The harbor that made things

About this experience

The museum sits at 1415 Key Highway, on the south shore of the harbor toward Locust Point, in what its own site describes as an 1860s oyster cannery on a five-acre waterfront campus. Inside, the galleries follow the workers and businesses that built Baltimore: industrial baking, steel, a 1920s pharmacy and a mid-century gas station. You can tap your name out on a telegraph, take the 1953 Packard for a spin and learn why letters are uppercase and lowercase. The Old Bay story is here too, and the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Decker Gallery look straight out over the harbor, under the Mini Mariner hanging from the ceiling, per the listing.

On the water: no boat. This is a museum visit at your own pace, right on the waterfront. Guests suggest giving it 2 to 3 hours. Want the same harbor from the deck afterwards? Try the 45-minute Inner Harbor sightseeing cruise from Light Street, or the 60-minute sunset cruise, across the water.

Included, per the listing: admission, a choice of a guided tour, an audio tour or exploring on your own, and free onsite parking. Not included: some ticketed events, which are separate from regular admission. The museum's site lists hours of Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm, closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Docent-led tours run on Saturdays and Sundays, and the audio tour also comes in Spanish.

• An 1860s oyster cannery on the harbor's south shore
• A telegraph to tap your name and a 1953 Packard
• A 1920s pharmacy and a mid-century gas station
• Harbor views from the Decker Gallery
• Free onsite parking, and PLEASE TOUCH boxes for children

How the day runs

1. Arrive1415 Key Highway

   Park free on site. The museum's site lists hours of Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm.

2. ChooseGuided, audio or on your own

   Pick a guided tour, the audio tour or a self-guided walk, per the listing. Docent-led tours run at weekends.

3. The galleriesBaking, steel and print

   Industrial baking, steel making and the machine a watch-maker invented that changed printing.

4. Hands onTelegraph, Packard and phones

   Tap out a telegraph message, take the 1953 Packard for a spin, compare old telephones.

5. About 2 to 3 hoursThe Decker Gallery

   Floor-to-ceiling harbor windows and the Mini Mariner overhead before you leave.

What's included

Who it suits

What guests say

Tips before you book

• Leave weekday mornings for it if you can. Hours are 9am to 4pm, so an afternoon start gets short.
• Weekend visitors: the docent-led tours run on Saturdays and Sundays, per the museum's site.
• Driving? Parking is free on site, which makes it an easy first stop before Fort McHenry, also in Locust Point.
• Ask for the print shop. Guests single out the guided print shop experience.
• Mapping the rest of the day? Our Inner Harbor things-to-do guide has the other museums, hours and prices.

Read next:

• Things to do in the Inner Harbor
• One day in Baltimore

Frequently asked questions

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