Fun Friday
Good Morning we have made it through another week and now it's time to go on our weekly Friday adventure.
Can you guess where we are going this week? We are going to the beautiful state of Maryland
1.) U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis hours of operation are 9-5pm 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.
2.) Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine located in Baltimore hours of operation are 9-5pm A unit of the National Park Service. Site of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812, where Francis Scott Key was inspired to pen "The Star-Spangled Banner" in September of 1814.
3.) Assateague Island National Seashore One of America's last fully functioning barrier island ecosystems.
4.) Inner Harbor As one of America's oldest seaports, Inner Harbor is now an important landmark and popular tourist destination. Follow the brick promenade through this bustling complex of eateries, stores, museums and entertainment venues. Rent a paddle boat to have some fun in the water with the kids, or take them to the National Aquarium which is one of the nation’s largest. History buffs will enjoy touring the heritage ships anchored in the harbor, while travelers of all ages can soak up the marvelous views from the Top of the World Observation Level.
5.) Antietam National Battlefield located in Sharpsburg hours of operation are 8-5:30pm The Bloodiest One Day Battle in American History: 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's first invasion into the North and led to Abraham Lincoln's issuance of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Antietam National Battlefield is located in western Maryland, 10 miles south of Hagerstown in Washington County. The best place to start your visit is at the park visitor center. The GPS address for the visitor center is 5831 Dunker Church Road, Sharpsburg, Maryland, 21782. We have brochures, museum exhibits, a film, a museum store, and park rangers and volunteers on duty to help you get oriented. The battlefield is approximately 3,000 acres that you can explore in your car or by walking. Operating Hours & Seasons: Open All Year, The Visitor Center is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Park Grounds are open during daylight hours. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day The park has an entrance fee of $5.00 Per Person (age 16 or older; 15 and under FREE) or $10.00 Per Vehicle.
6.) The Walters Art Museum 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 Quran 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.
7.) American Visionary Art Museum located in Baltimore The American Visionary Art Museum is the nation's museum for self-taught, intuitive artistry. Three historic buildings house wonders created by farmers, housewives, mechanics, the disabled, the homeless, as well as the occasional neurosurgeon—all inspired by the fire within. From carved roots to embroidered rags, tattoos to toothpicks, ‘the visionary’ transforms dreams, loss, hopes, and ideals into powerful works of art. "one of the most fantastic museums anywhere in America" - CNN "Best Museum in Maryland" - USA Today "a temple of outsider art" - New York Times. Tickets: $9.95-15.95. Children 6 and under and museum members are free.
8.) B&O Railroad Museum located in Baltimore hours of operation are 10-4pm 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 shape 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!
9.) Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum located in St Michaels hours of operation are 10-4pm Established in 1965, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to preserving and exploring the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and making this resource available to all. Every aspect of fulfilling this mission is driven by CBMM’s values of relevance, authenticity, and stewardship, along with a commitment to providing engaging guest experiences and transformative educational programming, all while serving as a vital community partner. Serving more than 75,000 guests each year, CBMM’s 18-acre campus includes a floating fleet of historic boats, 12 exhibition buildings, and changing special exhibitions, all set in a park-like waterfront setting along the beautiful Miles River and St. Michaels’ harbor.
10.) Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge located in Cambridge A good place to observe a variety of migrating birds. This area is always different depending on the time of year. It's a great drive-through area where you may spot an owl, an eagle, swans, geese, snakes, turtles, frogs. You just never know! We like it here. It's also a great place to photograph sunrises and sunsets.
11.) Calvert Marine Museum and Drum Point Lighthouse located in Solomons hours of operation are 10-5pm In the Exhibition Building, you can touch 20-million year old fossils taken from Calvert Cliffs; discover the ever changing world of the Chesapeake Bay; and learn how humans shaped and changed this region over time, working its waters for survival and profit. Visit the Drum Point and Cove Point Lighthouses; see our outstanding small boat collection, take a ride on the Wm. B. Tennison, a log-built bugeye, and experience the Lore Oyster House, a restored oyster processing plant. Touch a horseshoe crab or DiamondBack Terrapin, see skates, rays, and small shark cavort, and watch otters, Bubbles and Squeak, at play. Stroll the marsh walk and spy water snakes, great blue heron, osprey, and hermit crabs in their natural environment. We are a community museum, established in 1970 by local residents determined to preserve the maritime heritage of Solomons Island. We are an educational museum, offering everything from the preschool programs to Elderhostel. We are a research museum, renowned for documented discoveries in Miocene paleontology, and publications on local history based on original research. We are a relevant museum, staying in the forefront of environmental issues and offering a forum for public discourse on controversial topics. We are a partnering museum, actively pursuing opportunities such as the 1812 Grand Tactical that allows us to support and celebrate other institutions. Visit the Museum Store for jewelry, books, home decor, toys and all kinds of unique gifts for people of all ages!
