Looking out towards Back Creek at the end of Solomons, the Calvert Marine Museum is yet another one of Calvert County’s hidden treasures.
I didn’t realize how amazing it would be when we stopped in that first time, but this little museum genuinely has something for every age tucked away inside and my girls, then 7, 9, and 10, loved every minute of it. We all had such a great time that we even bought a family pass on the way out.
In the children’s discovery room, there’s a play lighthouse and dress-up clothes, a sailboat to play in, a loft to explore, a fossil dig where children can take home one fossil, and a touching tank with horseshoe crabs, starfish, and a turtle. We left with shark and skate teeth. The staff is excellent. Both friendly and patient, they are happy to answer questions and teach the kids about the fish and fossils. My girls would have stayed there all day and the staff seemed happy enough to keep them.
We were impressed by the fossil rooms full of real fossils found on Calvert beaches and embedded in cliffs along the Chesapeake Bay. More than 600 types of fossils are found locally, and this is a great place to identify them.
Kids love the tank of rays and skates near the entrance. Towards the back there’s an aquarium area with local sea life including beautiful jellyfish and sea otters. If you’re lucky, you may even see jellyfish and blue crabs from the boardwalk around the marshland or from the deck of the lighthouse.
If you want a quick lesson in Calvert County history, this museum will give it to you. I had no idea how much had occurred here, but now I know about the once thriving oyster industry, the battles of 1812 that happened right here, the role of slaves and indentured servants in the tobacco farms, and the contributions of Native Americans.
One of the highlights is the Drum Point Lighthouse. Not only is it beautiful to see, but it’s been preserved and set up to look just like it did in the early 20th century. Children will enjoy seeing the diary of Anna, the lighthouse keeper’s daughter. Other favorites include free seasonal tours of the historic Lore Oyster House and sightseeing trips on the Wm. B. Tennison, an original sailing bugeye, for an additional fee.
http://www.calvertmarinemuseum.com