Calendar of Events

In October, experience a spirited tour of the historic William Paca House, highlighting tales of the past: sickness, treatments, mourning rituals, and superstitions. Tours are offered every Saturday at 2 pm and every Monday at 11 am throughout October. You’ll be guided by candlelight on a special tour focusing on the treatment of diseases, medical… Continue reading Spirits of the Past: Disease, Death, and Mourning Tours

During the month of October, we’re partnering with Watermark Tours to offer Special Historic Hauntings Tours on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 pm. Our spirited guide will lead you through the dark alleys, spooky side streets, and lesser-known haunted sites of the old and creaky town of Annapolis. Hear from real diary entries and newspaper… Continue reading Special Historic Hauntings with Watermark Tours

Storyteller Jefferson Holland presents a delightful program of original tall tales and songs inspired by the people and places of the Bay, from the Native Americans who feasted on oysters along her shores to the modern-day sailors who ply her waters. Food/drink suggestion: Chesapeake oyster stew with Fordham Copperhead Ale The Historic Annapolis 2025 Virtual… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Despicable Pirates, 3,000-Year-Old Oyster Shells & Cannibal Crabs! Tall Tales of Annapolis & the Chesapeake Bay

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime: “The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything” by Linda Williams

Drop in anytime during open hours for Storytime at the Hogshead Trades Museum! Discover the fascinating lives and stories of tradespeople from the past and enjoy a fun coloring activity inspired by historic trades and daily life.  Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation) Accessibility: Accessing this program requires ascending a flight of stairs.   Cancellation and Refund Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the… Continue reading Storytime at Hogshead: Tales of a Tradesperson

This event is currently at full capacity. Thank you so much for your interest! Historic Annapolis, Inc., Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum, and Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts are pleased to present “A Conversation with Abby Phillip” at Maryland Hall on October 12, 2025 at 6 pm. Anchor of CNN’s NewsNight with Abby Phillip, Ms. Phillip will share her thoughts… Continue reading SOLD OUT – A Conversation with Abby Phillip

Thank you for your interest! This program is at capacity. Please join us for one of our other fabulous events! Step into the magic of the season with a special Nutcracker Storytime at the  William Paca House and Garden, in partnership with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland! Join us for a whimsical afternoon where the… Continue reading SOLD OUT – Nutcracker Storytime with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland

We tend to think of slavery as a labor system that was confined to the American South. But it turns out that that’s not the full story. Slavery was also a fact of life in many northern colonies before the American Revolution. Northern slavery was never as widespread or as essential to the economy as… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Northern Slavery in Colonial America with Dr. Richard Bell

Step back to the turbulent days of 1775 and meet the newly formed Maryland State Marines as they recruit for the fight against Great Britain. Discover how Maryland prepared to defend its shores, waterways, and people at the start of the American Revolution. Cost: FREE ($5 suggested donation – help support programs like these!) Accessibility:… Continue reading Defenders of the Chesapeake: Maryland State Marines

Step back in time as the Annapolis Living Historians bring the Paca House to life with stories of loss, remembrance, and tradition. On this immersive guided tour of the Paca House, travel through different moments in the life of William Paca and meet some of the people who shaped his world. Discover how early Americans mourned—and… Continue reading Mourning and Memory: Spirits of the Paca House

The United States Constitution was ratified in 1789; however, the document’s meaning has not always been clear. This is because many debates over constitutional interpretation were settled during the Constitutional Convention. Sometimes our nation’s founders did not agree on constitutional meaning. Other ties, the Constitution’s ambiguity comes from our country facing contemporary issues that the… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Major Developments in American Constitutional History: Part II

Step back in time and explore the science and engineering behind colonial homes! This immersive homeschool program invites students to discover how grand homes like the William Paca House were designed and built. Through hands-on activities and guided exploration, participants will learn the basics of construction and design in the 1700s. Students will build mini… Continue reading Homeschool Day: Colonial Construction

