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Highest-rated museums in Maryland by visitors

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Jon Rehg // Shutterstock
Jon Rehg // Shutterstock
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Museums are popular tourist attractions because they provide fun ways to learn about history, science, and culture. As stewards of our civilization, they collect and exhibit items of significant importance, typically based around a theme, topic, or place. Many cover areas like art, natural history, or science, but some museums dedicate themselves to highly specific topics like mustard, play, hot air balloons, and even funeral history. Ultimately, museums present a window into different eras of society so people can learn about the past.

Collecting, preserving, and displaying items is not a new idea. The world's first museum dates to about 530 B.C., a project of Princess Ennigaldi-Nanna, a Babylonian who had a collection of Mesopotamian artifacts. The oldest public museums still in existence are the Capitoline Museums in Rome, a collection of art and archeology museums started in 1471. America's oldest museum predates our country's founding. The Charleston Museum, a preservation of South Carolinian Lowcountry history, opened in 1773.

Museums are important not just because they preserve important elements of our history and culture but also because they can improve our well-being. Naturally, museums promote education and learning and can also bring joy. Researchers studying art museums found that they can reduce depression and increase people's sense of belonging. Quiet museum environments allow people to slow down and relax, and looking at exhibits can reduce stress. Museums also foster community by hosting events, activities, and tours that encourage social interaction.

No wonder they attract nearly 900 million visits a year.

With over 30,000 museums in the country to choose from, there's something for everyone. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated museums in Maryland on Tripadvisor as of Aug. 11, 2025. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see what museums are in your own home state.

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#30. Washington County Museum of Fine Arts

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#30. Washington County Museum of Fine Arts

- Rating: 4.7/5 (162 reviews)
- City: Hagerstown
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park

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#28. Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park

- Rating: 4.8/5 (150 reviews)
- City: Church Creek Marylan
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. Weinberg Center for the Arts

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#27. Weinberg Center for the Arts

- Rating: 4.5/5 (135 reviews)
- City: Frederick
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum

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#25. Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum

- Rating: 3.7/5 (216 reviews)
- City: Baltimore
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse

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#24. 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse

- Rating: 4.6/5 (165 reviews)
- City: St Michaels Talbot County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#23. National Museum of Health & Medicine

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#23. National Museum of Health & Medicine

- Rating: 4.4/5 (124 reviews)
- City: Silver Spring Montgomery County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. Historic St. Mary's City

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#22. Historic St. Mary's City

- Rating: 4.4/5 (157 reviews)
- City: Saint Mary s City
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center

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#20. Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center

- Rating: 4.6/5 (215 reviews)
- City: Solomons Calvert County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum

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#19. Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (369 reviews)
- City: Ocean City
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Ripley's Believe it or Not! Ocean City

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#18. Ripley's Believe it or Not! Ocean City

- Rating: 4.1/5 (94 reviews)
- City: Ocean City
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park

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#17. Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park

- Rating: 4.3/5 (109 reviews)
- City: Annapolis
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Baltimore Museum of Industry

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#15. Baltimore Museum of Industry

- Rating: 4.5/5 (317 reviews)
- City: Baltimore
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Calvert Marine Museum and Drum Point Lighthouse

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#13. Calvert Marine Museum and Drum Point Lighthouse

- Rating: 4.7/5 (438 reviews)
- City: Solomons Calvert County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum

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#12. Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum

- Rating: 4.3/5 (410 reviews)
- City: Baltimore
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Port Discovery Children's Museum

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#10. Port Discovery Children's Museum

- Rating: 4.1/5 (421 reviews)
- City: Baltimore
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. National Museum of Civil War Medicine

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#9. National Museum of Civil War Medicine

- Rating: 4.5/5 (483 reviews)
- City: Frederick
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Glenstone Museum

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#8. Glenstone Museum

- Rating: 4.3/5 (244 reviews)
- City: Potomac Montgomery County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. American Visionary Art Museum

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#4. American Visionary Art Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,653 reviews)
- City: Baltimore
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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