Calendar of Events

Let’s begin at the beginning. But where is that exactly? The history of North America doesn’t begin in 1492 when Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue. It begins millennia before then when the first humans settled this great continent. Who were those first settlers—the people we now call Native Americans? How did they get to… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – The World of 1492

Historic Annapolis and the Maryland Historical Trust invite you to attend the virtual encore of our 2024 Orlando Ridout V Memorial Lecture. The lecture is free, however reservations are required. Donations are appreciated to support this lecture series! We are pleased to welcome Carl R. Lounsbury, Adjunct Associate Professor of History at William and Mary… Continue reading Virtual Orlando Ridout V Memorial Lecture

Celebrate Black History Month at the Museum of Historic Annapolis! Drop in on Saturday, February 8 for special family activities to commemorate the rich cultural heritage of the African Americans who have helped shape the nation.  Between 12 pm and 2 pm, meet a living historian portraying Lucy Smith, a free Black woman who sold… Continue reading Black History Month at the Museum of Historic Annapolis

Join Frederick Douglass to learn about his escape from slavery and his rise to become one of the greatest Abolitionists in the 19th Century. Hear Mr. Douglass talk about his relationships with William Lloyd Garrison, Susan B Anthony, and Harriet Tubman, as well as Presidents Lincoln, Johnson, Grant and Haynes as he explores how these… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Frederick Douglass Speaks on American Democracy

Join us for a special Storytime as we welcome back local author Priscilla Cummings at the Museum of Historic Annapolis. Ms. Cummings will read aloud her book, Meet Chadwick and His Chesapeake Bay Friends.  Children will enjoy the rhyming story and colorful pictures in this introduction to Chadwick the Chesapeake Bay blue crab and his… Continue reading Super Saturday Storytime with Priscilla Cummings

Learn all about Presidents’ Day with fun activities at the Museum of Historic Annapolis! All activities are included with admission. Make a patriotic craft! Explore the Museum with a scavenger hunt. Learn more about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln with a curated selection of children’s books in our Anne Arundel County Library Book Nook. Check… Continue reading Presidents’ Day at the Museum of Historic Annapolis

Why did the English come to America? By 1592, a century after Columbus first claimed parts of America for the Spanish monarchy, the growing size and wealth of Spain’s overseas empire had begun to make other European powers jealous. In England, Queen Elizabeth I began soliciting plans from the country’s venture capitalists to claim some… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Colonial Contact Points

Women played a crucial role in the printing industry in the American colonies, particularly in Maryland. Dr. Amy Rosenkrans will discuss the importance of those women with a focus on Ann Catharine Hoof Green of Annapolis and Mary Katherine Goddard of Baltimore. Diane Rey, HA Volunteer, joins the discussion while presenting her living history interpretation… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Maryland Women in the Early American Printing Industry: Anne Catharine Hoof Green and Mary Katherine Goddard

“They have done all that can be expected of them.” Join historian Owen Lourie to discover the lives and legacy of the Maryland Line, which bore heavy casualties at the Battle of Camden and throughout the Southern Campaign (1780-1783). Many of these Maryland soldiers were experienced veterans who enlisted in the earliest days of the war.… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – The Soldiers of the Maryland 400 at the Battle of Camden and Beyond

Everyone knows suffragists Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.  But who is familiar with the women who fought for the right to vote in Maryland? In Anne Arundel County?  Emphasis will be placed on events that happened in Annapolis and the women residents of the city who participated in the movement. Advance registration required.… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Maryland Women and the Fight for the Vote

Celebrate Maryland Day with Historic Annapolis! On Friday, explore the William Paca Garden and the Waterfront Warehouse and immerse yourself in the history of our city. William Paca Garden 186 Prince George Street Visit the William Paca Garden and explore a secret oasis of natural beauty nestled in the heart of Annapolis. This colonial garden,… Continue reading Historic Annapolis Maryland Day Celebration

Celebrate Maryland Day with Historic Annapolis!  On Saturday, visit the William Paca House & Garden and then encounter living historians on Pinkney Street as they bring Hogshead to life. Explore the Waterfront Warehouse and the Museum of Historic Annapolis and discover diverse stories and amazing objects that represent over 400 years of our shared history. Admission… Continue reading Historic Annapolis Maryland Day Celebration

Celebrate Maryland Day with Historic Annapolis!  On Sunday, explore the William Paca Garden and the Waterfront Warehouse and and discover our shared history here in Maryland’s capital city. William Paca Garden 186 Prince George Street Visit the William Paca Garden and explore a secret oasis of natural beauty nestled in the heart of Annapolis. This… Continue reading Historic Annapolis Maryland Day Celebration

The new Poet Laureate of Annapolis, Jefferson Holland, shares original epic poems and songs of the characters, events and especially the traditional vessels that make the capital of Maryland such an inspirational place. Advance registration required. Registration closes one half hour prior to lecture.  Cost: FREE The Historic Annapolis 2025 Virtual Lecture Series is offered free of… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – The Key to Annapolis History: A Poet’s Ode to Maryland Day with Jefferson Holland

The William Paca House has sheltered many people and served many functions since the 1760s. It was home to a signer of the Declaration of Independence, aristocratic refugees from war-torn Europe, and a Navy widow whose sons-in-law fought on opposite sides in the Civil War. It was part of a hotel founded by a national… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – The William Paca House: 250 Years of an Annapolis Landmark

How and why did slavery begin in North America? It’s an incredibly important question, as America’s embrace of racial slavery as a major labor system is an event which has colored the development of this continent ever since. How were traditional practices of enslavement in Africa and Europe similar to and different from the system… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – The Origins of American Slavery

Join us for a full day outing to experience Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello! We will travel by motorcoach to Charlottesville, VA, and enjoy a guided Highlights Tour of the first-floor spaces in Thomas Jefferson’s home, the West Lawn and South Wing. This experience also includes a boxed lunch, as well as access to the gardens, grounds,… Continue reading Visit Monticello with Historic Annapolis

Join Nathan M. Richardson as Frederick Douglass for an in-depth look at the writings and oratory of Frederick Douglass. Experience this internationally-acclaimed first person interpretation. See the 19th century literary masters through the eyes of Frederick Douglass. Learn about the personal relationships, the letters between them and the influenced their writings and activism had in… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Douglass Amongst Literary Giants

A tradition for over 40 years, the William Paca Garden Plant Sale provides the opportunity to take home a piece of history. HA volunteers personally raise over 8,000 plants – perennials, annuals, trees, vines, and vegetable starts – that represent the best of the old and the new. Staff and volunteers are on hand to… Continue reading William Paca Garden Plant Sale

A tradition for over 40 years, the William Paca Garden Plant Sale provides the opportunity to take home a piece of history. HA volunteers personally raise over 8,000 plants – perennials, annuals, trees, vines, and vegetable starts – that represent the best of the old and the new. Staff and volunteers are on hand to… Continue reading William Paca Garden Plant Sale