Picture Provided by Stephanie Konecny

The Calvert Marine Museum provides people with a place to enjoy the history of the Southern Maryland area.  Designed and built by volunteers, the museum was established in Solomons Island on October 18, 1970.  It outgrew its first location on the island and was moved to its present 9-acre location in 1975, and dedicated on June 25 of that same year.  At this time, the Drum Point Lighthouse, which is housed on the museum grounds, was also moved to its current location on Back Creek.  In 1979, the Calvert Marine Museum was given a separate department to the Calvert County Government with a 17-member board overseeing the department.  In 1981, the museum was fully accredited by the American Association of Museums, and re-accredited in 1996. 

The Museum displays many exhibits about life along the Patuxent River.  These exhibits include "Maritime Patuxent", an account of human activity along the Patuxent River, a "hand-on" discovery room, an outdoor aquarium holding two live female otters, aquariums displaying aquatic plants and animals from water between Chesapeake Bay and upper Potomac River, and a Paleontology room whose exhibits display fossils found at nearby Calvert Cliffs.  On the grounds of the museum are the Drum Point Lighthouse, The Bugeye Wm. B. Tennison, a woodcarving and model boat shop, a boat basin and marsh walkway, a small craft building, and a Boat Building Skills Prevention Center, which is home to Patuxent Small Craft Guild.  The museum also watches over the following off-site exhibits: J. C. Lore & Sons Oyster House, Cove Point Lighthouse, and a Pound-net Fishing Exhibit located at Flag Ponds Nature Center. 

Hours:
Open Daily -- 10am - 5pm
Admission Fee
 

In 1899, Frank Laird built The Bugeye Wm. B. Tennison for Benjamin P. and Rufus L. Miles.  The Tennison is a 9-log sailing bug-eye hull.  The boat has a 60 foot deck, 17 foot beam, and was used as an oyster dredge boat until 1908 when it was converted to a buy boat.  The Tennison has been sailing since 1899 and is the oldest licensed passenger vessel in the 5th District of the US Coat Guard.  It could possibly by the 2nd oldest in all of the United States, but is definitely the last of her type. The bugeye has had many owners, and was sold to J. C. Lore & Sons Company of Solomons in 1945.  The bugeye sailed with this company until its closure in 1978.  The Calvert Marine Museum purchased the Tennison and the Oyster House in 1979. 

Today The Bugeye Wm. B. Tennison cruises through Solomons Inner Harbor, leaving from the dock of the Calvert Marine Museum. 

Hours:
May - October
Wed - Sunday -- 2pm
July - August
Sat & Sun -- 12:30pm, 2pm
Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Columbus Day
12:30pm, 2pm, 310pm

Founded in 1888 by J. C. Lore, Sr., this oyster house was one of the largest and most successful seafood packing houses in Southern Maryland.  The oyster house is owned and operated by the Calvert Marine Museum.  It now houses two exhibits which displays the fisheries history, and present traditions of wooden workboat building in the region.

Location:
Rt. 2
south of museum