The Calvert Marine Museum (CMM) is on the verge of its “Coming of Age.” Over forty years of growth and nearly two million visitors later, the public demand for activities and programs has increased beyond the capacity of the existing building. To meet the overwhelming needs of the community, the museum has launched a $2 million capital campaign to renovate and expand the exhibit building. With strong support from the Calvert County Government, $500,000 in private gifts will be raised to leverage $1.5 million in public monies toward the CMM Coming of Age Campaign.
“This renovation is not something that we’re doing hoping that people will come, the people are already here and we’re not able to accommodate them,” said Sherrod Sturrock, Deputy Director. The first step, as followed in the museum’s Master Plan, is to maximize the use of the existing facility and triple the useable space available for educational programming. The project will expand the mezzanine level to create three modern classrooms, including a wet lab and distance learning studio. The addition of the new Learning Center will enable staff to offer environmental education, summer science centers, internships for students, and teacher professional development. Transformation of the current auditorium into program and event space will provide an area for large school groups, a community space that can be subdivided for meetings or workshops, a banquet hall, or temporary exhibit space, and will continue to be used as a lecture hall and performance space. The project also redefines the lobby, creating a small orientation theatre behind the admissions desk, expanding the Museum Store, and creating an overall introduction to what the museum has to offer.
Founded in 1970 by volunteers determined to preserve the maritime heritage of Solomons Island, the Calvert Marine Museum currently has 2,700 members, 250 active volunteers, and an annual visitation of approximately 70,000 people from around the world. Located near the confluence of the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay, CMM is ideally situated for the interpretation of its three major themes: the maritime history of Southern Maryland; the paleontology of Calvert Cliffs; and the estuarine life of the tidal Patuxent River and the adjacent Chesapeake Bay. The museum is represented on the National Register of Historic Places by the Drum Point Lighthouse, Cove Point Lighthouse, J.C. Lore Oyster House and the historic vessel
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