Calendar of Events

Join Historic Annapolis in our beloved Paca Garden for special guided garden tours on Friday mornings throughout the summer.  Take a stroll through our beautifully restored two-acre 18th century English garden. Painstakingly restored to its original splendor using details drawn from historic artwork and archaeological excavations, the colonial William Paca Garden is a picturesque retreat… Continue reading Guided Garden Stroll at William Paca Garden

Join us for a hands-on experience as we assemble and bring to life an authentic grandfather clock from the 1700s. Feel the weight of the gears, touch the intricate parts, and discover how early technology kept time Learn the secrets of timekeeping from the original “techies”. Admission Cost: $5 suggested donation Accessibility: Accessing this program… Continue reading Tick Tock Tech: Build a Grandfather Clock with a Clockmaker

Join Historic Annapolis in our beloved Paca Garden for special guided garden tours on Friday mornings throughout the summer.  Take a stroll through our beautifully restored two-acre 18th century English garden. Painstakingly restored to its original splendor using details drawn from historic artwork and archaeological excavations, the colonial William Paca Garden is a picturesque retreat… Continue reading Guided Garden Stroll at William Paca Garden

Step into the lives of everyday people in Annapolis on the eve of the American Revolution! Choose a social role, manage a period-accurate budget, and make essential purchases using historical currency. Join us for this unique, hands-on experience and explore the realities of social and economic life through the lens of budgeting, survival, and choice.… Continue reading Money Matters: Budgeting on the Brink of Revolution

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime Summer Series – “The Pout-Pout Fish” by Deborah Diesen

News of battles at Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill has reached Annapolis. War is no longer distant—it has begun. Stop by Pinkney Street and meet the First Maryland Regiment of today.  Join the conversation, hear the news…as the people of Annapolis in August 1775 face an uncertain future. Will the shot heard ’round the world… Continue reading Living History on Pinkney Street: First Maryland Regiment

The Balance of Power in Colonial Native America  Native Americans did not disappear from colonial history in the 18th century. On the contrary, throughout the 1700s, Native Americans exerted decisive influence on the American colonies encroaching all around them. But how, why, and at what cost? How did Native people navigate the rapid changes to… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – The Balance of Power in Colonial Native America with Dr. Richard Bell

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime Summer Series – “Plants Feed Me” by Lizzy Rockwell

The first Africans had been brought to Virginia as slaves in 1619 but it wasn’t until the 1670s that slavery began to dominate parts of the American economy. That process continued apace in the 18th century transforming every aspect of most southern colonies, from Virginia to South Carolina and Georgia. How did American law transform to… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Southern Slavery in Colonial America presented by Dr. Richard Bell

Join us on the Paca Terrace and meet furniture maker Bob Van Dyke. Visitors will learn about Federal period furniture with a focus on Annapolis cabinet maker, John Shaw. Bob will demonstrate some of the techniques used to create basic inlays. As Director of the Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking and a Contributing Editor for… Continue reading Federal Furniture Demonstration with Bob Van Dyke

Presented by Daniel J. Sieh The United States, or “Gold Mountain” as it was known in Asia, was often seen as a very distant but promising destination for many in the East looking for opportunity. New research puts the beginnings of Asian immigration much earlier than expected, with some even making their way to the American Revolution… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – : “In Pursuit of Gold Mountain”: Asian Immigration and History in the United States

Discover the essential maritime craft of rope making as it was practiced in colonial Annapolis. Drop by Hogshead Trades Museum and see a skilled ropemaker create cording using traditional tools and techniques. See how this vital trade supported shipbuilding and daily life in a bustling colonial port. Admission Cost: $5 suggested donation   Accessibility: Accessing… Continue reading Learning the Ropes

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime Summer Series – “How to Read to a Grandma or Grandpa” by Jean Reagan

Pull up a chair at Mrs. Howard’s Coffee House and hear the conversations and customs around coffee culture in colonial Annapolis. Admission Cost: $5 suggested donation   Accessibility: Accessing this program requires ascending a flight of stairs. Cancellation and Refund Policy: Historic Annapolis reserves the right to cancel or alter any programs. Unless otherwise stated,… Continue reading Mrs. Howard’s Coffee House at Hogshead Trades Museum

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime – Fall Series – “Library Girl” by Nancy Pearl

Join Historic Annapolis at the 12th annual Blazers . Bourbon . Cigars!  Connect with a wide network of influential community members – the region’s top business leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, and visionaries representing our diverse community – in the picturesque William Paca Garden. While you network, enjoy bourbon, whiskey, and other fine liquor tastings, premium cigars,… Continue reading Blazers . Bourbon . Cigars

Step back in time with living historian Antoine Watts and explore the legacy of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment. Formed in 1775, this groundbreaking regiment was the first in the Continental Army to include African American, Native American, and white soldiers serving side by side. Discover how these brave men fought for freedom and helped… Continue reading First Rhode Island Regiment – with Living Historian Antoine Watts

Storyteller Jefferson Holland presents a delightful program of original tall tales and songs inspired by the people and places of the Bay, from the Native Americans who feasted on oysters along her shores to the modern-day sailors who ply her waters. Food/drink suggestion: Chesapeake oyster stew with Fordham Copperhead Ale The Historic Annapolis 2025 Virtual… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Despicable Pirates, 3,000-Year-Old Oyster Shells & Cannibal Crabs! Tall Tales of Annapolis & the Chesapeake Bay

Historic Annapolis, Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum, & Maryland Hall Present: Abby Phillip   Join a conversation with Abby Phillip, CNN’s host of News Night, as she shares thoughts on her lived experience from her Maryland childhood to her noteworthy career as a journalist. The conversation will be led by WHUR radio news host Harold T. Fisher.  Event… Continue reading A Conversation with Abby Phillip

Step back to the turbulent days of 1775 and meet the newly formed Maryland State Marines as they recruit for the fight against Great Britain. Discover how Maryland prepared to defend its shores, waterways, and people at the start of the American Revolution. Admission Cost: $5 suggested donation Accessibility: Accessing this program requires ascending a… Continue reading Defenders of the Chesapeake: Maryland State Marines

North Slavery in Colonial America  We tend to think of slavery as a labor system that was confined to the American South. But it turns out that that’s not the full story. Slavery was also a fact of life in many northern colonies before the American Revolution. Northern slavery was never as widespread or as… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – North Slavery in Colonial America with Dr. Richard Bell

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime – Fall Series -“Trick or Treat on Scary Street” by Lance Bass

The American colonies were full of strangers—new arrivals born far away. Among the white population, those colonies teemed with immigrants from all across western Europe and elsewhere. Why did they come? Where did they settle? How did they live? To answer these questions, we’ll examine the demographic makeup of the British colonies in 1700 and… Continue reading Virtual Lecture – Strangers in the Realm: Immigration to Colonial America with Dr. Richard Bell

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime – Fall Series – “Happy All-idays” by Cindy Jin

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime – Fall Series – “Duck or Turkey” by Jacqueline Jules

Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime is a fun hour full of reading and activities in the William Paca Garden, a secret treasure in the Historic District of Annapolis. Each program is designed for little ones, 3-7 years, with a book reading, song, and craft/art project, plus time to explore the Paca Garden following the story hour.… Continue reading Mr. Paca’s Garden Storytime – Fall Series – “Federico and the Wolf” by Rebecca J. Gomez