Antietam shadow box
Shadow box made in 1886 by John Philemon Smith who witnessed the Battle of Antietam. It records the dedication of the Antietam National Cemetery in 1867 and lists Union soldiers who died.
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Hutzler’s box
Collar box, circa 1880. Philip Harry Foxman (1885-1955) of Baltimore donated this item to the Hutzler Brothers Company Archives. He worked in the furniture business for many years.
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Eubie Blake Piano
A celesta piano owned by Baltimore jazz musician James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (1887-1983). Made by Mustel & Company in Paris, France. Circa 1923.
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Etting Mug
To commemorate their contribution to history, the men who defended North Point and Fort McHenry in 1814 scratched their names into this six-inch tall tin mug owned by Samuel Etting.
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The Maryland Center for History and Culture is more than a Museum and Library. We provide space for discovery and developing a deeper understanding of the nation’s history and culture through the lens of Maryland.
Upcoming Program
Member Program—Sneak Peek of Maryland Public Television’s “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom” Documentary
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Flickering Treasures
Flickering TreasuresRediscovering Baltimore’s Forgotten Movie Theaters—Open through March 2023
In 1896, Marylanders crowded to Electric Park to see the lights and attractions, including the very first moving-picture show. Movies were magical, transporting the viewers to new places, inviting them to escape their everyday lives, marvel at a new technology, gather news, and appreciate art. Movie theaters became symbols for the worlds they were unlocking, ethereal buildings where people gathered to take a journey together through the movie screen. Open through March 2023.
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Visions of Night
Visions of NightBaltimore Nocturnes–Open through March 2023
Artists have been creating visions of nighttime for centuries. Photographers have long attempted to capture images at night, but truly successful attempts did not come to fruition or common practice until the 1930s, when technology caught up with artistic vision. Visions of Night showcases photographs taken at night in the city from the collections of the Maryland Center for History and Culture, as well as contemporary photography, including the work of Sydney J. Allen, J.M. Giordano, John Clark Mayden, Webster Phillips III, and others. This exhibition is funded by the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, creator of the Baker Artist Portfolios, http://www.BakerArtist.org.
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Wild and Untamed
Wild and UntamedDunton’s Discovery of the Baltimore Album Quilts—Open through March 2023
Follow Dr. William Rush Dunton Jr. on his journey to understand the Baltimore album quilt tradition and learn how quilts served as the building blocks for his groundbreaking work in occupational therapy. Explore our internationally famous quilt collection, including never-before-seen pieces, and Dr. Dunton’s personal works to unravel a narrative that connects Dunton’s views on quilts, gender, and mental health in the 1940s. Open through March 2023.
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Passion and Purpose
Passion and PurposeVoices of Maryland’s Civil Rights Activists
Marylanders have been at the forefront of the national Black freedom struggle, from lawsuits that revealed the lies of the “separate but equal” doctrine in the 1930s and ’40s, to massive protests in the streets during the 1960s that forced a nation to confront its moral consciousness. This legacy continues through today. Visitors to Passion and Purpose learn and draw inspiration from the lived experiences of these activists who make up a complex mosaic of the long and continuing fight for civil rights in Maryland and the nation. This exhibition is on long-term view.
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Discover Maryland
Discover MarylandOpen through September 2022
Who are Marylanders, why are they so obsessed with their flag, and what does duckpin bowling have to do with the Baltimore Orioles? This exhibition explores how Maryland and its people have changed since its founding in 1634. Learn how the dynamic geography of the state drove its industry, population, and the identity of Marylanders, and how the arts and culture of Maryland reflect on its past. For traveling visitors and lifelong Marylanders, Discover Maryland shows there is much to uncover about Maryland. Open through September 2022.
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Dedicated to preserving the irreplaceable history of Maryland
The H. Furlong Baldwin Library invites visitors to explore the records of Maryland’s past and preserves irreplaceable historical materials for future generations.
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Educational Programs
Students gain essential social studies skills by engaging with our collections in person and virtually.
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A Word From Our Members
Our members believe what we believe: history can illuminate the past, lend perspective to the present, and inform the future. Don’t take our word for it. Hear what they have to say.
Join or renewI am thrilled to see how [the MCHC] has become more open to the Baltimore community, especially in making materials more accessible through interactive exhibits and in research and scholarship. A membership is very cost-effective if you are actively researching in the collections.
Jean Lee Cole, Member Since 2013
100+ Years of the Maryland Historical Magazine
Read past issues digitized through a partnership with the Maryland State Archives. Enjoy print copies mailed to you with membership.
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Baltimore Pride: Highlighting Our LGBTQ+ Collections
June is celebrated nationwide as Pride Month. To celebrate this year’s Pride Month, we showcase some of the LGBTQ+ materials found within the Maryland Center for History and Culture’s Museum and Library collections.
Read MoreGenerous leading support for this website was provided by the Sheridan Foundation with additional support from the Helen Clay Frick Foundation.