Experience the rich maritime history of the Chesapeake Bay at the Solomons Maritime Festival! Be sure to check out Wm. B. Tennison cruises, educational programs, special events, and the first month of openings for Cove Point Lighthouse and Lore Oyster House this season!
For more information, please visit: www.calvertmarinemuseum.com
Wednesday, May 1 – Lore Oyster House 2 – 4 p.m.
Join us for the first official open day of the season at the newly refurbished Lore Oyster House. Located six-tenths of a mile south of the main museum campus on Solomons Island Road, this 1934 seafood packing house offers exhibits that explore all aspects of oyster processing. No admission required. Visit our website for all summer dates! Lore Oyster House | Calvert Marine Museum, MD – Official Website
Wednesday through Sunday, the month of May – Wm. B. Tennison Public Cruise 2 p.m.
Relax and enjoy a leisurely one-hour sightseeing cruise on the river aboard the Wm. B. Tennison, a log-built bugeye. Capacity allows for 40 guests. Cost is $9 for adults and $5 for children, infant through 12 years. *Please note: May 4 will follow the event schedule for the Solomons Maritime Festival and a May 19 cruise will not be available due to the Blessing of the Fleet event. For more information and to register visit: Wm. B. Tennison Cruises | Calvert Marine Museum, MD – Official Website
Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, in the month of May – Cove Point Lighthouse grounds and Visitors Center 1 – 4 p.m.
The Cove Point Lighthouse grounds are open to the public during the summer months to enjoy a view of the Calvert Cliffs, explore the base of the lighthouse tower, and learn about the history of the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay. No admission required. NOTE: The beach is not open to the public.
Thursdays, May 2, 9 & 16 – Sea Squirts: Marsh Detective 10:15 & 11:15 a.m.
Children 18 months to 3 years, with an adult, are invited to discover the museum together through music, stories, and special activities. Join us for story time and a craft, available while supplies last. Sessions are 25-40 minutes. Cost is free with museum admission. Sign up at the Admissions Desk when you arrive. For more information visit: Sea Squirts | Calvert Marine Museum, MD – Official Website
Friday, May 3 – First Fossil Friday! 1 – 4:30 p.m.
Fossil hunters, bring your fossil finds from the Calvert Cliffs or other local areas to be identified! This service is provided for free; however, admission fees apply for access to CMM exhibits.
Friday – Sunday, May 3 – 5 – Solomons Small Craft Gathering All day
The Patuxent Small Craft Guild (PSCG) Chapter of the Traditional Small Craft Association (TSCA), in association with the Calvert Marine Museum (CMM), invites you to join us for a weekend of messing about in small boats. All small craft are welcome, whether propelled by wind, paddle, oar, pedal, or motor. The gathering will be informal with no fees, signups (unless you choose to camp at the museum) or planned events. The event will coincide with CMM’s Solomons Maritime Festival on Saturday, May 4. This allows interested attendees to enjoy free admission to the museum on Saturday and the opportunity to enjoy festival activities. For more information, visit: Calendar • Solomons Small Craft Gathering (calvertmarinemuseum.com)
Saturday, May 4 – Solomons Maritime Festival 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Celebrate Southern Maryland traditions at this FREE festival! Visitors of all ages are invited to join us for exciting activities including cooking demonstrations, traditional LIVE music, toy boat building, Quilts of Valor display, Chesapeake Bay Retriever demonstrations, antique boats and motors, plus 30-minute cruises on the Wm. B. Tennison! Food vendors will be on-site. Admission to the festival and the museum is FREE!
Sundays, May 5, 12, 19 & 26 – Sunday Afternoons with Poppie 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Make your Sunday afternoon memorable by coming to visit with our very own Pop Star “Poppie,” our Virginia Opossum. You can join the Poppie paparazzi in the museum lobby with one of our educational interpreters, learn all kinds of fun possum facts, and visit our Museum Store for possum fan gear. Since the welfare of our animals is our primary concern, Poppie’s ability to visit with her adoring public may occasionally be subject to change on short notice.
Sunday, May 12 – Mother’s Day Evening Cruise 4:30 – 6 p.m.
Celebrate mom or your “special” someone aboard the Wm. B. Tennison! Relax together and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Solomons Harbor and Patuxent River. Heavy hors d’oeuvre and a special dessert will be served. Guests are welcome to bring their own beverages; water, tea and lemonade will be provided. Cost is $40 for adults, $20 for children ages 5-12, and $10 for children 4 and under. To purchase tickets, visit https://www.calvertmarinemuseum.com/498/Special-Cruises
Tuesday, May 14 – NEW Program: Creature Feature 10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
Come to the museum for the Monthly Mystery Creature Feature. Every second Tuesday of the month, the CMM Education Team will feature an animal in the museum lobby that is not normally on display. Learn about a new animal and discover the wonderful variety of creatures found in our local estuaries. Take-home educational coloring pages will be available! Check our social media feed for the big reveal on Monday to find out what Tuesday’s Creature Feature will be! Included with museum admission.
Friday, May 17 – Night at the Museum for Friends with Disabilities 5 – 7 p.m.
The museum and grounds will be open exclusively for guests with disabilities and their families, friends, or caregivers. This FREE evening of fun is offered through a collaboration with CCPR Therapeutic Recreation Services (TRS). Enjoy the skates and rays, fish, fossils, and maritime history in a relaxed and
supportive environment. Learn about river otters and meet Bubbles, our otter mascot. Poppie the opossum will also make an appearance. Explore the Discovery Room, boat basin, and Drum Point Lighthouse.
The Museum Store will be open and full of items for all ages and interests. Take a 30-minute cruise on the Wm. B. Tennison at 5 p.m., 5:45 p.m., or 6:30 p.m. A calming room is available. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED for each person to ride the Wm. B. Tennison – Call 410-535-1600, ext. 8204 or 8205 to register for a cruise. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required for museum access – Register online at Preregister to access the museum and search for Activity #470773.
Monday, May 20 – CMM Members Save 20% in the Museum Store 10:15 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
CMM members enjoy a 20% discount in the Museum Store today and on the 20th of every month. Purchases can be shipped via USPS, Priority Mail, or held at the store for curbside pickup.
Thursdays, May 23 & 30 – Little Minnows: Marsh Detectives 10:15 a.m. & 11:15 a.m.
For preschoolers ages 3 – 5, with an adult. This program focuses on one of the museum’s three themes. Join us for story time and a craft, available while supplies last. Sessions are 25-40 minutes. Sign up at the Admissions Desk when you arrive. For more information visit: Little Minnows | Calvert Marine Museum, MD – Official Website
Monday, May 27 – Wm. B. Tennison Holiday Public Cruise 2 p.m.
Celebrate Memorial Day with a leisurely one-hour sightseeing cruise on the river aboard the Wm. B. Tennison, a log-built bugeye. Capacity allows for 40 guests. Cost is $9 for adults and $5 for children, infant through 12 years. For more information and to register, visit: Wm. B. Tennison Cruises | Calvert Marine Museum, MD – Official Website
Explore how the prehistoric past, natural environments, and maritime heritage come to life and tell a unique story of the Chesapeake Bay. The Calvert Marine Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $11.00 for adults; $9.00 for seniors, military, and veterans with valid I.D, AAA and AARP members; $6.00 for children ages 5 – 12; children under 5 and museum members are admitted free. Proud participant in Museums for ALL. For more information about the museum, upcoming events, or membership, visit the website at www.calvertmarinemuseum.com or call 410-326-2042. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
