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Start your exploration of Annapolis: Museum Without Walls™
at the William Paca House and Garden.
This five-part Georgian mansion was built in the 1760s by William Paca, one of Maryland’s four Signers of the Declaration of Independence and the state’s third Governor. Carefully restored by Historic Annapolis beginning in 1965, today it is recognized as one of the finest 18th-century homes in the country and a National Historic Landmark. Guided tours of the house, which features period furnishings and paintings, reveal the inner workings of an upper-class household in colonial and revolutionary Annapolis.
Painstakingly restored to its original splendor using details drawn from historic artwork and archaeological excavations, the two-acre colonial William Paca Garden is a picturesque retreat from the bustle of the city. Visitors can view native and heirloom plants while exploring the terraced landscape’s formal Parterres, naturalistic Wilderness, and practical Kitchen garden. The charming Summerhouse beckons guests to cross the latticework bridge over a fish-shaped pond. The garden frequently hosts weddings, receptions, and other special events.
William Paca House and Garden
186 Prince George Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
410.990.4543
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Winter Hours (January – March/Maryland Day Weekend):
CLOSED
Summer Hours (April/Maryland Day Weekend – August):
Monday – Thursday: 10 am – 5 pm
Friday: 9 am – 5 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 3 pm
Sunday: 10 am – 4 pm
Fall Hours (September – October):
Sunday through Thursday: 10 am – 4 pm
Friday & Saturday: 10 am – 3 pm
Holiday Hours (November – December):
Friday through Monday: 10 am – 4 pm
Closed Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
Hours may be subject to change due to weather, group tours, and special events.
Guided tours of the House are offered every hour, on the half hour; the first tour is at 10:30 am and the last tour is offered 90 minutes prior to closing.
Self-guided tours of the garden are also available. Last entry to the garden is 30 minutes prior to closing.
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Self-Guided Garden Tour Admission Fees:
General Admission (3 and up) – $5
Historic Annapolis Members – Free
Children under 3 – Free
SNAP/WIC* – Free
Guided House Tour Admission Fees:
(includes garden entry)
General Admission** – $12
Child (3-17) – $7
Historic Annapolis Members – Free
Children under 3 – Free
SNAP/WIC* – Free
*Historic Annapolis is a proud partner in the Museums for All program, which provides free admission to those receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits). Provide proof of assistance with SNAP EBT or WIC and your Photo ID to receive free admission for up to four (4) people at this site.
The William Paca House and Garden is a Blue Star Museum, offering free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve. The 2023 Blue Star Museums program begins on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 2023 and ends on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, 2023.
Historic Annapolis is also proud to partner with the Anne Arundel County Public Library. Through their Library of Things program, library card holders can check out a group pass that provides admission for four (4) to the Museum of Historic Annapolis and the William Paca House and Garden. Please click here for more information.
**Discounts are available at the door for seniors (60+), AAA, First Responders, Teachers, Active Military, Students, and Museum Professionals with ID. Discount applicable to General Admission price only.
William Paca House and Garden
186 Prince George Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
410.990.4543
The William Paca House and Garden is conveniently located near City Dock in the downtown Colonial Annapolis Historic District. It is just steps away from a variety of restaurants and shops, and other interesting sites and museums.
Public parking is not available at the William Paca House and Garden. Annapolis offers an abundance of parking and transportation options. Visit annapolisparking.com for the most up-to-date information on parking in downtown Annapolis.
Street parking surrounding the William Paca House and Garden is residential and limited to two-hour paid parking for guests (starts at $2/hour). Please note that street parking requires the use of the Parkmobile app.
Several parking garages are just a short walk from the William Paca House and Garden. Click here for walking directions from nearby parking garages.
William Paca was a patriot leader who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and served as the State of Maryland’s third Governor. After marrying the wealthy and well-connected Mary Chew in 1763, the young lawyer built a five-part brick house and terraced pleasure garden on two acres of land in Annapolis. The couple had three children, but only one of them survived to adulthood, and they cared for an orphaned niece for several months. In addition to Paca family members, the mansion also housed a number of servants and enslaved laborers. Though it is not known how many enslaved individuals lived in the home, the names of five individuals are known: Denby, Affey, Poll, Sall, and Bett.
After William Paca sold it in 1780, the house continued as a single-family home until 1801, then served mainly as a rental property for much of the 19th century. In 1864, it was purchased by Catherine Steele Ray, a widow whose sons-in-law, both graduates of the nearby U.S. Naval Academy, fought on opposite sides in the Civil War.
National tennis champion William Larned bought the property in 1901 and converted it into a hotel, with a large addition attached to the back of the colonial house and extending over most of the old garden. For much of the 20th century, Carvel Hall was Annapolis’s finest hotel. One African-American staff member, Marcellus Hall, came to personify the hotel’s famed hospitality for generations of guests. He started working as a bellboy in 1913 and retired as Superintendent of Services when Carvel Hall shut its doors for the last time in 1965.
Concerned that developers might tear down the home of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Historic Annapolis and the State of Maryland bought the Paca mansion and the rest of the Carvel Hall site in 1965. Over the next decade, a team of experts—archival researchers, archaeologists, architectural historians, paint analysts, x-ray photographers, carpenters, masons, landscape designers, horticulturists, and other skilled professionals—restored the William Paca House and Garden to their 18th-century appearances. The site was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
Learn more about the William Paca Garden by clicking here.
Group tours and field trips at any Historic Annapolis site can be arranged by appointment with advance notice.
To book, please contact us at grouptours@annapolis.org or call 410.990.4514.