The St. Mary’s County Museum Division, which oversees St. Clement’s Island Museum and Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, presents month long exhibits and family events during the holiday season at each historic site. The museums will come alive with special holiday exhibits sure to delight children and adults alike.
St. Clement’s Island Museum will host its annual Christmas Doll & Train Exhibit, daily, Dec. 1, 2019, to Jan. 5, 2020, from noon – 4 p.m., where families can enjoy a holiday exhibit of antique and collectible dolls (like Barbie, American Girl and more), classic trains and other vintage toys in this festive holiday display inside the museum. This event is a fun visitor experience where you can see a unique Christmas Exhibit in the museum setting and recapture or share your youth by running the model trains. This year’s exhibit will be all about Christmases in St. Mary’s County and how it has been celebrated by locals in the past. Visitors can try their hand as a conductor by running some of the model trains, play with dolls, write Santa a letter, read a Christmas story, and more. The Black-eyed Susan Doll Club of Southern Maryland will have collections of antique and modern dolls on display. The lifelike, hand-crafted felt creations of doll maker, R. John Wright, will be featured. There will also be an exhibit highlighting popular dolls and from the Victorian Era, 1920s, 1950s and 1980s. Look for “Holiday Touch Zones” and operate an O scale and a G scale Lionel train sets. Touch and learn about the different types of dolls children played with long go. Help decorate our schoolhouse – go to the Charlotte Hall Schoolhouse on the museum grounds and make Christmas decorations the way children used to make in school. Learn to make snowflakes, paper chains and reindeer. The cost for this exhibit is $3.00 Adults, $2.00 Seniors and Military, $1.50 Children, 5 and under are free. Exhibit is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Piney Point Lighthouse Museum presents “A Very Retro Christmas Exhibit” available, daily, Dec. 1, 2019, to Jan. 5, 2020, from noon – 4 p.m., where all can experience a holiday display inside the museum and lighthouse keeper’s quarters. Whether you recall the bubble lights on your parent’s Christmas tree, the neighbor’s huge blown-mold lawn displays, or the vintage dishes that came out for holiday dinners, we have your cup of nostalgia at Piney Point Lighthouse Museum this holiday season. Enjoy a family-friendly holiday exhibit where visitors can see “retro” exhibits featuring holidays over the years. The admission cost is $7.00 for adults, $3.50 for seniors, students and military and 5 and under are free. Exhibit is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
To kick off the holiday season at each site, the museums will be holding free special holiday open houses that include lots of family fun. At the St. Clement’s Island Museum Holiday Open House, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, from noon – 4 p.m., enjoy free admission, children’s activities, refreshments, live music, games and more. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at the museum from noon – 2 p.m. Dr. Thomas Gerard, first owner of St. Clement’s Island, will talk about his property. The COSMIC Flute Orchestra will perform from 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
At “A Retro Holiday Open House” at Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, also on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, from noon – 4 p.m., we’re kicking off the opening of the “throwback” holiday exhibit inside the museum and keeper’s quarters in retro style with free admission, family activities, refreshments and more. Experience vintage pet photos with SOMD Pin-ups for Paws, enjoy a Christmas story-time and photos with Buddy the Elf, kid’s activities, refreshments and more retro fun.
December 1 is also Museum Store Sunday at each museum location, so get a jump on your holiday shopping inside the Museum Store with 25% off all crab pot Christmas trees. The stores will have tons of local items that are perfect for anyone on your list.
For more information on events and programs at St. Clement’s Island Museum and Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, please Facebook.com/SCIMuseum, Facebook.com/1836Light or museums.stmarysmd.com.
