Below are historical sites and museums operated by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) as well as other museums located near campus. All offer indispensable educational experiences, from thousands of artifacts curated by the world’s oldest dental college to a blue glass museum that rests above local living artists’ studios in a historic clocktower. Each site on this list is well worth the visit!
522 W. Lombard St.
Davidge Hall is the founding building of UMB and the University System of Maryland. It houses offices, museum artifacts, a conference room on the first floor, and two superimposed round amphitheaters (Chemical Hall and Anatomical Hall) with surrounding galleries with stadium-type seating and stepped aisles.
Learn more about the history of Davidge Hall.
Note: Davidge Hall is undergoing renovations and scheduled to be closed until late 2026.
31 S. Greene St.
The Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry is the congressionally designated national museum of the dental profession and a Smithsonian Affiliate institution. The museum is home to over 50,000 artifacts and features two floors of exhibit spaces exploring how different cultures view their smiles, how teeth develop across species, the importance of prevention, and the people, cultures, and innovations that shaped the history of oral health and dentistry.
With a collection dating back to the 1840 establishment of the world’s first dental college, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery (now the University of Maryland School of Dentistry), the museum has been a cultural steward for the likes of the first dental license and diploma awarded, George Washington’s denture, Queen Victoria’s dental instruments, and an extensive collection of toothbrushes, natural history specimens, dental instruments, artwork, and much more.
601 W. Lombard St.
Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HSHSL)
Historical Collections serves as the official archives of UMB. The collections — both physical and digital — document the rich history of the University of Maryland schools of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Social Work, and Graduate Studies, as well as the broader story of health sciences in Baltimore.
Highlights include a 1497 edition of “De Medicina” by Celsus, rare 19th-century handwritten theses, letters from Dr. James Carroll’s work on the Yellow Fever Commission, and striking botanical and dental illustrations. These treasures support exhibitions, publications, and research for the UMB community and beyond.
Historical Collections is open to the public. For more information or to plan a visit, contact Tara Wink, historical collections librarian and archivist, at twink@hshsl.umaryland.edu.
20 N. Pine St.
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP)
Named in memory of an alumnus and beloved Baltimore community pharmacist, this beautiful space in Pharmacy Hall contains historical items of importance to the pharmacy profession and UMSOP such as unique glass bottles, jars, paper prescriptions, advertisements, and other artifacts donated by alumni.
Among the items on display are the diplomas of UMSOP graduates Alpheus Sharp (Class of 1842) and Louis Dohme (Class of 1857), who co-founded the company Merck Sharp & Dohme.
655 W. Lombard St.
University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON)
Maryland’s only museum dedicated to nursing, the Living History Museum honors the critical role of nurses and chronicles the continuing story of the profession. Hundreds of artifacts tell the stories of UMSON students, faculty, and alumni. Images and objects from the founding of the school in 1889 to contemporary student uniforms convey the discipline, dedication, and innovations of Maryland’s nurses.
The museum also features video and audio histories of nurses recounting stories from previous generations. Together, the exhibits in the museum weave an insightful tapestry of the nursing profession — with UMSON serving as its common thread.
519 W. Fayette St.
People have traveled far and wide to visit historic Westminster Hall’s Burying Ground and Catacombs. Guests have the opportunity to explore one of Baltimore’s oldest cemeteries, which contains tombs of prominent political, military, and business leaders, four of the city’s earliest mayors, a number of generals from the American Revolution and War of 1812, and the grave of famed American poet Edgar Allan Poe. All told, the cemetery is the final resting place for hundreds of people of all faiths.
216 Emory St., Baltimore, MD 21230
The Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum presents the life and times of baseball Hall of Famer George Herman “Babe” Ruth, Baltimore’s native son who became America’s first sports celebrity and an international icon.
901 W. Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21223
Composed of the oldest and most comprehensive collection of railroad history in the Western Hemisphere, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum is a unique cultural and educational asset for the city and the region.
21 S. Eutaw St., Baltimore, MD 21201
Inside the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower is the Emerson/Maryland Glass Museum, which houses the largest collection of Bromo Seltzer and Maryland Glass bottles in existence. The museum is on the 15th floor and is on loan from and curated by Ernest Dimler.
