ST. MARY’S COUNTY — Events are back on track again at St. Mary’s County Museums. “We are excited that we can open our doors again safely,” said Museum Division Manager Karen Stone.

COIVD-19 concerns forced county museums to cancel much-loved events like Children’s Day, river cruises, and the Potomac Jazz and Seafood Festival.

This year, not only are all of the favorite events back on the schedule, the county is adding even more events. Stone says the county hired an event education coordinator to plan fun and educational events for the entire family.

One new event is Conversations and Cruise. These one-hour cruises on the Potomac take place on Saturday mornings at St. Clement’s Island Museum. Each cruise focuses on a different subject. Families begin the day with an introduction and distribution of exploration materials. Then they take a cruise on the water taxi and learn all the day’s topic during the trip. Upcoming cruises focus on water birds, an environmentally-themed book, and local explorers.

Stone says special events draw people to the museums who might not ordinarily visit. “It’s a chance to explore in your own backyard and learn things about your community.  It’s a way for us to give back to the community.”

She says museums offer the perfect opportunity to enjoy the water. “At the St. Clement’s Island Museum, we have the only public transportation out to St. Clement’s Island. You can go out, wander around, and have a picnic.  At Piney Point Lighthouse, we have the oldest lighthouse on the Potomac River. You can climb the tower and go up into the lantern room.”

“We encourage you to get out of your houses to enjoy our sites. Your tax dollars support it, so come see them at work. We look forward to seeing everyone.”

The Drayden African American Schoolhouse in Drayden is among the best-preserved of its kind in the country and the Old Jail Museum in Leonardtown offers a look at the history of the first and longest-serving Sheriff’s Office in the entire country.

While many events do have a nominal cost, Stone says there are plenty of free days. The best way to stay apprised of museum events and free days is to follow their Facebook pages.

St. Clement’s Island Museum: https://www.facebook.com/SCIMuseum

Piney Point Lighthouse: https://www.facebook.com/1836Light

Drayden African American Schoolhouse: https://www.facebook.com/DraydenSchool

Old Jail Museum: https://www.facebook.com/TheOldJailMuseum

Or visit the St. Mary’s County Museum website to sign up for their newsletter: https://www.stmarysmd.com/recreate/Museums/