The William Paca House is famous for its reconstructed eighteenth-century garden. A place for leisure, experimentation, artistry, and the production of food and medicine, William Paca’s garden—and gardens elsewhere in Annapolis and the British Atlantic World—were integral to everyday life. Join Bethany McGlyn as she explores several eighteenth-century Annapolis gardens, their construction and design, and the stories of the enslaved and servant gardeners whose expertise maintained them. Registration required. Cost: $15 per household for General Admission; $10 per household for HA Members and Volunteers

From punches to bounces, syllabubs to juleps, colonists imbibed a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. At Colonial Cocktails, you’ll get to make and enjoy two historical drinks and learn about colonial tavern culture. In this session, we'll be getting into the holiday spirit with Rumrousal, a sweet milk punch, and Mulled Wine, the precursor to our modern Wassail. New Wintertime Location! This month, our Colonial Cocktails program will be held at the Historic Gresham Estate. Information and directions will be sent to registrants prior to the program.​ Please note: this...

The Art of the Game: Cards, Horse Racing, and Tavern Life in the Early Chesapeake The fourth annual Collectors’ Day will be a virtual lecture series with an optional onsite reception. Lectures (via Zoom, to be accessed at attendees’ homes) will feature the taverns, game rooms, race tracks, and forested hunting grounds of America’s sporting past. Beginning in the 18th century, the Chesapeake region developed a sporting culture similar to England’s—with card games and horse racing as the central activities. Fortunes were gained and lost during card games. While the...

Historic Annapolis and the Maryland Historical Trust invite you to virtually attend the fourth annual Orlando Ridout V Memorial Lecture. Following an introduction by Robert C. Clark of Historic Annapolis and Marcia Miller of the Maryland Historical Trust, Thomas Reinhart, Director of Preservation at George Washington's Mount Vernon, will present the lecture No Other Guide But His Eye: The Design and Construction of George Washington's Townhouses on Capitol Hill. In 1798, former President George Washington undertook the building of two joined rental houses near the US Capitol in a bid to...

Life for kids in the Colonial Chesapeake wasn’t all about work. In this program, kids will learn to play some sports and games that were popular in London Town’s heyday. While having fun, children will learn important communication and team-building skills. ​ For the safety of participants and staff, this event will be held outside with appropriate distancing, group sizes, and cleaning in accordance with CDC and local guidance.​ $8 for member children grades 1 - 4 (become one today!) $10 for non-member children grades 1 - 4​ Pre-Registration Required Maximum of...

Join Dr. Elaine Breslaw for an analysis of the trends in American health care by both professional and folk practitioners from the initial settlements to the mid-nineteenth century. We will discuss treatment of disease, epidemic crises, food habits, childbirth practices, the attitude toward the insane, wartime problems, and public health issues, with revelations about how and why the medical profession declined in importance during those years. Learn about Dr. Alexander Hamilton of Annapolis, a highly educated doctor from Scotland who migrated to colonial Maryland in 1737. He’s best known for his 1744 trip through the...

Join us for explorations of SERC research with our Science Saturdays. Bring the family for a day of hands-on activities alongside Smithsonian scientists Saturday, Nov 21: Biodiversity Explore biodiversity in and around the Chesapeake Bay. Event Location: Mathias Lab on SERC campus Cost: FREE and open to all Location: Mathias Lab on SERC campus. We’ll show you where to park when you get here. Directions can be found on our website. Bring: You are welcome to bring your own lunch or snacks, food will not be available for purchase.

Life for kids in the Colonial Chesapeake wasn’t all about work. In this program, kids will learn to play some sports and games that were popular in London Town’s heyday. While having fun, children will learn important communication and team-building skills. ​ For the safety of participants and staff, this event will be held outside with appropriate distancing, group sizes, and cleaning in accordance with CDC and local guidance.​ $8 for member children grades 1 - 4 (become one today!) $10 for non-member children grades 1 - 4​ Pre-Registration Required Maximum of...

The Galesville Community Center Organization, Inc. (GCCO) proudly presents a virtual live stream presentation to reimagine Margaret Crowner's Cook Shop, a two-room structure that served the Galesville and the West Benning Road communities. Mark your calendar to watch this engaging online virtual presentation on Saturday, November 21 at 6:00 pm. This event will be live streamed on Galesville Community Center Organization Facebook. A link to access the live stream will be emailed a week prior to November 21st and available on GCCO Facebook. Built in 1941 by Margaret’s husband Benjamin...

"I was someone before I met Alexander Hamilton." So begins the novel My Dear Hamilton, the only book in fiction - or non-fiction - to recount the untold story of the entirety of the life of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, wife of Alexander Hamilton and a Founding Mother, who was a patriot in her own right and a little-known warrior in her husband's quest to form a more perfect union. New York Times bestselling author Laura Kamoie will discuss the history behind and writing of her novel. Registration required. Cost: $15 per...