Tavern Talk: Inside Annapolis’s Revolutionary-Era Taverns
2026-10-31 11:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Hogshead Trades Museum, 43 Pinkney St, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States
Stop by Hogshead Trades Museum and explore tavern life in the busy port city of Annapolis during the Revolution. Join living historian Jacob Kirsch to discover how taverns served as more than places for food, drink, and lodging—they were gathering places for news, conversation, and community. Celebrate autumn with a sip of seasonal cider, observe a turnip Halloween carving, and discover other tavern traditions!
This is a drop-in style program. Visitors may join at any time during program hours and explore at their own pace through informal interaction and demonstrations. Advance registration recommended but not required.
Cost: FREE ($5 suggested donation)

Accessibility: Accessing this program requires ascending a flight of stairs. There are no restrooms on site.
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to cancel or alter any programs. Unless otherwise stated, all tickets are non-refundable.
Photography Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to take photographs and video footage of people of all ages at Historic Annapolis-sponsored events for publicity. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please opt out by notifying Historic Annapolis staff.

Very Superstitious! Paca House and Garden Tour: A History of Luck, Lore, and Beliefs
2026-10-31 16:00 - 17:00 | William Paca House & Garden, 186 Prince George St, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States
Discover the fascinating world of superstitions, folklore, and everyday beliefs that shaped life in centuries past. On this guided tour of the William Paca House and Garden, explore the origins of customs and practices once accepted as fact and, in some cases, still observed today.
From household rituals to good-luck charms and protective practices, uncover the meanings behind these enduring traditions and learn how they influenced daily life.
Join us for an engaging journey into the beliefs that helped people make sense of an uncertain world and discover how echoes of these old superstitions still linger today.
At the conclusion of the tour, guests are invited to enjoy seasonal refreshments and share their favorite superstition!
Note: This tour will be offered on a range of dates and times in October. To see times, visit our October event calendar.
Cost: $15 General Admission. $12 for Historic Annapolis members and Military.

Weather or private events may alter the tour route. Please dress for the weather. Advance registration recommended; space is limited.
Interested in a private version of this tour for your group of 10 or more? Contact Cara Garside, Visitor Services Manager, at grouptours@annapolis.org.
Accessibility Considerations: Accessing the interior of the William Paca House requires ascending and descending several flights of stairs.
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to cancel or alter any programs. Unless otherwise stated, all tickets are non-refundable.
Photography Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to take photographs and video footage of people of all ages at Historic Annapolis-sponsored events for publicity. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please opt out by notifying Historic Annapolis staff.

Honoring Maryland’s Emancipation Day at the Museum of Historic Annapolis
2026-11-01 11:30 - 12:30 | Museum of Historic Annapolis, 99 Main Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States
On November 1, 1864, a new state constitution abolished slavery in Maryland. Join us at the Museum of Historic Annapolis as we recognize and honor this historic event with a day of special programming and engaging activities- all included with Museum admission.

45-minute guided museum tours spotlight African American history, celebrate Maryland’s Emancipation Day, and highlight the powerful stories of African American community leaders in Annapolis. Tours will be offered at 11:30 AM & 1:30 PM. Pre-registration is encouraged.
Families can take part in a hands-on craft activity and explore our Book Nook featuring curated titles for children from our partners at the Anne Arundel County Public Library.

Tour is included with admission to the Museum. Admission Cost: General Admission: $7. Free for HA Members and Children age 7 and under.

The tour is also offered at 1:30pm.
About our Presenter: Briayna Cuffie is a civil servant by day and public historian, genealogist, strategist, and more by evening and weekend.

Accessibility: This program is fully accessible, including a flat accessible entryway and elevator access to restrooms.
KultureCity® Sensory Bags are available for visitors with sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation.
Click here to lean more: Historic Annapolis is a certified partner with KultureCity® – Historic Annapolis
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to cancel or alter any programs. Unless otherwise stated, all tickets are non-refundable.
Photography Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to take photographs and video footage of people of all ages at Historic Annapolis-sponsored events for publicity. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please opt out by notifying Historic Annapolis staff.

Honoring Maryland’s Emancipation Day at the Museum of Historic Annapolis
2026-11-01 13:30 - 14:30 | Museum of Historic Annapolis, 99 Main Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States
On November 1, 1864, a new state constitution abolished slavery in Maryland. Join us at the Museum of Historic Annapolis as we recognize and honor this historic event with a day of special programming and engaging activities- all included with Museum admission.

