact on our society. Its nearly 200-year history is deeply intertwined with the story of America and helped shaped our nation through invention, innovation, and ingenuity. Experience two centuries of American railroading history throughout our campus of historic buildings, exhibitions, interactive displays, and our world-class collection of rolling stock —locomotives, passenger cars, freight cars, and maintenance vehicles. All Aboard!

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) is home to an internationally renowned collection of 19th-century, modern, and contemporary art. Founded in 1914 with a single painting, the BMA today has 90,000 works of art-including the largest holding of works by Henri Matisse in the world.* The museum is currently undergoing an unprecedented $28 million renovation to provide visitors with a more welcoming environment and more imaginative and inspiring encounters with art. The BMA is remaining open throughout the multi-year project so that visitors can enjoy its outstanding selection of European and American painting and sculpture from the 17th through 20th centuries and the newly reinstalled Contemporary Wing with 14 galleries showcasing the art of our time. Two beautifully landscaped gardens display an array of 20th-century sculpture that is an oasis in the city. The museum's 100th anniversary will be celebrated in November 2014 with the reopening of the grand historic entrance designed by John Russell Pope and a beautiful new presentation of the museum's distinguished collection of American art. Subsequent reopenings include expanded galleries for the African and Asian art collections and a new learning and creativity center that will open in 2015. Since 2006, the BMA has eliminated general admission fees so that everyone can enjoy the power of art. * Many of the BMA's works by Matisse are part of a special exhibition traveling to museums in Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and San Antonio in 2013 and 2014. If you are visiting to see a specific artwork, please call the BMA Box Office to make sure it will be on view.