Historic Annapolis

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Historic Annapolis Historic Annapolis ensures the legacy of Annapolis’s past will continue to enrich the city’s future. Check out what's going on at annapolis.org.

Exciting events and programs for the entire family throughout the year. Museum of Historic Annapolis
99 Main Street | 410.990.4754
For Hours and to Book Your Entry: museum.annapolis.org


William Paca House & Garden
186 Prince George Street | 410.990.4543
For Hours and to Book Your Entry: www.annapolis.org/other/visit-paca-house


Hogshead Trades Museum
43 Pinkney Street | 410.990.4543
For Hours: www.annapolis.org/contact/hogshead

10/15/2026

Sailing into Annapolis for the Sailboat Show? ⛵ Make time to explore the history beyond the harbor!

While you’re enjoying the boats and waterfront views, discover the stories, historic buildings, and traditions that make downtown Annapolis so special.

Just a short walk from City Dock, Historic Annapolis invites you to explore:

🏛️ Museum of Historic Annapolis – Journey through centuries of history and discover the people who shaped our city.

Hogshead Trades Museum – Experience colonial life and learn about the trades and crafts of the past.

Waterfront Warehouse – Explore Annapolis’s maritime heritage and its connection to the Chesapeake Bay.

Bringing the family? Our historic sites offer fun, educational experiences for visitors of all ages!

Walk-ins are welcome! Take a break from the show, step into history, and discover another side of Annapolis.

Plan your visit: https://www.annapolis.org/visit/properties/

to Jazz in the Garden in 2024! 🎷🍂We’re looking back at a beautiful afternoon of live music, autumn color, and guests e...
10/15/2026

to Jazz in the Garden in 2024! 🎷🍂

We’re looking back at a beautiful afternoon of live music, autumn color, and guests enjoying the William Paca Garden together.

This year, the Annapolis Jazz Collective returns for another relaxed fall afternoon of smooth, soulful jazz in the garden.

📅 Sunday, October 25
🕒 3–5 pm
📍 William Paca House & Garden
🎟️ $25 General Admission; $20 HA Members & Military; $10 children 17 and under

Come make some new memories with us this fall!
Learn more and register: https://www.annapolis.org/event/autumn-jazz-in-the-garden/

🍎🥧 Happy National Dessert Day! What better way to celebrate than with a dessert that has been enjoyed for centuries?For ...
10/14/2026

🍎🥧 Happy National Dessert Day! What better way to celebrate than with a dessert that has been enjoyed for centuries?

For today’s post, we’re taking inspiration from an 1788 apple pie recipe. This version calls for apples layered with sugar, lemon peel and juice, cloves, and a touch of mace, all tucked into a puff-paste crust. The cook could even add a little quince or marmalade “if you please.”

Apple pies and tarts were already well established in British foodways by the 18th century, making them a familiar treat in the Anglo-American culinary tradition. Our fall kitchen display at the William Paca House brings that history to life with a faux apple pie and seasonal apples ready for baking.

So, on National Dessert Day, we have to ask: would you try an apple pie made from a 1788 recipe? 🍏

What does it mean to be a changemaker? ✨As part of our America 250 exhibition, “The Power of One: 250 Years of Annapolis...
10/13/2026

What does it mean to be a changemaker? ✨

As part of our America 250 exhibition, “The Power of One: 250 Years of Annapolis Changemakers,” visitors are invited to reflect on that question and leave behind their own Changemaker Card after exploring the exhibit at the Museum of Historic Annapolis.

We’ve been inspired by the thoughtful responses so far—from “giving a voice to the voiceless” and “advocating for justice & equity” to reminders to listen, build community, dream boldly, and keep going.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to participate and share what change means to you. 💙

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be highlighting more of these responses as part of our 250th Changemaker Highlights—sharing the voices and ideas of our visitors as we reflect on America’s past, present, and future.

Visit “The Power of One: 250 Years of Annapolis Changemakers” at the Museum of Historic Annapolis and add your own voice to the conversation.

At 61 College Avenue, the Commodore Waddell House stands out for its low, horizontal profile and distinctive late-19th-c...
10/12/2026

At 61 College Avenue, the Commodore Waddell House stands out for its low, horizontal profile and distinctive late-19th-century design.

Built in 1881 for James Iredell Waddell and his wife, Ann Sellman Iglehart Waddell, the house combines British Queen Anne and Arts and Crafts influences. Unlike the tall towers and turrets often associated with later American Queen Anne houses, this design takes inspiration from the English cottage tradition, with broad intersecting rooflines, deep overhanging eaves, corbelled chimneys, paired windows, and richly crafted details.

The interior was equally distinctive. The house was originally designed with just one bedroom, reflecting the needs of the childless Waddells, and included a separate service wing. Later, the property was donated to St. John’s College, used as a fraternity house, converted into apartments, and ultimately restored as a single-family residence in the 1960s under architect James Burch.

Historic photographs from 1996.

10/10/2026

In town for the Annapolis Boat Show? ⛵ There's more to explore beyond the boats!

Just steps from City Dock, immerse yourself in over 400 years of Annapolis history with Historic Annapolis!

🏛️ Museum of Historic Annapolis – Discover the people and stories that shaped our city.

Hogshead Trades Museum – Step back in time and explore everyday life and trades in colonial Annapolis.

Waterfront Warehouse – Uncover Annapolis's maritime past and its historic waterfront.

Whether you're visiting with family, bringing the kids, or looking for something different to do between boat show activities, there's history waiting around every corner!

Walk-ins are welcome! Stop by, explore, and make the most of your visit to downtown Annapolis.

Plan your visit: https://www.annapolis.org/visit/properties/

Did you know? A calf’s head could tell a story about more than what was for dinner.While calf’s head was familiar in B...
10/09/2026

Did you know? A calf’s head could tell a story about more than what was for dinner.

While calf’s head was familiar in British cuisine, it also appeared in 18th-century political imagery. Prints held by the Royal Collection Trust in the United Kingdom depict the so-called Calves’ Head Club, connecting the dish with political satire and opposition surrounding the memory of King Charles I.

It’s a fascinating reminder that food can reveal much more than taste. What appeared on a plate could also become part of the politics, culture, and symbolism of its time.

And suddenly, the calf’s head on the William Paca House table opens the door to a much bigger story.



References:
Royal Collection Trust, The Calf’s Head
Royal Collection Trust, The Calves’ Head Club
https://www.rct.uk/collection/913483/the-calfs-head
https://www.rct.uk/collection/913484/the-calves-head-club

10/08/2026

Knock on wood… and join us for a little history and mystery!

Discover the fascinating superstitions and beliefs of centuries past on our Very Superstitious! Tour at the William Paca House and Garden.

Friday, October 9 | 11 AM–12 PM
William Paca House and Garden

Space is limited! Register now: https://www.annapolis.org/event/very-superstitious-tour-2026-oct9/

to Folk Art & Familia: Celebrating Our Hispanic Heritage, our 2022–2023 exhibition created in partnership with The Mar...
10/08/2026

to Folk Art & Familia: Celebrating Our Hispanic Heritage, our 2022–2023 exhibition created in partnership with The Marshall Learning Center. 🎨

Featuring artwork by Hispanic artists ages 7–14, the exhibition celebrated connections to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama through color, symbolism, family stories, and cultural traditions.

Students at The Marshall Learning Center also interviewed relatives to learn more about their family connections to Central America and Mexico, bringing personal history into each work of art.

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re looking back at the creativity, stories, and community connections that made this exhibition so special.

National Museum of the American Latino

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