45-minute guided museum tours spotlight African American history, celebrate Maryland’s Emancipation Day, and highlight the powerful stories of African American community leaders in Annapolis. Tours will be offered at 11:30 AM & 1:30 PM. Pre-registration is encouraged.
Families can take part in a hands-on craft activity and explore our Book Nook featuring curated titles for children from our partners at the Anne Arundel County Public Library.

Tour is included with admission to the Museum. Admission Cost: General Admission: $7. Free for HA Members and Children age 7 and under.

The tour is also offered at 11:30am.
About our Presenter: Briayna Cuffie is a civil servant by day and public historian, genealogist, strategist, and more by evening and weekend.

Accessibility: This program is fully accessible, including a flat accessible entryway and elevator access to restrooms.
KultureCity® Sensory Bags are available for visitors with sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation.
Click here to lean more: Historic Annapolis is a certified partner with KultureCity® – Historic Annapolis
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to cancel or alter any programs. Unless otherwise stated, all tickets are non-refundable.
Photography Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to take photographs and video footage of people of all ages at Historic Annapolis-sponsored events for publicity. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please opt out by notifying Historic Annapolis staff.

Visit Brandywine Museum of Art and N.C. Wyeth House & Studio - A Bus Tour with Historic Annapolis
2026-11-05 07:30 - 17:00 | Maryland Hall, 801 Chase Street, Annapolis, Maryland, United States
Join Historic Annapolis for a delightful day trip to Brandywine Museum of Art!
You’ll enjoy a guided tour of the Brandywine Museum of Art, followed by a visit to the historic N.C. Wyeth House & Studio.
Discover a distinguished collection of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American art, housed in a renovated nineteenth-century mill with a dramatic steel and glass addition that overlooks the bucolic Brandywine River.
In 1911, artist N.C. Wyeth used proceeds from his Treasure Island illustrations to buy 18 acres near Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Today, the preserved house and studio feature original props, a large mural, and period furnishings that offer a glimpse into Wyeth’s work and family life.
The day also includes a delicious lunch and free time to stroll through the beautiful gardens, galleries or browse the museum gift shop. Reserve your seat today—space is limited!
Advance registration required; space is limited. Recommended for ages 16+.
Cost: $175 General Admission. $160 for HA Members, Volunteers, and Military.

Liability Waiver Required: All attendees will be required to complete the liability waiver and lunch form by Wednesday, October 14, 2026. If you have purchased more than one ticket under your name, each ticket holder must complete a separate form.

Your ticket includes:

Free parking at Maryland Hall (details below)
Roundtrip motorcoach transportation from Annapolis to Brandywine Museum of Art
Private Group Guided tour of the Museum of Art
Private Group Guided tour of the NC Wyeth House & Studio
Gourmet boxed lunch (choice of sandwich, plus a bag of chips, a piece of fresh fruit, a chocolate chip cookie and unsweetened iced tea or lemonade)
Free time to explore the gardens, galleries and gift shop

Schedule and Additional information:
7:15 am – Ensure you’re at Maryland Hall (801 Chase Street in Annapolis). Please park in Lot A along the far side of the parking lot – look for the HA check-in table! Parking is free.
7:30 am – Motorcoach departs PROMPTLY from Maryland Hall
9:30 am – Arrive at Brandywine Museum of Art. Divide into 3 groups (14 people maximum per group)
Group A

9:45 AM Arrival & Welcome!
10:05 AM N.C. Wyeth House & Studio Tour
11:30 AM Reserved Lunch @ Millstone Cafe
12:30 PM Guided Museum Tour
1:30 PM Galleries, Gardens & Gift Shop

Group B

9:45 AM Arrival & Welcome!
10:00 AM Guided Museum Tour
11:20 AM N.C. Wyeth House & Studio Tour
12:30 PM Reserved Lunch @ Millstone Cafe
1:30 PM Galleries, Gardens & Gift Shop

Group C

9:45 AM Arrival & Welcome!
10:00 AM Guided Museum Tour
11:30 AM Reserved Lunch @ Millstone Cafe
12:30 PM Galleries, Gardens & Gift Shop
1:15 PM N.C. Wyeth House & Studio Tour

2:30 pm – Depart for Annapolis

Accessibility: Chesapeake Charters Motorcoach: restroom, charging ports and Wi-Fi onboard. The bus can kneel for a low entry step, but there is no wheelchair lift or wheelchair securement.
Learn more about Brandywine’s accessibility here: Accessibility | Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art
Cancellation and Refund Policy:

Historic Annapolis reserves the right to cancel or alter any programs.
If the minimum number of tickets sold is not met by October 14 the trip will be cancelled, and a full refund will be issued.
Unless otherwise stated, all tickets are non-refundable.

