Museum of Frederick County History
24 E Church St, Frederick, MD, 21701-5402
The Frederick Heritage Society has been documenting the town’s history for well over a century. At the Museum of Frederick County History, visitors can learn more about the picturesque, colonial-era Maryland town through multiple temporary exhibits. Shows focus on everything from local artists (including America’s first Black portrait artist), the county’s traditional decorative arts, and the Maryland families who helped shape generations of Frederick history.
The basics
Many people visit the Museum of Frederick County History to see one of the temporary exhibits, but the Federal-style building itself is a historic attraction, constructed in the 1820s. Learn more about the home’s history (including the orphaned and enslaved people who once lived there) through a permanent exhibit. In addition to operating the museum, the Frederick Heritage Society also offers walking tours through town, departing just outside.
Things to know before you go
Walking tours cover a range of themes, from art and architecture to Black history. You can even learn about Frederick’s seedier past on a tour focused on brawls, burglaries, and bootlegging.
The exhibits are free to enter on a self-guided basis from August until December; the volunteer-led walking tours cost extra.
Don’t miss the Heritage Garden, a quiet, walled green oasis behind the historic property. There’s a Little Free Library box, a medicinal garden, and scenic footpaths.
The Frederick Heritage Society also oversees a research library, open by appointment only.
How to get there
The Museum of Frederick County History is located in the middle of downtown Frederick, around the corner from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Frederick is about an hour’s drive from Washington DC, making it a popular day trip from the capital. If you’re coming from the Baltimore area, count on around a 50-minute drive depending on traffic conditions.
When to get there
The museum and garden are open to the public from Wednesday through Saturday, morning to late afternoon; check the museum’s website for a schedule of walking tours. The town of Frederick is particularly festive around the winter holidays. If you can stand Maryland’s muggy heat, July 4, when Baker Park hosts celebrations and fireworks, draws huge crowds.
Visit the National Museum of Civil War Medicine
After your visit, head to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, which provides an overview of the harsh realities that Civil War soldiers faced on the battlefields. Learn about the personal stories of men who fought in the war, the nurses and doctors who tended to them, and the innovations in medicine that emerged from this bleak period of American history.
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