Since their founding, The Friends of the St. Clement’s Island and Piney Point Museums have supported historic sites in the care of the St. Mary’s County Museum Division. Recently, because of the backing of membership, the organization has helped preserve the Charlotte Hall and Drayden School houses, worked to build and expand the permanent exhibits at Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, and helped fund many free programs for all ages at St. Clement’s Island Museum, including St. Clement’s Island Heritage Day, Children’s Day and Maryland Day.
As in previous years, 2020 will be a year of change and expansion for the Museum Division. A brand-new building with modern exhibits will be built for St. Clement’s Island Museum, new permanent exhibits will be going in on both floors of the Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, and much more. The organization’s goal is to help the Museum Division provide first-rate programming and museums to St. Mary’s County and its visitors – and they need the public’s continued help to do it.
All memberships include the benefits already mentioned, plus any benefits of the lower tiers. The “Individual” membership level ($40 per year) includes all the benefits mentioned above; the “Family” membership level ($60 per year) includes the benefits mentioned above, plus admission for two adults and all children and grandchildren under the age of 21 and two membership pins; the “Heritage” membership level ($125 per year) includes all the benefits mentioned above, plus two water taxi passes and four guest passes; the “Patron” membership level ($250 per year) includes all the benefits mentioned above, plus four water taxi passes and four guest passes. The “Benefactor” membership level ($500 per year) includes all the benefits mentioned above, plus two tickets to the Potomac Jazz and Seafood Festival.
All membership fees help to support the Friends’ mission to raise funds in order to support historical interpretation, education programs and special needs of the sites managed by the Museum Division of St. Mary’s County Department of Recreation and Parks. The Friends organization is a 501(c) 3 organization sponsoring events, assisting with acquisitions and supporting efforts to broaden the understanding of our culture and community’s heritage. For more information, please visit www.Facebook.com/FriendsSCI
The St. Mary’s County Museum Division was established by the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County to collect, preserve, research and interpret the historic sites and artifacts which illustrate the natural and cultural histories of St. Mary’s County and the Potomac River. With this as its charter, the Museum Division serves as a resource, liaison and community advocate for all St. Mary’s County public and private cultural assets. For more information regarding hours of operation, programs, events, admission prices and more, visit the St. Mary’s County Museum Division’s social media pages on Facebook at Facebook.com/SCIMuseum or Facebook.com/1836Light, or on Twitter at @StClemIsMuseum or @PineyPtLHMuseum, or at Museums.StMarysMD.com.
