By Isabel Prontes
The state of Maryland offers many choices for field trips for students. From museums to aquariums and historical areas, there are a variety of educational ways in which students can spend the day in Maryland, particularly in the city of
Baltimore. Students living in the Maryland area are lucky because of the area's abundance of exciting educational and enriching opportunities.
National Museum of Civil War Medicine
The National Museum of Civil War Medicine, located in Frederick, Maryland, is in the heart of a very historic area. This museum depicts the American Civil War's medical history in great detail. This is a terrific museum for educating students about the many medical advances that took place during the Civil War. There are various immersion exhibits at this museum, and exhibits on topics including nursing, pharmaceuticals, dentistry, medical education and herbal remedies. If teachers would like to set up field trip tours of the museum, they should send a message to pryeducation@civilwarmed.org. They can also call (301) 695-1864.
National Aquarium
The National Aquarium in Baltimore is often considered to be the best aquarium in the entire United States. This is an exciting interactive museum that often allows its visitors to get up close to aquatic life (and sometimes, even touch some of the creatures). There are a lot of different exhibit options here, including the rain forest display. The Marine Mammal Pavilion houses bottle nosed dolphins, and there is a sea lion pool as well. Students will adore the harbor location and glass architectural structure of the aquarium itself. For educators wishing to arrange field trips to the aquarium, the contact email address is teachers@aqua.org.
Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, is a patriotic historical landmark that is notable for being the spot where the United States national anthem was penned by Francis Scott Key (who was moved to write the anthem after the Battle of Baltimore in 1814). Students will be able to spend their field trip exploring the fort and experiencing detailed guided tours and even watching a short documentary film about the history of the area. If teachers would like to put together a field trip at Fort McHenry, they can make group arrangements by calling (410) 962-4290 extension 243.
Baltimore Museum of Art
The Baltimore Museum of Art is in close proximity to John Hopkins University, and houses a diverse collection of artworks from world famous artists like Cezanne, Monet, Matisse, Picasso and Van Gogh. Students will be able to witness broad collections of post impressionistic artwork, and a lot of eighteenth and nineteenth century artwork as well. This is a great field trip option for enriching students' minds artistically. There are a lot of terrific exhibitions that would be of particular interest for students, such as the Circus Family Collection (displaying works by Picasso) and various others. To set up a field trip at the Baltimore Museum of Art, you must contact visitor services by calling (443) 573-1702.
Chesapeake Children's Museum
The Chesapeake Children's Museum located in Annapolis, Maryland is an excellent field trip option as it promotes the teaching of the people, history, environment, ecology and technology of the Cheseapeake Bay. The museum has a wide vary of exhibits including Body Works (a large sized replica of the human anatomy), Hard Hats (detailing transportation and construction), Bay Window (displaying a large variety of land creatures as well as marine life) and much more. This museum is devoted to educating children, which is why it is an ideal destination for field trips. Teachers wishing to learn more about field trip options for this museum can receive information by emailing info@theccm.org.
About the Author:
Isabel Prontes is a freelance writer and traveler residing in Manhattan, NY. She has traveled to five continents and counting. Her work has appeared on a number of websites, such as Travels, eHow.com and "Happy Living Magazine." Prontes has a professional background in public relations; she received a bachelor's degree in communication studies from Pace University.
