Historic downtown Annapolis with the Maryland State House
Join decorative arts specialist Erin Kuykendall for a tour of historic Annapolis, Maryland, to discover architectural gems and works of art from the eve of the American Revolution. Through visits to historic Georgian-style homes and an examination of the period’s decorative arts, Kuykendall offers a portrait of a vibrant capital city in which building, politics, art, and international commerce thrived.
Begin the day with an expert-led architectural walking tour. Visit the Maryland State House, the oldest U.S. state capitol in continuous legislative use since its construction in 1772, for a look at the restored colonial and Victorian interiors. From State House Circle, a short walk down Maryland Avenue leads to the city’s finest collection of Federal-era works by the esteemed local cabinetmaker John Shaw and Maryland-born artist Charles Willson Peale, preserved at the Hammond-Harwood House designed by architect and master builder William Buckland.
Enjoy a casual boxed lunch in the 2-acre walled oasis of the William Paca Garden, the only restored colonial-era garden in the city. Afterward, participants don hard hats for an insider’s look at the ongoing architectural restoration of the original woodwork and plasterwork at the James Brice House, one of the largest of Annapolis's Georgian mansions. There’s also time on your own to explore the shops and cafés of one of the Chesapeake Bay’s most iconic towns.
Kuykendall is a faculty member and incoming director of the GW Corcoran–Smithsonian Master’s Program in Decorative Arts and Design History.
Fringe stop at about 7:55 am.
This tour involves significant walking and standing in an historic district with potentially uneven streets and sidewalks. One of the houses visited is not fully accessible to visitors with disabilities due to its historic nature.
