The Calvert Marine Museum is in the perfect location with a picturesque backdrop of Solomons Island. This 29,000 sq foot exhibit hall hosts amazing displays that are sure to keep your little one entertained. Don’t miss out on the outdoor exhibits which include; Drum Point Lighthouse, marsh walk and boat house. This museum is perfect for curious little minds as there are lots of hands on activities that cultivate learning and fun. In this article I will walk you through the museum and share what you won’t want to miss. We usually start the day by visiting the skates and rays and then go outside since the sun is lower in the morning and during the summer it can get hot and humid in Southern Maryland.

Featured Exhibit:  Observe beautiful and delicate skates and a sting rays float through the water! Discover the differences between skates and rays, and see their stages of development.

Otters and the Marsh Walk:  Meet the new baby otters and watch them swim, dive, and play. Walk along the shores of salt and fresh water marshes; observe a variety of birds, crabs, fish and plants in their natural habitat.

Craft Shop & Boat House: An impressive collection of boats from different eras are on display in an open building.  Make sure you also pop over to see master woodcarvers and shipbuilders at work in the craft shop.


The Drum Point Lighthouse: Drum Point Lighthouse is a beautiful cottage style light house built in 1883. Your little Lighthouse keeper can climb up and walk through these living quarters and get a glimpse at what it would have been like to live in this structure in the early 20th Century. Be sure to ask for help as the stairs can be tricky to navigate, staff are always happy to assist and guide visitors and children.

Maritime History Exhibit: Come back indoors to view two levels of interesting artifacts and boats from different eras in history.

Estuarine Biology Aquariums: The extraordinary exhibit highlights three unique bay habitats: the deep open waters, the brackish coastal shallows, and freshwater tidal tributaries. The fish are bright and beautiful and fun to watch swim around.


Paleontology Exhibit: Dive into prehistoric past to get a look at fossils, models and interact with multimedia exhibits that show the sea creatures that lived long ago.

The Discovery Room: This is the ultimate kid zone. Your little sailor can pretend to sail on a boat, dress up in colonial costumes and climb the play lighthouse, observe and touch small marine creatures and dig for fossils. You can even take home a shark tooth with you; just tape it to a fact sheet and have an assistant write down what species of shark it came from.

 DON’T MISS OUT ON SHARKFEST…COMING UP NEXT WEEKEND!

Sink your teeth into fun and facts about sharks during Calvert Marine Museums Sharkfest on July 9, 2016 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sharkfest isn’t designed to scare away visitors- the museum strives to dispel the misconceptions surrounding sharks. This family-friendly program is full of hands on activities for all ages. Learn fascinating sharktoids, check out the evidence of damage done on fossil whale bones by prehistoric sharks, paint a shark mural, make a shark hat, play in the Shark Game Show and win a prize, and take your picture in the jaws of a Megalodon shark. Talk with experts and learn interesting facts that surround these misunderstood creatures and their essential role in the oceans ecosystem and the many threats they face. There will even be a giant inflatable shark to slide down for little ones.

Information:

The Calvert Marine Museum
14200 Solomons Island Road
Solomons, MD 20688
www.calvertmarinemuseum.com
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed on certain holidays) 

Admission Rates:
Adults-$9.00
Senior Citizens/Military/AAA- $7.00
Children ages 5 to 12-$4.00
Children under 5- FREE
CMMS members- FREE

While in the area be sure to explore Solomons Island; there are many fantastic restaurants, quit shops, and historic land marks to explore. For more information visit; www.solomonsmaryland.com.