12.) Salisbury Zoo hours of operation are 9-4:30pm We found this online when looking for something to do close to Ocean City. The little zoo is about a 35 minute drive. Admission is free, they run on donations only. There is a donation box at the entrance. Plenty of free parking. Open walking area, lots of animals. My kids loved the Andean bears and the capybara. They do have a small cafe and gift shop, but neither were open when we were there. The zoo is situated adjacent to the city park with a nice disc golf course, several playgrounds and picnic spots. Totally worth the drive!
13.) National Museum of Civil War Medicine located in Frederick hours of operation are 10-5pm The National Museum of Civil War Medicine is the premier center for the study and research of medical innovation during the American Civil War. Exhibits, programs, lectures and research facilities look at innovations in science, medical logistics, medical organization, nursing, civilian medical relief and much more.
14.) William Paca House & Garden located in Annapolis The William Paca Garden is a two acre oasis of natural beauty in the bustling center of Annapolis’ Historic District. Although many colonial Annapolitans had gardens, only Paca’s has been returned to its original splendor and opened to the public. Intrigued by garden details in the background of Charles Willson Peale’s 1772 portrait of Paca, researchers were able to reconstruct the site from a series of archeological digs that turned up evidence of the garden’s former glory. Visit and learn the stories of the people who lived and labored in the home and garden throughout the years. The William Paca House and Garden is open daily for guided tours of the house and self-guided tours of the garden.
15.) National Cryptologic Museum located in Annapolis Junction hours of operation are 10-4pm The National Cryptologic Museum houses thousands of artifacts that collectively tell the history of the cryptologic profession. Here visitors catch a glimpse of some of the most dramatic moments in the history of American code making and code breaking: the people who devoted their lives to cryptology and national defense, the machines and devices they developed, the techniques they used, and the places where they worked. The museum library maintains a collection of unclassified and declassified books and documents relating to every aspect of cryptology.
16.) Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum hours of operation are 10-5pm A museum dedicated to collecting and preserving the history of life saving on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.
17.) The Maryland Zoo located in Baltimore hours of operation are 10-4pm Visitors meet more than 1,500 animals including chimpanzees, elephants, leopards and warthogs as they journey on an African safari, groom goats in the Farmyard, explore the winding trails through the Lyn P. Meyerhoff Maryland Wilderness and watch the polar bears swim next to you at the underwater viewing window. Plus, don't miss the new, award winning Penguin Coast exhibit featuring the most successful breeding colony of endangered African penguins in North America.
18.) Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum located in Baltimore hours of operation are 10-5pm 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.
19.) Port Discovery Children's Museum located in Baltimore hours of operation are 12-5pm Experience moments of wonder at one of the nation's top Children's Museums. Make it a day to remember as you climb together and reach for the clouds on a new four-story SkyClimber. Set sail together on a life-sized cargo ship and try your hand at jobs like captain, engineer, and more. Play chef, become an artist, put on a play in our theater, and explore three floors of fun, interactive exhibits and activities. Make magical memories that will last a lifetime. Visit today!
20.) Glenstone Museum located in Potomac hours of operation are Thurs-Sun from 10-5pm Guided by the personal vision of its founders, Glenstone assembles post-World War II artworks of the highest quality that trace the greatest historical shifts in the way we experience and understand art of the 20th and 21st centuries. These works are presented in a series of refined indoor and outdoor spaces designed to facilitate meaningful encounters for our visitors. Admission is always free.
21.) Hampton National Historic Site located in Towson hours of operation are Thur-Sun from 9-5pm Once possibly the largest private home in America by 1790, the Hampton mansion serves as a grand example of late-Georgian architecture in America. Hampton is also the story of its people, as the estate evolved through the actions of the Ridgely family, enslaved African Americans, European indentured servants, and paid laborers within a nation struggling to define its own concept of freedom.
22.) Plumpton Park Zoo located in Rising Sun hours of operation are 9-5pm Maryland's favorite family Zoo. Stop by and see Kazar the Giraffe, or many of the other amazing animals.
