What’s New in Maryland

What’s New, What’s Next & What May Come in Maryland 2026 & Beyond

MARCH 2026 | Subject to Change

SIGNIFICANT ANNIVERSARIES/ EVENTS

2026

Maryland Fleet Week & Air Show Baltimore/America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration – Celebrating the sesquicentennial of the founding of the U.S., which will occur July 4, 2026. Baltimore will be celebrating with Tall Ships, Military Fleet, Air Show & Fireworks in the harbor, June 25-July 1, 2026. The Maryland event will also feature the return of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron and other aviation performers for an Air Show over Baltimore Harbor. The Blue Angels preliminary schedule has them performing in Baltimore, June 27-28 (Sat-Sun). They usually do a practice run the day before on June 26 (Fri).

2027

Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum – The 200 th anniversary of American Railroading festivities will begin in 2027. 
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore – Celebrating its 150 th Anniversary.

ATTRACTIONS AND HOTEL UPDATES (by region)

CENTRAL MARYLAND

• American Visionary Art Museum – They will debut their 30 th anniversary Mega-exhibition, “Fantastic Realities: Truth Stranger Than Fiction.” The exhibition will displaymore than 130 artworks from 24 artists that focus on depicted worlds and dimensions.
• Annapolis City Dock – A $40 million overhaul of the City Dock is in discussion and will transform the popular waterfront area into a new park.
  • Phase 1/1A: Jan. 2026-May 2027 will involve the closure of lower Dock Street and a partial closure of upper Dock Street.
  • Phase 2: May 2027-March 2028 will involve the closure of upper Dock Street.
• Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum – In preparation for the bicentennial of American railroading in 2027, the museum plans to restore the South Car Works building, the oldest, continuously operating railroad repair facility in the U.S., if not the world. The building will become the new entrance and the campus flow will face Southwest Baltimore. The restored building will create space for an Innovation Hall to exhibit the present and future of American railroading technology, add state-of-the-art educational space, and house the Museum’s extensive historical archives. 
• Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum – The Banneker-Douglass Museum received a name change in 2025. As the state’s museum on African American history and culture, the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum will continue to preserve and share Maryland’s African American history and culture to inspire and educate people of all ages and backgrounds. 
• Discovery Center at Water’s Edge – A new facility has opened in Harford County, offering a sneak peek into the future vision with STEM education, leading-edge technology and science heritage. Coming in 2025, is a 10,000-square-foot facility that
  will feature 12-15 hands-on exhibits, an outdoor exhibit overlooking the Bush River, flexible spaces, additional classrooms, and a store. By 2028, the Center will triple in size with the construction of a 35,000-square-foot permanent facility. 
• Harborplace – A local developer, P. David Bramble of MCB Real Estate, has a $900 million redevelopment plan, bringing a modern gathering location that is authentically Baltimore, like new eateries, java hotspots, breweries and retailers. Construction is expected to begin in Fall 2026. Harborplace remains open, however the existing structures will be torn down and replaced.
• Maryland Aviation Heritage Center – The Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum is expanding, relocating to a larger space and changing their name. They will be moving from a 1,200-square-foot space into 150,000 square-feet of space at 2323 Eastern Blvd. The new location will offer expanded exhibit space, an aviation education school, a gift shop, a food vendor, an event space, a restaurant, and office space. The museum’s collection includes over 98,000 artifacts, many of which are currently in storage due to lack of display space. The official grand opening of the Maryland Aerospace Heritage
  Center is not yet scheduled.
• Maryland Science Center – They have announced plans for a major renovation, featuring $10 million in new exhibits, renovated spaces and new programs. Renovations will take place in the Space Exhibit, a 5,000-square-foot exhibit on space exploration with components that focus on concepts such as infinity, distance, speed, force, gravity and revolution versus rotation. The Shed makerspace will double in size and will feature 36 workstations on topics such as introductions to tools, activities that blend art, craft, science and engineering and creating prototypes for inventions. Dinosaur Mysteries, the 12 huge dinosaurs will remain, but the display will be upgraded with new technology, graphics, lighting and hands-on components. 
• Maryland Zoo in Baltimore – They have developed a 10-year Master Plan, likely to include a new build near the front gate, to feature indoor and outdoor habitats for amphibians and reptiles. A new Red Panda habitat has broken ground and will open in 2026. 
• National Aquarium in Baltimore – The floating wetlands project, Harbor Wetlands, made its debut in 2024. The project pays homage to Baltimore's pre-industrial history as a tidal salt marsh while furthering the Aquarium’s mission of environmental stewardship and conservation. The project is accessible during National Aquarium operational hours to all guests and visitors at no charge. 
• National Federation of the Blind Museum – The National Federation of the Blind plans to add a museum to its South Baltimore headquarters to educate people about the blind community's contributions to the world. The non-profit has so far raised $6 million of its $20 million goal for the project. The museum will take up the entire second floor of the federation’s headquarters at 200 E. Wells Street and will measure between 15,000 and 17,000 square feet. 
• New Cultural Center in Columbia – The project includes a new 340-seat dinner theater for Toby’s Dinner Theatre operation, expected to be completed by Spring 2026. The NCC will also include a 200-seat Children’s Theatre and a 200-seat Blackbox Theater. These two theaters are expected to be complete by the Spring of 2028.
• Pimlico Race Course – The famed horse track in Baltimore, will undergo a major renovation, temporarily moving the Preakness Stakes to Laurel Park for 2026.
• Toby’s Dinner Theatre – A new 340-seat dinner theater will be built at Symphony Woods as part of a larger arts district, the New Cultural Center. They hope to break ground in early 2025 and move into the new theatre in 2026. 
  • Upcoming: Wizard of Oz (Mar. 20-June 7, 2026); Mean Girls (June 12-Aug. 20, 2026); Donna Summer Musical (Aug. 28-Nov. 1, 2026); White Christmas
     (Nov. 6, 2026-January 10, 2027).