Step into the world of colonial printers and uncover the powerful protest against “The Fatal Stamp”. Discover why the Stamp Act of 1765 ignited outrage across the colonies and how printers played a key role in spreading revolutionary ideas. Visitors can create their own edition of the Maryland Gazette and emboss it with a “fatal… Continue reading Printed in History: 260 Years of the Fatal Stamp Act

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime: “Trick or Treat on Scary Street” by Lance Bass

Stop by Hogshead Trades Museum for a special program highlighting the courageous contributions of African American women during the Civil War. Meet living historians and hear the compelling stories of three extraordinary women: Lucy Ann Walker – The Clothesline Spy Mary Bowser – The Confederate White House Black Dispatcher Mary Louvestre – The Ironclad Informant… Continue reading Corsets and Contraband: African American Women’s Labor in the Fight for Freedom

Historic Annapolis and the Maryland Historical Trust invite you to attend the 2025 Orlando Ridout V Memorial Lecture at the Governor Calvert House. The lecture is free, but reservations are required, and we thank you for considering a donation when you register to support this lecture series.   This year, we are pleased to welcome… Continue reading Orlando Ridout V Memorial Lecture

The United States Colored Troops (USCT) were Union Army regiments during the U.S. Civil War that were primarily comprised of African American men.   Stop by Hogshead Trades Museum and meet a volunteer member of USCT Company B. They will share their in-depth understanding of the Civil War era through performing demonstrations of camp life, military… Continue reading U.S. Colored Troops in the Civil War at Hogshead Trades Museum

Join us for a guided walking tour of Brewer Hill Cemetery in honor of Emancipation Day. Maryland Emancipation Day is observed on November 1st to commemorate the abolition of slavery in Maryland through a new state constitution on November 1, 1864. Learn the origins of this historic African American burial site. Hear stories of those… Continue reading Brewer Hill Cemetery Tour with Historic Annapolis

On November 1, 1864, a new state constitution abolished slavery in Maryland. Join us at the Museum of Historic Annapolis as we recognize and honor this historic event with a day of special programming and engaging activities, included with Museum admission.  Our 45-minute guided museum tours spotlight African American history, celebrate Maryland’s Emancipation Day, and… Continue reading Honoring Maryland’s Emancipation Day at the Museum of Historic Annapolis

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime: “Federico and the Wolf” by Rebecca J. Gomez

  Join Historic Annapolis for a delightful day trip from Annapolis to Philadelphia and explore the rich history of Fairmount Park! This special excursion includes guided tours of three magnificent historic homes: Woodford Mansion (1756-1758): An example of the early “summer retreats” that were built along the Schuylkill River during the 1700s and 1800s by… Continue reading Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park Historic Homes – Bus Tour with Historic Annapolis

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime: “Duck for Turkey Day” by Jacqueline Jules

Join us for a hands-on experience as we assemble and bring to life an authentic grandfather clock from the 1700s. Feel the weight of the gears, touch the intricate parts, and discover how early technology kept time. Learn the secrets of timekeeping from the original “techies”! Cost: FREE ($5 suggested donation) Accessibility: Accessing this program requires… Continue reading Tick Tock Tech: Build a Grandfather Clock with a Clockmaker

Our War for Independence is reflected in patriotic songs, ballads, marches and dance tunes — a rich reflection of Americans’ fears, hopes and pride as the war progressed. Not just associated with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and the like, this music also represents the downtrodden, rebel and tory alike. This lecture with Dr.… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Music of the American Revolution: The 250th

The American colonies were full of strangers—new arrivals born far away. Among the white population, those colonies teemed with immigrants from all across western Europe and elsewhere. Why did they come? Where did they settle? How did they live? To answer these questions, we’ll examine the demographic makeup of the British colonies in 1700 and… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Strangers in the Realm: Immigration to Colonial America with Dr. Richard Bell

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime: “Happy All-idays” by Cindy Jin