Baltimore Maritime Museum   

5 W Pratt
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-396-3453
www.baltomaritimemuseum.org

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Part of the National Historic Seaport of Baltimore, the main attraction of this maritime museum isn't housed in a building -- the fun is all contained within three historic ships and a lighthouse. The USCGC Taney, the USS Submarine Torsk, and the Lightship Chesapeake make up the museum, along with a transplanted lighthouse that used to shine the way for sailors on the Chesapeake Bay. Each ship has a story to tell -- the USCGC Taney is the only ship still afloat that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor; the USS Torsk was the last warship to sink an enemy vessel in World War II; and the Lightship Chesapeake operated as a floating lighthouse, making sea travel safe when other navigational devices were impractical -- and each represents a different mode of maritime history. All three are permanently docked in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, ready to be explored and navigated by the masses, and there's even a library of more than 300 printed volumes and 1,000 photos for the more serious scholar to peruse. There are plenty of places to 'play' at the museum, so you shouldn't find it hard to enjoy yourself. But be careful: you may end up inadvertently learning in the process. -- Stacy Noyes