Calvert Marine Museum

The culture and natural history of Southern Maryland is preserved and interpreted in the exhibits and research of this museum. One permanent exhibit tells the story of human activity along the Patuxent River from the 17th-century colonial period to the present, including river transportation, trade, shipping, boatbuilding, commercial fishing, military engagements, community life and recreation. A "hands-on" Discovery Room for children of all ages is on the lower level of the Exhibition Building, where visitors can explore creatures of the Chesapeake Bay, a model of the Cove Point Lighthouse and paleontology.

The museum's boat basin includes a collection of traditional Chesapeake Bay wooden vessels. The nearby Lore Oyster House is a restored 1934 seafood packing house with exhibits depicting this once-thriving Southern Maryland industry. The museum's waterfront also features the restored Drum Point Lighthouse, which was moved from its Chesapeake Bay site after being decommissioned.

How much: $7 for adults; $6 for seniors (55 and older), $2 for children 5 to 12; free for younger children and Calvert Marine Museum Society members.

When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; closed on New Year's, Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

--The Guide (April 26, 2007)