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1844, a group of Marylanders had the foresight to understand
that preserving manuscripts, books, paintings, furniture, and
more, was a way to preserve the state's heritage. The founders
of the Maryland Historical Society (MdHS) knew that these objects
could bring Maryland's past and its role in our nation's history
to life - to tell Maryland's story - so that future generations
could learn from Maryland and its history. |
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The
Enoch Pratt House, built in 1847, is part of the Maryland
Historical Society's campus
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In
January of that 1844, 28 leaders of Baltimore's intellectual community
met to form a historical society which was chartered by the Maryland
State Legislature that spring. The new institution, housed in a
former post office on St. Paul Street, began collecting books, records,
manuscripts, and objects of local interest for preservation and
display.
Today,
the Maryland Historical Society is one of our nation's oldest and
largest state historical centers. It has touched the lives of thousands
of children and adults from across the state, the country, and even
the world through an array of dazzling exhibitions, scholarly publications,
vibrant educational offerings, and an exhaustive library.
More than
150 years after its inception, the Maryland Historical Society continues
to flourish. Today, the MdHS publishes the Maryland Historical Magazine, which covers
diverse and scholarly topics related to Maryland's rich history. The
MdHS's collections include more than 300,000 objects and 6.2 million
books and documents, ranging from pre-settlement to the present day
and representing virtually every aspect of Maryland history and life.
As the oldest continually operating cultural institution in the state,
the Society houses the most significant collection of Maryland cultural
artifacts and one of the largest collections of Americana in the world. |
