Baltimore’s Historic Inner Harbor in Chesapeake Bay
The largest estuary in North America is the Chesapeake Bay - 2,500 square miles of a partially enclosed bay where freshwater and tidal salt water merge. The Algonquin Indians name for the area, “Chesepiooc”, means “Great Shellfish Bay”. Deep enough to accommodate ocean-going vessels, the Chesapeake Bay’s size and natural resources led to settlements on the hundreds of inlets along the bay.
One of the oldest settlements dates back to the 1600s in what is present day Baltimore, the largest city in Maryland. This old seaport area, known as Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, is a popular tourist destination and an important national landmark. Refurbished and restored to celebrate the local heritage, the Inner Harbor attracts millions of visitors per year. Restaurants, brick promenades, museums, historic parks, and modern sports complexes are part of the Inner Harbor’s attractions and all are within easy walking distance of each other.
Restaurants offer gourmet cuisine and fresh seafood, including the world-famous Maryland crab, from Chesapeake Bay. The National Aquarium is a top Baltimore attraction, featuring live dolphins, sharks, rays and 10,000 more sea creatures. The Maryland Science Center is one of the leading museum and learning centers in the United States. For sports enthusiasts, the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and MLB’s Baltimore Orioles play nearby. The Oriole Park at Camden Yards showcases the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame and the nearby Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum.
The Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine stands as a memorial to the War of 1812, when soldiers defended this brick fort and Baltimore from the advances of the British. It was this war action that inspired Francis Scott Key to compose “The Star-Spangled Banner”, which was originally entitled the “Defense of Fort McHenry”. Considered the birthplace of the United States’ National Anthem, this historic landmark is open year round to visitors.
The Baltimore Visitor Center is open daily year round.
Maryland Science Center
In 1797 Baltimore, a group of amateur scientists begin meeting regularly to discuss natural sciences – astronomy, zoology, and botany. In 1826, this group formally became the “The Maryland Academy of Science and Literature", one of the United States’ oldest scientific institutions. Great advancement in the sciences led to the opening of the Maryland Science Center and the Davis Planetarium in 1976. In 1987, the IMAX Theater was added.
Designed to provide exhibits and educational information about the sciences in an exciting way, the Maryland Science Center prides itself on its high-tech, state-of-the-art teaching tools and its hands-on learning style– both provide a rich learning environment. By entertaining while educating, an interest is created, making learning a lifestyle, not a chore. This model of learning at the Maryland Science Center has been imitated across the United States as an effective means of drawing young people to science.
Some of the exhibits at the Maryland Science Center include Dinosaurs Mysteries, a hands-on exhibit where visitors can touch the 13 full-scale dinosaurs, artifacts, and fossils. Other interactive activities include a simulated paleontological dig and kids can nest in the 7-ft diameter “dinosaur nest”. TerraLink is a high-tech exhibit showing how the earth systems interact and how that affects our environment. Simulated volcanoes, tornadoes, and sand dune creation are demonstrated. The Your Body: The Inside Story exhibit uses simulated activities that employ the five senses to let visitors experience being on the inside of a body. The Newton’s Alley exhibit demonstrates basic cause and effect, applied force, physics and kinetic energy, and gravity. The Follow the Blue Crab exhibit, designed specifically for children, offers an introduction to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. A 20-ft square representation of the bay is on the floor and an aquarium contains examples of the Bay’s ocean creatures.
In addition, the Maryland Science Center offers the Davis Planetarium, the IMAX Theater with 3-D capabilities, OuterSpacePlace (the official Hubble Space Telescope National Visitors Center), and the Kids Room (where newborns through age eight and an accompanying adult, explore their world with simple exhibits). The Learning Lab and Resource Center offers information on child development and training. Educational Programs include Enrichment Experiences, Traveling Science Programs, Camp-Ins, and Planetarium shows.
The Maryland Science Center is open daily and is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
United States Naval Academy
In 1845, George Bancroft, Secretary of the Navy, founded the United States Naval Academy. Located in the capital city of Annapolis, Maryland, the Academy has a long tradition of training men and women in moral, academic and professional, and physical principles. Since its inception, when the U.S. Navy was a small fleet of sail and steam ships to today with nuclear-powered vessels and the world’s fastest aircraft, the Academy has trained over 60,000 midshipmen for service in the Navy or the Marine Corps. The outstanding education at the Academy has led to the United States being the world’s leading military power and the epitome of professional military personnel.
Whether you visit the Academy for some of the top-notch, competitive athletics like football at the Navy-Marine Corp Memorial Stadium or to discover the history of the United States Navy and the Naval Academy, the Academy welcomes visitors year round. The U.S. Naval Academy Museum displays the record of the rich heritage of the Navy. The extensive museum collection includes model ships, over 600 historic flags, uniforms, ship instruments, personal memorabilia and more. A special collection of 6,000 prints showcase European and American naval history from the early 1500s through World War II.
The Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center offers exhibits such as the Freedom 7 space capsule, a midshipman’s room, the documentary film “To Lead and to Serve”, guided tours of the academy, a gift shop and more. Special events and exhibits for both adults and children are featured throughout the year.
The Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center is open year round and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.