Maryland Science CenterCity/Region: Baltimore
The striking glass, steel and concrete structure on the Inner Harbor houses the
Maryland Science Center with five storys of interactive exhibits, an
IMAX theater, the world-famous Davis Planetarium and an observatory. The
Maryland Academy of Sciences is one of the
USA's oldest scientific institutions, dating from 1797, and the institution remains focused on education. There are imaginative and hands-on displays ranging from astronomy and space travel, to dinosaurs and general science experiments. 'Your Body: The Inside Story'
exhibition explores the biological world inside a human being and the challenges and advances in health science through interactive exhibits are the focus of BodyLink, while Newton's Alley offers dozens of hands-on experiments to provide insight into light, magnetism, mechanics, sight, and sound. The planetarium runs programs with stargazing at night and sungazing during the day through the observatory telescope. Other popular attractions include The Kids Room and the National Touring Exhibit.
Address: 601 Light Street, Inner Harbor
Phone Number: (410) 685 5225 (24-hour information line)
Website: www.marylandsciencecenter.org
Transport: Light Rail and MARC trains to
Camden Yards station
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 10am to 5pm, Friday 10am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm
Admission: Museum and planetarium $14.50 (adults), $10 (children 3-12); including IMAX: $18.50 (adults), $14 (children); IMAX only: $8
National AquariumCity/Region: Baltimore
The National Aquarium is
Maryland's leading tourist attraction, and one of the best aquariums in the world. It was recently voted one of the top ten family attractions in the US. Here visitors can tour the tidewaters of Maryland, the Pacific coastland or a tropical rainforest without leaving
Baltimore. The permanent residents include sea horses, turtles, stingrays and octopus. The aquarium offers much more than marine life: there are several special exhibits like the
Amazon Rainforest display with Poison Dart Frogs, dwarf caiman, anacondas, sloths, colorful birds and conehead lizards, as well as plants and fish. A sea cliffs habitat features puffins and other north Atlantic sea birds, while the Coral Reefs and Open Ocean tanks are walk-through displays bringing visitors face to face with sharks and exotic fish. In addition to the permanent exhibits, dolphins jump, wave and flip in regularly scheduled shows at the Marine Mammal Pavilion. Visitors can catch an underwater view from an atrium below the pool or watch the tricks from the stands, but be warned: the areas marked Splash Zone really are splash zones.
Address: Pier 3, Inner Harbor, 501 East Pratt Street
Phone Number: (410) 576 3800
Website: www.aqua.org
Transport: Metro subway
Charles Center, Light Rail Convention Center station
Hours: Saturday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 8pm
Admission: $24.95 (adults), $14.95 (children 3-11), concessions available. Certain shows cost extra
Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad MuseumCity/Region: Baltimore
The B&O Railroad Museum's roster of rolling stock, historic railway buildings, and assortment of memorabilia from stations and trains makes it a
Mecca for trainspotters, but even for those who are not train fanatics, this is one of the best sights in Baltimore and is a fascinating place for the whole family. Housed in the huge Roundhouse is an enormous collection of locomotives, passenger cars, classic heritage trains, mail cars and Pullman sleepers. A full-scale model of the first locomotive, Tom Thumb is on display along with a red caboose from 1907. Other exhibits include posters, historic photographs and newspaper cuttings, as well as a superb model railway, and numerous interactive and entertaining exhibits. Some recreate experiments from the 1830s such as sail-powered carriages, hand cranks and propulsion using dogs or horses. The B&O was the first railroad in the US, dating from 1827, and the museum is located on the site of the first station in America.
Address: 901 West Pratt Street
Phone Number: (410) 752 2490
Website: www.borail.org
Hours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm (last admission half hour before closing)
Admission: $14 (adults), $8 (children 2-12). Concessions available. Train rides are included in the price of admission Tuesday to Sunday (April to December)
Fort McHenryCity/Region: Baltimore
The
Fort McHenry National Monument will forever be associated with America's national anthem written by the poet
Francis Scott Key while watching the British attack during the War of 1812. After more than 25 hours of non-stop bombing by the British naval forces in an unsuccessful attempt to stop America gaining independence, the fort still stood with the huge American flag flying high. It was the only action the brick fort had seen in more than 100 years of guarding the water approach to Baltimore. A visit to the fort includes a short historical film 'The Defence of Fort McHenry', and a guided tour with exhibits in the various quarters recalling the siege and the fort's Civil War service. On summer weekends military ceremonies and drills are performed, as well as a living history program simulating the daily activities during the battle. The monument and its grounds are a national park and visits to the parklands are free. There is also a daily changing of the flag ceremony that involves about 20 people required to fold the enormous star-spangled banner. The ceremony is concluded by a short historical talk about the fort, flag and anthem. From the fort there are fine views down the
Patapsco River to the Inner Harbor and towards
Chesapeake Bay.