Photography Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to take photographs and video footage of people of all ages at Historic Annapolis-sponsored events for publicity. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please opt out by notifying Historic Annapolis staff.

Meet the Author: Valerie Tripp, An American Girl® Doll Author of Meet Felicity, Meet Samantha, Meet Kit, and more!
2026-11-07 10:30 - 12:00 | Museum of Historic Annapolis, 99 Main Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States
Join us at the Museum of Historic Annapolis for a special event with the author behind some of your favorite American Girl® stories!
Valerie Tripp, beloved writer of companion novels for characters like Felicity, Josefina, Samantha, Kit, Molly, Maryellen, and the WellieWishers™, will share her journey as a children’s author.
Ms. Tripp will discuss her creative process, inspirations, and experiences bringing these iconic characters to life.
The event will conclude with a Q&A session followed by a book signing. Please bring your own books; copies will not be available for purchase at the event.
Advance registration recommended; space is limited.
Cost: General Admission: $7. Free for HA members, Military, and children 17 and under.

This event is also offered at 2:30pm.
About our Presenter: Valerie Tripp (Yale ’73; Harvard GSE ’82) is the award-winning author of American Girl books, plays, and short stories about Felicity, Josefina, Samantha, Kit, Molly, and Maryellen as well as the Welliewisher and Hopscotch Hill School series. Tripp also wrote a STEM series for National Geographic Kids and is the executive editor of the Boys Camp series. She is has adapted classics for Sterling Publishers, and has written numerous leveled readers, songs, stories, nonfiction essays, skills book pages, poems, and plays for educational publishers. Tripp has spoken at The Smithsonian, The New York Historical Society, Mt. Vernon, The Daughters of the American Revolution Annual Luncheon, Yale University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and The Library of Congress in addition to countless schools, libraries, writers’ groups, podcasts, book stores, scout troops, and organizations that encourage young women such as Girls on the Run and Yes, She Can.

Accessibility: This program is fully accessible, including a flat accessible entryway and elevator access to restrooms.
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to cancel or alter any programs. Unless otherwise stated, all tickets are non-refundable.
Photography Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to take photographs and video footage of people of all ages at Historic Annapolis-sponsored events for publicity. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please opt out by notifying Historic Annapolis staff.

Meet the Author: Valerie Tripp, An American Girl® Doll Author of Meet Felicity, Meet Samantha, Meet Kit, and more!
2026-11-07 14:30 - 16:00 | Museum of Historic Annapolis, 99 Main Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States
Join us at the Museum of Historic Annapolis for a special event with the author behind some of your favorite American Girl® stories!
Valerie Tripp, beloved writer of companion novels for characters like Felicity, Josefina, Samantha, Kit, Molly, Maryellen, and the WellieWishers™, will share her journey as a children’s author.
Ms. Tripp will discuss her creative process, inspirations, and experiences bringing these iconic characters to life.
The event will conclude with a Q&A session followed by a book signing. Please bring your own books; copies will not be available for purchase at the event.
Advance registration recommended; space is limited.
Cost: General Admission: $7. Free for HA members, Military, and children 17 and under.

This event is also offered at 10:30am.
About our Presenter: Valerie Tripp (Yale ’73; Harvard GSE ’82) is the award-winning author of American Girl books, plays, and short stories about Felicity, Josefina, Samantha, Kit, Molly, and Maryellen as well as the Welliewisher and Hopscotch Hill School series. Tripp also wrote a STEM series for National Geographic Kids and is the executive editor of the Boys Camp series. She is has adapted classics for Sterling Publishers, and has written numerous leveled readers, songs, stories, nonfiction essays, skills book pages, poems, and plays for educational publishers. Tripp has spoken at The Smithsonian, The New York Historical Society, Mt. Vernon, The Daughters of the American Revolution Annual Luncheon, Yale University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and The Library of Congress in addition to countless schools, libraries, writers’ groups, podcasts, book stores, scout troops, and organizations that encourage young women such as Girls on the Run and Yes, She Can.

