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Baltimore Maps & Attractions Guide
Baltimore maps & Attractions - Things to do
in Baltimore
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Baltimore
Attractions - Things to do
1. Maryland Science Center
601 Light Street, Inner Harbor
www.marylandsciencecenter.org |
What is it? The new glass, steel and concrete structure
on the Inner Harbor houses the Maryland Science Center with five
storeys of interactive exhibits, an IMAX theatre, the world-famous
Davis Planetarium and an observatory. The Maryland Academy of
Sciences is one of the USA's oldest scientific institutions, dating
from 1797, and the institution remains focused on education. There
are imaginative and hands-on displays ranging from astronomy and
space travel, to dinosaurs and general science experiments. 'Your
Body: The Inside Story' exhibition explores the biological world
inside a human being and the challenges and advances in health
science through interactive exhibits are the focus of BodyLink,
while Newton's Alley offers dozens of hands-on experiments to
provide insight into light, magnetism, mechanics, sight, and sound.
The planetarium runs programs with stargazing at night and
sungazing during the day through the observatory telescope. Other
popular attractions include The Kids Room and the National Touring
Exhibit.
Hours of Operation: Sunday to Wednesday 10am to 6pm, Thursday to
Saturday: 10am to 8pm (summer); Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm,
Saturday 10am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm (winter)
Phone:(410) 685 5225 (24-hour information line) |
2. National Aquarium
Pier 3, Inner Harbor, 501 E. Pratt Street
www.aqua.org |
What is it? The National Aquarium is Maryland's leading
tourist attraction, and one of the best aquariums in the world. It
was recently voted one of the top ten family attractions in the US.
Here visitors can tour the tidewaters of Maryland, the Pacific
coastland or a tropical rainforest without leaving Baltimore. The
permanent residents include sea horses, turtles, stingrays and
octopus. The aquarium offers much more than marine life: there are
several special exhibits like the Amazon Rainforest display with
Poison Dart Frogs, dwarf caiman, anacondas, sloths, colourful birds
and conehead lizards, as well as plants and fish. A sea cliffs
habitat features puffins and other north Atlantic sea birds, while
the Coral Reefs and Open Ocean tanks are walk-through displays
bringing visitors face to face with sharks and exotic fish. In
addition to the permanent exhibits, dolphins jump, wave and flip in
regularly scheduled shows at the Marine Mammal Pavilion. Visitors
can catch an underwater view from an atrium below the pool or watch
the tricks from the stands, but be warned: The areas marked Splash
Zone really are splash zones.
Hours of Operation: Daily 9am to 5pm daily, Fridays until 8pm (March to
June); Sunday to Thursday 9am to 6pm, until 8pm Fridays and
Saturdays (July and August); daily 10am to 5pm, until 8pm on
Fridays (November to February). Visitors may stay in the museum for
an hour and a half after closing time
Phone:(410) 576 3800 |
3. Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Museum
901 West Pratt Street
www.borail.org |
What is it? The B&O Railroad Museum's roster of
rolling stock, historic railway buildings, and assortment of
memorabilia from stations and trains makes it a Mecca for
trainspotters, but even for those who are not train fanatics, this
is one of the best sights in Baltimore and is a fascinating place
for the whole family. Housed in the huge Roundhouse is an enormous
collection of locomotives, passenger cars, classic heritage trains,
mail cars and Pullman sleepers. A full-scale model of the first
locomotive, Tom Thumb is on display along with a red caboose from
1907. Other exhibits include posters, historic photographs and
newspaper cuttings, as well as a superb model railway, and numerous
interactive and entertaining exhibits. Some recreate experiments
from the 1830s such as sail-powered carriages, hand cranks and
propulsion using dogs or horses. The B&O was the first
railroad in the US, dating from 1827, and the museum is located on
the site of the first station in America.
Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm,
Sunday 11am to 4pm
Phone:(410) 752 2490 |
4. Fort McHenry
2400 East Fort Avenue
www.nps.gov/fomc |
What is it? The Fort McHenry National Monument will
forever be associated with America's national anthem written by the
poet Francis Scott Key while watching the British attack during the
War of 1812. After more than 25 hours of non-stop bombing by the
British naval forces in an unsuccessful attempt to stop America
gaining independence, the fort still stood with the huge American
flag flying high. It was the only action the brick fort had seen in
more than 100 years of guarding the water approach to Baltimore. A
visit to the fort includes a short historical film 'The Defence of
Fort McHenry', and a guided tour with exhibits in the various
quarters recalling the siege and the fort's Civil War service. On
summer weekends military ceremonies and drills are performed, as
well as a living history program simulating the daily activities
during the battle. The monument and its grounds are a national park
and visits to the parklands are free. There is also a daily
changing of the flag ceremony that involves about 20 people
required to fold the enormous star-spangled banner. The ceremony is
concluded by a short historical talk about the fort, flag and
anthem. From the fort there are fine views down the Patapsco River
to the Inner Harbor and towards Chesapeake
Bay.
Hours of Operation: Open daily from 8am to 8pm (June to September), and
from 8am to 5pm (October to May). Flag changes take place at 9.30am
and 7.30pm in summer (9.30am and 4.30pm in winter)
Phone:(410) 962 4290 |
5. Western Maryland
www.visitwesternmaryland.com |
What is it? Western Maryland is a haven for outdoor
enthusiasts in every season, with beautiful scenery, thousands of
acres of parkland, lakes for swimming, fly-fishing and boating,
winter skiing and white-water rafting. Visitors can climb the
state's highest mountain, hike part of the famous Appalachian
Trail, or cycle or hike along the popular Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal, which once served as a towpath for mule-drawn barges between
Washington DC and Cumberland. The state's largest freshwater lake,
Deep Creek Lake, is the hub of outdoor recreation in Garrett
County, with a variety of watersports, golf and skiing. Apart from
outdoor recreation and fantastic scenery, the only other specific
point of interest is the haunting plaques of the Civil War
battlefield at Antietam.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
Baltimore Holidays guide
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Transport -Most visitors to Baltimore will visit the
compact Inner Harbour and downtown areas, which are easy to
navigate on foot or by public transport.
More information at the |
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