Address: 2400 East Fort Avenue
Phone Number: (410) 962 4290
Email Address: fomc_superintendent@nps.gov
Website: www.nps.gov/fomc
Transport: MTA bus 1, or water taxi tour from Inner Harbor
Hours: Open daily from 8am to 4.45pm. Grounds open till 8pm in summer. Flag changes take place at 9.30am and 7.30pm in summer (9.30am and 4.30pm in winter)
Admission: $7, valid for seven days; free for children under 15
Western MarylandCity/Region: Baltimore
Western Maryland is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts in every season, with beautiful scenery, thousands of acres of parkland, lakes for swimming, fly-fishing and boating, winter skiing and white-water rafting. Visitors can climb the state's highest mountain, hike part of the famous
Appalachian Trail, or cycle or hike along the popular
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which once served as a towpath for mule-drawn barges between
Washington DC and Cumberland. The state's largest freshwater lake, Deep Creek Lake, is the hub of outdoor recreation in
Garrett County, with a variety of watersports, golf and skiing. Apart from outdoor recreation and fantastic scenery, the only other specific point of interest is the haunting plaques of the Civil War battlefield at Antietam.
Website: www.mdmountainside.com
Transport: Greyhound bus from Baltimore
Lacrosse Museum and National Hall of FameCity/Region: Baltimore
The unique sport of lacrosse is played extensively in the eastern United States, and nowhere is it more wildly popular than in Maryland, where 'LAX' stickers are to be seen on multitudes of fancy cars alongside decals for posh private schools, in accordance with the sport's elite reputation. The origins of lacrosse lie with multiple Native American tribes, for whom the game had great significance in both performing religious rites and preparing men for war. The
Lacrosse Museum and National Hall of Fame showcases the history of America's oldest sport as well as today's top male and female players, coaches and contributors. A drive to the museum, just north of downtown, takes visitors to the edge of the beautiful campus of
Johns Hopkins University and the elegant neighborhoods of Guilford and Roland Park.
Address: 113
W. University Parkway
Phone Number: (410) 235 6882
Website: www.lacrosse.org/museum/index.phtml
Hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm (June to January); Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 3pm (February to May)
Admission: $3 (adults), $2 (children 5-15)
Baltimore Museum of ArtCity/Region: Baltimore
The
Baltimore Museum of Art, in the leafy city neighborhood of
Charles Village, was founded in 1914 with a single painting. Today, the BMA is home to an internationally renowned collection of European and American fine and decorative arts, 15th through 19th century prints and drawings, works by established and emerging contemporary artists and objects from
Asia,
Africa and the Pacific Islands. Its 90,000 works include the world's largest holding of pieces by
Henri Matisse. The grand museum building, designed by famous American architect
John Russell Pope, is surrounded by two beautifully landscaped sculpture gardens, where yoga classes or jazz concerts often take place in the early evening. Visitors can sample signature Chesapeake Bay cuisine on the lovely outdoor terrace of Gertrude's, the museum's acclaimed restaurant.
Address: 10 Art Museum Drive, at North Charles and 31st Streets
Phone Number: (410) 443 573 1700
Website: www.artbma.org
Hours: Wednesday to Friday 11am to 5pm; Saturday and Sunday 11am to 6pm
Admission: Free, although some special ticketed exhibitions may require admission fees
Walters Art MuseumCity/Region: Baltimore
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, two Baltimore men,
William Walters and his son, Henry, amassed a diverse range of artwork from around the world, which they then bequeathed to their hometown. The 22,000 pieces they collected span 55 centuries, including ancient Egyptian art as well as late 19th century European art and decorative objects. Some favorite pieces on display at the Walters include seven ancient Roman sarcophagi, judged to be among the finest in the world; a collection of Japanese arms and armour; a medieval ivory casket covered with scenes of jousting knights, one of only a dozen such items to have survived in the world; and 900 illuminated manuscripts as well as the letters of Catherine the Great and the diary of Napoleon.
Address: 600 N. Charles Street
Phone Number: (410) 547 9000
Website: www.thewalters.org
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm
Admission: Free