Accessibility: This program is fully accessible, including a flat accessible entryway and elevator access to restrooms.
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to cancel or alter any programs. Unless otherwise stated, all tickets are non-refundable.
Photography Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to take photographs and video footage of people of all ages at Historic Annapolis-sponsored events for publicity. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please opt out by notifying Historic Annapolis staff.

Virtual Lecture - William and Dinah Nuthead: Maryland’s First Printers
2026-11-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Virtual Event, Zoom Virtual Lecture
Before Jonas and Anne Catharine Hoof Green, there was William and Dinah Nuthead, Maryland’s first printing duo. William Nuthead was the first printer in Maryland and the first to operate a press in Virginia, establishing his business in St. Mary’s City in 1685 after being barred from printing in Virginia by the colonial government. Following his death in 1695, his widow Dinah Nuthead took over the business and became the first licensed female printer in the American colonies. Join Rod Cofield as he discusses his research into their lives that led to his Maryland Historical Magazine article, “Much Ado about Nuthead.”
The Historic Annapolis Virtual Lecture Series is offered free of charge thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor. If you enjoy this program, we hope you will consider becoming a member or making a donation today to support Historic Annapolis and our mission to connect all people with our shared history.
Can’t watch live? All lectures will be recorded. Please register and you’ll receive the link to watch the recording after the event.
Advance registration required; registration closes on half-hour prior to lecture.
Cost: FREE

This lecture will be offered virtually by Zoom. Upon registration, you will be sent the link for the video conference to join on the evening of the lecture. If you do not receive your confirmation email after you register, please check your Spam folder, or email Cara Garside at cara.garside@annapolis.org. To learn more about Zoom and to download the app to your computer, visit the Zoom website.
About Our Presenter: Rod Cofield is the Executive Director at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in Calvert County. He was previously the Executive Director at Historic London Town and Gardens in Edgewater, Maryland. Rod’s first museum job was at Historic St. Mary’s City where he learned how to use a colonial-era printing press.
Prior to his tenure at Historic London Town Gardens, Rod was a visiting instructor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and has taught various courses related to history and museum studies. He has additional service with professional organizations, including the Maryland Museum Association and the Small Museum Association. He participates as a peer reviewer in both the Museum Assessment Program at the American Alliance of Museums and for the National Leadership Grant program for the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Rod holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and a master’s degree in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College.
The information contained in the HA Virtual Lecture series represents the historical research, views and opinions of the lecture presenter and may not represent the views or opinions of Historic Annapolis, Inc.

Historic Annapolis Book Club
2026-11-19 17:00 - 18:00 | Museum of Historic Annapolis, 99 Main Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States
The Historic Annapolis Book Club invites you to explore the past through the power of storytelling. Each month, club members gather at the Museum of Historic Annapolis to discuss works of historical fiction and nonfiction — books that bring history to life in meaningful and memorable ways. Led by Historic Annapolis staff member Christina Chaffman, we share ideas, debate perspectives, and enjoy thoughtful discussion while connecting over stories that make history feel vivid and relevant. This is a welcoming space where great books, great conversation, and a lot of fun come together.
Book Club meetings take place on the third Thursday of each month. The meetings are free and open to all!
This month, we’re reading Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick.

For questions, please reach out to programs@annapolis.org.
Don’t forget to register for our upcoming meetings too!

December 17th: Christmas in America: A History by Penne L. Restad

Chime After Chime: How a Clock Knows the Time
2026-11-21 13:00 - 15:00 | Hogshead Trades Museum, 43 Pinkney St, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States
How does a clock know what hour to strike?
Join our resident clockmaker, Stephen Sieracki, for a hands-on exploration of the mechanisms that allow clocks to count, track, and announce the passing hours.
Participants will have the opportunity to handle authentic clock parts and assist in assembling a working striking mechanism from a grandfather clock.
Perfect for the curious, the mechanically minded, and anyone who has ever wondered what goes on behind the clock face!
This is a drop-in style program. Visitors may join at any time during program hours and explore at their own pace through informal interaction and demonstrations. Advance registration recommended, but not required.
Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation)

About our Presenter: Local horologist (clockmaker) Stephen J. Sieracki is known as the “Clock Therapist”.

Accessibility: Accessing this program requires ascending a flight of stairs. There are no restrooms on site.
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to cancel or alter any programs. Unless otherwise stated, all tickets are non-refundable.
Photography Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to take photographs and video footage of people of all ages at Historic Annapolis-sponsored events for publicity. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please opt out by notifying Historic Annapolis staff.

