Updated: 3/20/2012 
Captain Avery Museum, Inc
Shady Side, Maryland
Description

The Captain Avery Museum property is uniquely significant for its dual period of interpretation. From 1860 to 1890, the property was owned by Captain Salem Avery and the property remained in the family until 1920. Avery came to the Chesapeake from Long Island where his family had been sea captains for several generations. The Museum’s collections include artifacts from the Avery family, notably the family Bible given to Mrs. Avery as a wedding gift. Other artifacts in the Avery family house reflect the furnishings of the time, many having been donated by local families. The house is typical of many watermen’s families in the area and the history of their daily life is interpreted by artifacts in common use during the period.

Artifact Collections
furniture
period clothing (1860-1900)
exhibits of watermen's lives
model boats
Programs

tours
monthly programs
winter luncheon series
summer educational series for children
July 4th picnic with concert
oyster festival
Services
Miss Ethel Memorial Library

In 1998 an extension was added to the Salem Avery Museum building to provide space for a library and storage of archival materials. The society named the library the Miss Ethel Memorial Library in memory of Flora Ethel Nowell Andrews who was “the” matriarch of the Shady Side community. Her oral history, “Miss Ethel Remembers…” published in 1991 and released on her 103rd birthday chronicles the life and times of Shady Side, describing Miss Ethel's personal life as well as the changes she saw take place in this quaint Chesapeake community in Anne Arundel County. Her daughter, Glorious Shenton, a graduate of Hood College with a degree in library science, started the library collection to contribute to the Society’s mission, “to preserve, collect, document, and share local history and culture …”.

Museum Rental

The Captain Avery Museum and waterfront grounds are available for rental for private events. The waterfront grounds of the Museum are ideal for weddings and family reunions. The Great Room is a lovely setting for conferences, small parties, and business luncheons. The Museum grounds sit on the West River with views to the Chesapeake Bay. The Museum is a National Historic Landmark. In addition to renting the building and grounds together, two other rental options are available • the Museum's Great Room, kitchen for warming purposes, and bathrooms •the grounds with its magnificent waterfront view.

Captain Avery Museum Shop

Welcome to the Captain Avery Museum Shop! We know you are sure to enjoy browsing all the wonderful items we now have available for sale, such as our highly sought after apparel line which includes the 2005 Heritage flag design now available on sweatshirts as well as long and short-sleeved t-shirts. We also have books describing Shady Side residents and history. We will have music, art, crafts and much more! We update our inventory often so check back soon to see what’s new! No matter what you choose, you are guaranteed to have a truly unique gift which also happens to support a treasured Shady Side, MD landmark, the historic Captain Avery Museum!

Shop on-line at our website and click on the item you wish to order, fill your shopping cart, then check out using your credit card or PayPal account.

Gift Shop
Event Rental
Group Tours
DISCLAIMER
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc. and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

April 27 - April 29, 2025

Oregon Museum Association 2025 Conference

TBA

Independence, Oregon

Beginning in 2025, the OMA annual conference will be held in Spring rather than Fall

The conference this year is all about trying new things. We are hoping to organize the conference into the following four tracks: Collections Care, Leadership, Emergency Preparedness, and Tourism

Check our website for more details in early 2025

The OMA newsletter is emailed every month with updates on OMA events, museum news, other events, trainings, jobs, grants and more for the museum community in Oregon.

For more information, please email connect@oregonmuseums.org.

October 1 - October 4, 2025

Western Museums Association’s (WMA) 2025 Annual Meeting

TBA

Reno, Nevada

Save the Date for WMA 202

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, join us to build relationships and soar higher than ever before. With the theme of ELEVATE, WMA 2025 will explore ways to lift up the experiences of cultural professionals and the communities they serve.

In Reno, Nevada, 4,400 feet above sea level, we will forward the progress of museums by looking to the future.

May 6 - May 9, 2025

2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) ANNUAL MEETING & MUSEUMEXPO

Los Angeles Convention Center

Los Angeles, California

AAM 2025 will focus on the theme, Museums & Trust.

Museums have long inspired high levels of public trust, surpassing news outlets, government organizations, researchers and scientists, corporations, and social media platforms. This consistent finding underscores our institutions’ unique position in society as stewards of knowledge, culture, science, and history—areas where credibility and reliability are paramount

In an era marked by mistrust and misinformation, museums have a rare ability to counterbalance the proliferation of false narratives and polarized perspectives. Using our trusted position, we can cultivate a more healthy, empathetic, and informed society.

But to do so, we must maintain our credibility proactively, embracing thoughtful, transparent, and collaborative practices that will defend against influences like bias, resource challenges, abuse of power, and social injustice

An Incredible MuseumExpo

AAM is again partnering this year with the Museum Store Association to host an incredible combined expo hall. Find the most innovative services, products, and solutions in the museum field. With 350 exhibitors, you are bound to find the right partner for your museum’s current challenges and opportunities.

May 5 - May 9, 2025

Museum Store Association FORWARD 2025 in LA

The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Join MSA in LA

We’re excited about our next MSA FORWARD Conference & Expo in “The City of Angels” – Los Angeles, California in conjunction with the American Alliance of Museums

Join the Museum Store Association (MSA) and hundreds of nonprofit retail professionals for the 70th Annual MSA FORWARD Retail Conference & Expo, taking place May 5-9, 2025 at The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Once again, MSA FORWARD will be held in conjunction with the 2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting & Expo

Learn best practices and new ideas for store merchandising, operations, marketing, and sale

Participate in dedicated networking events and create connections that will inspire new ideas

Meet with over 200 MSA vendors about your product needs

Hear from knowledgeable industry experts during session breakouts and keynote presentations

Network with AAM attendees and exhibitor

September 10 - September 13, 2025

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

RECENT UPDATES

Museums

04/09 Museum of Man in the Sea

Panama City Beach, Florida

04/09 The Mariners' Museum and Park

Newport News, Virginia

04/08 Roundhouse Museum

Egg Harbor City, New Jersey

04/08 Lake Wales History Museum

Lake Wales, Florida

04/04 Taylor Museum of Waco and McLennan County History

Waco, Texas

Museum Associations

04/03 Florida Association of Museums

Tallahassee, Florida