Maryland Center for History and Culture facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | MCHC |
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| Formation | March 1, 1844 |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization |
| Purpose | The Maryland Center for History and Culture collects, preserves, and interprets the history, art, and culture of Maryland. By exploring multiple perspectives and sharing national stories through the lens of Maryland, the MCHC inspires critical thinking, creativity, and community. |
| Location |
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| John Banes | |
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President, Chief Executive Officer
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Katie Caljean |
| Publication | Maryland Historical Magazine |
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Revenue (2020)
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$4.6 million |
| Expenses (2020) | $4.3 million |
| Endowment | $12,780,634 |
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Employees (2021)
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38 |
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Volunteers (2021)
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19 |
The Maryland Center for History and Culture (MCHC) is a special place that collects, keeps safe, and shares the history, art, and culture of Maryland. It was started on March 1, 1844, and was first known as the Maryland Historical Society (MdHS). This makes it the oldest cultural organization in the U.S. state of Maryland. The MCHC helps people learn about Maryland's past and how it connects to bigger national stories.
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Discovering Maryland's Past: The MCHC's Story
The MCHC has been located in the Enoch Pratt House in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland, since 1919. This historic house was built in 1847. In 1916, Ms. Mary Washington Keyser gave the house to the organization. She did this to honor her husband, H. Irvine Keyser, who had been a member for many years.
Enoch Pratt (1806–1896) was a famous person who gave a lot of money to good causes. He helped create the Enoch Pratt Free Library, which is a well-known library system. He also supported other important places like the First Unitarian Church, the Maryland Science Center, and the Maryland School for the Deaf.
In September 2020, the organization changed its name from "Maryland Historical Society" to "Maryland Center for History and Culture." This happened shortly after they celebrated their 175th birthday!
What the MCHC Does Today
The MCHC is a busy place that offers many ways to explore history. It has a museum with interesting exhibits, a large library, and runs educational programs. They also publish books and a magazine about Maryland's history.
Maryland Historical Magazine: A Look at History
Since 1906, the MCHC has published the Maryland Historical Magazine. This magazine comes out four times a year and is reviewed by experts. It is one of the most widely read journals among state historical groups. The MCHC also publishes many books about Maryland history. These books are shared with readers through a partnership with the Johns Hopkins University Press. One example is Crime and Punishment in Early Maryland, written by Raphael Semmes, a former librarian at the MCHC. The MCHC has over 100 book titles listed in the Library of Congress.
Exploring Exhibits: Treasures of Maryland
The MCHC has many amazing things on display. You can see the original handwritten copy of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and important letters and journals from Benjamin Banneker. The museum's collections include:
- Over 200 weapons
- Hundreds of pieces of jewelry
- Thousands of ancient Native American objects
- Thousands of musical scores
- A wonderful collection of paintings and silver from the 1700s and 1800s
- Items related to ships and the sea
- Maryland-made furniture with special designs
- Quilts, costumes, ceramics, dolls, and toys
Exhibits often focus on different parts of Maryland's history, how Maryland is shown in art, and the role of furniture in Maryland life.
The H. Furlong Baldwin Library: A World of Information
The H. Furlong Baldwin Library at the MCHC has a huge and varied collection. It helps researchers, teachers, and students look at records from the past. This allows them to study and learn from many historical treasures. The library's collections include:
- 60,000 books
- 800,000 photographs
- 5 million handwritten documents
- 6,500 prints and posters
- 1 million pieces of printed items for everyday use
- Many family history records
These collections are available for visitors to see online and at the MCHC building in Baltimore. In 1968, the library received 80 photographs by Bert Sadler, who was known for showing everyday American life in his work.
Preserving Community History: The Baltimore Uprising Archive
The MCHC works with "Preserve the Baltimore Uprising." This is a special online collection that saves and shares media created by people who were involved in or saw the community events in Baltimore in 2015. The MCHC's 2016–2017 exhibit, What & Why: Collecting at the Maryland Historical Society, included items from this collection in a video display.
See also