Virtual Lecture - Exotic Imports & Elegant Dining: Annapolis in Its Golden Age (1763–1774)
2026-12-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Virtual Event, Zoom Virtual Lecture
Step into the world of colonial luxury with food historian Joyce White in this engaging lecture exploring the remarkable imported foods that defined status and refinement in Annapolis during the 1700s.
This convergence of wealth and robust trade, particularly during the city’s Golden Age, allowed the wealthiest residents access to an extraordinary array of global delicacies—spices, sugars, teas, coffees, chocolate, fine wines, spirits, cheeses, and more—each reflecting far-reaching trade networks and cultural exchange.
Discover how these coveted ingredients shaped fashionable dining and learn about Maryland’s skilled culinary artisans—many of them enslaved people—whose expertise transformed imported luxuries into elegant meals.
The lecture concludes with a fascinating look at festive traditions documented in Maryland during this vibrant and prosperous era.
Join us for a richly illustrated journey into the tastes, tables, and traditions of colonial Annapolis.
The Historic Annapolis Virtual Lecture Series is offered free of charge thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor. If you enjoy this program, we hope you will consider becoming a member or making a donation today to support Historic Annapolis and our mission to connect all people with our shared history.
Can’t watch live? All lectures will be recorded. Please register and you’ll receive the link to watch the recording after the event.
Advance registration required; registration closes on half-hour prior to lecture.
Cost: FREE

This lecture will be offered virtually by Zoom. Upon registration, you will be sent the link for the video conference to join on the evening of the lecture. If you do not receive your confirmation email after you register, please check your Spam folder, or email Cara Garside at cara.garside@annapolis.org. To learn more about Zoom and to download the app to your computer, visit the Zoom website.
About Our Presenter: Joyce White’s work as a food historian began in college in the late 1980s when she was a museum education intern at the Geneva Historical Society/Rose Hill Mansion in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Joyce’s first experience cooking historic food occurred there while performing the role of an 1840s kitchen maid at Rose Hill, where she cooked cakes with every 4th-grade class in the county!
After college, Joyce became the Education Curator at the Square House Museum, a 1700s tavern on the Boston Post Rd, operated by the Rye Historical Society in Westchester County, New York. While there she cooked frequently on the tavern’s hearth from the 1700s.
In Maryland, Joyce began work in 2006 as the Education Director and Foodways Consultant at the c. 1801 Riversdale House Museum in Riverdale Park, Maryland, was the consultant for the restoration of historic kitchen at Annapolis’s William Paca House in 2006, was the guest curator for the Maryland State Exhibit for the Southern Food & Beverage Museum in New Orleans, LA in 2012, and is a Trustee of Annapolis’ c. 1774 Hammond-Harwood House Museum.
Joyce is also an independent consultant to historic museums and offers presentations on a variety of topics, writes articles for local publications such as Outlook by the Bay, MarylandRoadTrips.com, Chesapeake Family Magazine, and assorted blogs, and is now creating historically accurate faux food items of use at historic sites.
Joyce has been featured on television shows several times: “State Plate with Taylor Hicks,” “Eatin’ the Chesapeake” for MPT, CBS News Sunday Morning (2023), “America the Bountiful” (2024), the PBS News Hour (November 28, 2024), and “Maryland Farm and Harvest” (February 18, 2025).
In September 2024, Joyce’s first book, Cooking Maryland’s Way: Voices of a Diverse Cuisine, was published for the Hammond-Harwood House Museum in Annapolis.
Joyce has a B.A. from William Smith College, an M.A. in American Studies from Penn State University, and has studied food history at various historic sites in England and the United States.
The information contained in the HA Virtual Lecture series represents the historical research, views and opinions of the lecture presenter and may not represent the views or opinions of Historic Annapolis, Inc.

Historic Annapolis Book Club
2026-12-17 17:00 - 18:00 | Museum of Historic Annapolis, 99 Main Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States
The Historic Annapolis Book Club invites you to explore the past through the power of storytelling. Each month, club members gather at the Museum of Historic Annapolis to discuss works of historical fiction and nonfiction — books that bring history to life in meaningful and memorable ways. Led by Historic Annapolis staff member Christina Chaffman, we share ideas, debate perspectives, and enjoy thoughtful discussion while connecting over stories that make history feel vivid and relevant. This is a welcoming space where great books, great conversation, and a lot of fun come together.
Book Club meetings take place on the third Thursday of each month. The meetings are free and open to all!
This month, we’re reading Christmas in America: A History by Penne L. Restad.
