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About

Who We Are

Our Mission

The Maryland Center for History and Culture collects, preserves, and interprets the history, art, and culture of Maryland. By exploring multiple perspectives and sharing national stories through the lens of Maryland, MCHC inspires critical thinking, creativity, and community.

Read Our Vision and values

The Maryland Center for History and Culture — formerly the Maryland Historical Society — is the oldest continuously operating nonprofit cultural institution in the state. MCHC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that houses a collection of 7 million books, documents, manuscripts, and photographs, and 350,000 objects in its museum and library located in Baltimore.

MCHC serves as a leading center of Maryland history education for people of all ages. For students and teachers, our education programming includes onsite museum field trips, Traveling Trunks, Virtual Field Trips, and professional development workshops. For adults, we host lectures, tours, workshops, and Virtual Field Trips to inspire lifelong learning and spark curiosity in history.

Land Acknowledgment

The Maryland Center for History and Culture acknowledges that the land on which our institution stands is part of the ancestral lands of the Piscataway and Susquehannock Nations, and current home to many Indigenous communities. We acknowledge this kinship far predates European contact. Maryland’s history includes the displacement, intergenerational harm, and forced eviction of many Indigenous tribes and nations through colonization. Within this context, our organization strives to represent a truthful and equitable retelling of this history while repairing and building authentic relationships with our Indigenous neighbors in Baltimore and across Maryland. We commit to uplifting and incorporating the voices of these communities through outreach, inclusive interpretive strategies, correction and maintenance of our educational materials, and stewardship of related museum and library collections.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion

Since its founding in 1844, the Maryland Center for History and Culture’s mission has been to preserve and steward Maryland’s history and culture. While this mission remains true today, we realize the organization has been shaped by privilege and power. As a result, the MCHC collection and interpretation does not fully represent the diverse population of Maryland. A shared sense of place and heritage is integral to building community, and MCHC’s past practices have often been exclusive and harmful to underrepresented Marylanders.

MCHC is actively examining our shared role in systemic racism and forging a new path that is more diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive for all Marylanders. By assessing and developing policies and activities through a DEAI lens, MCHC will more fully realize our mission, vision, and core values of community, authenticity, dialogue, and discovery.

Our ultimate goal is to become an organization that authentically reflects the voices of all Marylanders. Most urgent is the need to further develop a staff and board that reflects the diversity of our state. With this in mind, MCHC is taking the following actions now:

  • Equitable and inclusive hiring of staff;
  • Active and inclusive recruitment of board members;
  • Continuous DEAI training for staff, board of trustees, and volunteers;
  • Representative collecting practices;
  • Inclusive interpretation, programming, and exhibitions.

These actions will serve as the foundation of our ongoing commitment to discovery and reconciliation, informed by open dialogue with our peers, members, and the many diverse communities that make up Maryland.

Our History. Our Moment. Our Future.

The Maryland Center for History and Culture (MCHC) is poised for the future, following the newly-developed 2023-2028 Strategic Plan.

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History

The Maryland Historical Society introduced its new identity as the Maryland Center for History and Culture in September 2020. Having…

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FAQs

Read some of our most frequently asked questions. If you have questions that are not answered here, email [email protected]. Questions…

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Staff

View a list of staff and departments at the Maryland Center for History and Culture.

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Media Center

Welcome to the Media Center for the Maryland Center for History and Culture. Members of the press can find information…

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Private Events

Located in the heart of the Mount Vernon cultural district in Baltimore, one block west of the Washington Monument, the…

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Miller History Fund

The Thomas V. “Mike” Miller Jr. History Fund provides support for projects at museums, historical societies, libraries, and other repositories…

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Fellowships & Prizes

The Maryland Center for History and Culture is a proud supporter of ongoing academic research. Our organization offers fellowships and…

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Career & Volunteer Opportunities

Above and beyond our collections of important historical artifacts and art, the people who work and volunteer behind the scenes…

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Board of Trustees

View a list of our board leadership at the Maryland Center for History and Culture.

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