Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum, Annapolis (must see)

The Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum focuses on the history and culture of African Americans in Maryland. Founded in 1984, it serves as the state’s official museum on this subject. It is named after Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman, three important figures connected to science, abolition, and the fight for freedom. Exhibitions explore stories of struggle, achievement, and community life across several centuries.

The museum is housed in a historic building that once served as the Mount Moriah African Methodist Episcopal Church. The church was built in the 1870s by a congregation formed by formerly enslaved people and free Black residents after the Civil War. For many years the church functioned as a spiritual and social centre for the surrounding community. When the congregation moved to a new building in the late twentieth century, the structure was preserved and later adapted to house the museum.

Inside, the galleries explore many aspects of African American life in Maryland. Exhibits highlight individuals who shaped the state’s history, including educators, artists, soldiers, and civil rights activists. Visitors can see photographs, documents, artworks, and personal objects that reflect everyday life as well as major historical events. Some displays focus on themes such as the fight for freedom, the growth of Black churches and schools, and cultural traditions within African American communities.

The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, lectures, and community events throughout the year. These programs encourage visitors to explore history from different perspectives and connect past events with the present. Through artifacts and personal stories, the museum shows how African American experiences have shaped Maryland’s cultural and social history.