23.) B&O Ellicott City Station Museum hours of operation are 10-3pm The B&O Ellicott City Station Museum is the oldest surviving train station in America, also many would argue that it is also the first station in America in general. The station was originally established as Freight Station only with passengers loading and unloading from a platform attached to the second story of the hotel that once existed across the street from the platform. In the 1850's the B&O decided to transform the station for passenger use as well as freight. The station was also an important transportation hub during the civil war moving both supplies and troops for the Union. The station continued as a passenger station until December 31st 1949 and as Freight Station until the 1970's. The station was then converted to a museum and is listed under the National Register of Historic Places. The management of the Museum has changed throughout the years, with Howard County Recreation and Parks taking over management from the site in September of 2017
24.) National Museum of Health & Medicine located in Silver Spring hours of operation are 10-5:30pm The National Museum of Health and Medicine was established during the Civil War as the Army Medical Museum, a center for the collection of specimens and artifacts for research related to trauma and pathology. The museum's mission to preserve and explore the impact of military medicine spans more than 150 years and includes each major U.S. armed conflict. However, military medicine does not exist in a vacuum, and it is the museum's vision to preserve, inspire, and inform the history, research, and advancement of military as well as civilian medicine through world-class collections, digital technology, and public engagement. Visit the museum to learn about topics ranging from combat casualty care and traumatic brain injury, to the history of vaccine development and techniques in forensic identification.
25.) Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park located in Church Creek hours of operation are 10-4pm Opened in March 2017, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center invites visitors to experience Tubman’s world through exhibits that are informative and emotive. Visitors have the opportunity to understand Tubman’s early years spent in the Choptank River region of Maryland along with the resistance movement of the Underground Railroad.
26.) Patuxent River Naval Air Museum located in Lexington Park hours of operation are Tues-Sat from 10-5pm Sun from 12-5pm The Patuxent River Naval Air Museum (PRNAM) is a member-supported, privately-funded museum preserving the history and heritage of Naval Aviation and associated technology. Our mission is to “Preserve, Educate, Inspire” by presenting the continuing story of Naval Aviation with a focus on Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Our Vision is to be a highly valued community resource providing both educational and tourism benefits to the Southern Maryland area for generations. Located just outside Gate 1 of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, the PRNAM is operated by the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum Association, Inc., a 501(C)3 non-profit charitable organization. First opened in 1978, the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum now spans three buildings and also includes a Flight Line consisting of one-of-a-kind aircraft and aircraft configurations unique to the Naval Test Center.
27.) Discovery Station at Hagerstown hours of operation are Wed-Sat 10-4pm Sun 12-4pm Discovery Station at Hagerstown, Inc. is a hands-on museum that provides life-long learning experiences to thousands of children and families each year. We create an environment that stimulates curiosity for discovery, exploration, and further investigation through exhibits and programs that focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) principles.
28.) Surratt House Museum located in Clinton hours of operation are Wed-Fri 11-3pm Sat and Sun 12-4pm Built in 1852 as a middle-class plantation home, historic Surratt House recaptures life during the mid-19th century and features the fascinating web of the Lincoln conspiracy. Tours & Museum Shop Monday & Tuesday: closed Wednesday-Friday: 11 am - 3 pm Saturday & Sunday: noon - 4 pm Tours depart from the Visitor Center every half hour and the last tour begins one half hour prior to closing. Office Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm and during weekend open hours. Group Tours Group tours of 10 or more may be scheduled in advance. Please call the office to schedule your group.
29.) NASA GSFC Visitor Center located in Greenbelt A great rainy-day attraction near Wallops Island, the center conducts launches of its model rockets.
30.) Robinson Nature Center located on Columbia hours of operation are Wed-Sat 9-5 and Sun from 12-5pm The Robinson Nature Center is a unique nature education facility with fun for the whole family. The Center is a LEED platinum certified green building situated on 18 acres of land. Attractions include: - Solar panels, green roof, and a host of other sustainable technologies - 2 stories of interactive, multi-sensory exhibits - A "NatureSphere" digital planetarium and full-dome movie theater - A Children's Discovery Room with hands-on activities - An outdoor Nature Place play area for kids - Numerous demonstration gardens featuring native plants - A mile of walking trails with views of the Middle Patuxent River - Access to the historical Simpsonville Mill Ruins Each year, the Center runs over 450 programs including field trips, public programs, birthday parties, home school and scout programs.
With so many different things to do and see in the state you will surely find something for everyone and around every corner.
I hope that you have enjoyed this week's tour and come back next week for another amazing adventure. Remember to always be kind as it costs nothing and if you see someone without a smile stop and give them yours a smile is contagious.
Written by: BeautifulChaos318
