Maryland Museum of Natural Sciences earns its official state museum designation after decade-long push

OVERLEA, Md — The Maryland Museum of Natural Sciences in Overlea has officially earned its designation as Maryland's state Natural History Museum, a milestone more than a decade in the making.

Program Director Bronwyn Strong said the recognition puts the museum on equal footing with similar institutions nationwide and around the world.

"The significance gives us the credibility and the standing to stand with other museums in other states and other countries. When you have the designation of a museum and have the state supporting you and saying, ' Yes, this is our state museum,' you are on a level playing field," Strong said.

The museum, located off Belair Road in eastern Baltimore County, has been in operation for over 100 years. For more than a decade, officials worked to secure the official state designation, first through former Senator Kathy Klausmeier, then through current Senator Carl Jackson.

Strong said the designation also positions the museum to grow its collections.

"So it really raises our standing in that sense and it also gives us the credibility that we need to grow the collections and for people to feel secure and confident to give us their collections to take care of forever," Strong said.

Those collections caught the eye of fifth graders from the Greenmount School.

"I like the gems and the minerals because they're really cool," Paxton Webber said. "And it has a lot of stuff. It's like a really wide variety."

"There are some exhibits of like what sharks and creatures in the sea over there and then like old fossils of the earth over there. Over here we have rocks and then all the animals." David Nagy said.

The exhibits are designed for people of all ages. The museum is currently open Wednesday through Saturday, off Belair Road in Overlea.

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