The Museum of Frederick County History is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm.
Click here to purchase admission tickets for all of our current exhibits.
Current Exhibits
Two of a Kind
Joseph D. Baker and Emory L. Coblentz
Joseph Baker and Emory Coblentz led remarkably similar lives. Both were very religious men who abstained from alcohol. Both experienced tragic personal loss in their families. And both achieved astounding success in business pursuits which they frequently turned into service for the Frederick community. Yet, many people are familiar with Baker and Coblentz is lost to history. This exhibit examines the contributions and legacies of both men.
Two of a Kind features artifacts from Baker and Coblentz along with the various community organizations with which they were engaged throughout their lives.
Two of a Kind will be on display from March 1 to December 13, 2025.
From Bartering to Banking
A History of Buying and Selling in Frederick County
From Bartering to Banking explores the economic transition devised by colonial settlers and how that evolved over 200 years into a banking system and national currency. See how this national story played out in the local stage, from the creation of early paper money by local businesses and governments to the establishment of national banks in Frederick County communities. View examples of original currency issued through different periods of monetary history as well as an original conversion guide for navigating the various currencies in use in the early history of the United States.
From Bartering to Banking will be on display from March 1 to December 13, 2025.
Timeless Toys
Spanning 140 years from the mid-1800s to the early 1980s, this exhibit showcases the variety of toys and games that have been a part of leisure time for Frederick Countians. From dolls and toy soldiers, to board games like Monopoly, this selection of local artifacts will reawaken the child inside all of us.
Above displays of hundreds of historic toys and games, visitors can view photographs of the children who played with many of the items on display.
Timeless Toys will be on display from March 1 to December 13, 2025.
Melodic Memories
Composing, Performing, and Enjoying Music in Frederick County
Music has been a source of entertainment, creative expression, and spirituality throughout the history of Frederick County. In the early days of colonial settlement, music was a vital link to the diverse cultural backgrounds of families who made their way across the Atlantic Ocean to seek a new life in British North America. Folk and spiritual music remained important expressions of identity and cultural exchange for generations of Frederick Countians.
Melodic Memories explores the earliest known works of music to originate from Frederick County as well as pieces by later composers who pulled inspiration from the history and people of our communities.
Melodic Memories will be on display from March 1 to December 13, 2025.
24 East Church Street
A Home for Frederick County’s History
Constructed between 1824 and 1826, the Federal styled building which Heritage Frederick has called home since 1960 has a multi-generational link to Frederick County’s history. The very ground on which the building stands can be traced back to the ownership of John Thomas and Margaret Schley, Frederick’s first permanent European settlers. Before their arrival, it was home for thousands of years to Indigenous people who inhabited the Monocacy River Valley.
This exhibit explores the varied experiences of the people who called this building home, from its builders and owners to enslaved people who worked at the property and orphaned girls who grew up in this house. 24 East Church Street is an evolving story, informed by artifacts, ongoing documentary research, and archaeological efforts on this property at the heart of Frederick.
24 East Church Street: A Home for Frederick County’s History is a long term exhibition.
Etchison Connections
A Family’s Hand in Frederick’s Evolution
Frederick County was built through the ingenuity, determination, and vision of generations of local families like the Etchisons. From the end of the Civil War through the mid-twentieth century, three generations of Etchisons were integrally involved in the industrial, civic, and commercial development of Frederick. Etchison Connections explores the family’s furniture and undertaking business, involvement with fraternal organizations, industries, civic institutions, and the public library as well as the stories of their colleagues in these endeavors.
A lasting legacy of the Etchison’s place in Frederick’s story is the extensive collection of artwork, antique furniture, archival resources, and a unique assemblage of early-nineteenth century lusterware which were given to Heritage Frederick by the Estate of Marshall Lingan Etchison in 1960. These beautiful artifacts of Frederick’s history are displayed in concert with the Etchison’s story in this exhibit.
Etchison Connections: A Family’s Hand in Frederick’s Evolution is a long term exhibition.
Frederick County Decorative Arts
Since the earliest days of European colonization, Frederick County has been a crossroads of diverse cultural experiences and traditions. Frederick’s position as a market town in the growing Piedmont Region of eighteenth century Maryland encouraged skilled artisans and craftspeople to settle and work in this community. The material culture of our county, from everyday utilitarian goods to finely-crafted luxury furnishings, reflects the blending of skilled English, German, and African craftwork and decorating styles.
Upon this foundation, generations of cabinetmakers, glassblowers, clockmakers, artists, potters, and textile manufactures continued producing both fine and utilitarian goods for centuries thereafter. Frederick County Decorative Arts illustrates this rich tradition with locally-produced furniture, clocks, glassware, silverware, metalwork, textiles, and portraiture.
Frederick County Decorative Arts is a long term exhibition.