GREATER WASHINGTON

• The Crossvines – Crossvines will be a multi-purpose facility in Poolesville that will feature a custom grape-crushing facility, a casual bistro, a special events venue and a winery. There will be a spectacular outdoor wedding venue and a 250-seat banquet hall. They will also offer educational opportunities for both visitors and students alike to connect to and learn about the local winemaking and agri-tourism industries.
• Montgomery County History Center – Planned as a vibrant hub featuring space for exhibits, lectures, receptions, as well as the home of the Jane Sween Research Library and Special Collections, the newly-renovated space is expected to open in 2026, in time for Montgomery County’s 250th anniversary celebrations. 
• Six Flags America and Hurricane Harbor – Maryland’s largest amusement park is now CLOSED!

EASTERN SHORE

• Chesapeake Steak & Seafood – A new restaurant is opening in Crisfield, in the former location of Watermen’s Inn, with fantastic water view. The restaurant will offer a split menu - fine dining options such as seafood and steak and lighter fare such as burgers and wings.
• Chesapeake Water Tours – Captain DJ Fasick has added a new 49-passenger tour boat to Kent Narrows, based at the Hyatt Place Marina. Fisherman’s Crab Deck has bundled the boat tour with a crab feast that works well for groups – Kent Island Crab & Cruise. 
• Frederick Douglass Tour – The St. Michaels Museum offers a Frederick Douglass walking tour of the town. www.stmichaelsmuseum.org/tours
  Germantown School Community Heritage Center – In Berlin, an original Tuskegee-design two room school financed through the Rosenwald Rural School Building Program, was dedicated to the improvement of educational facilities for African American students. The restored school will host a museum that transports visitors back to this important time in our collective history. They can even arrange lunch in a nearby African American Church. 
• Harriet Tubman Freedom Center – Receptive Alex Green has added the Freedom Center to his tour offerings. The center offers event space for home-style prepared meals and educational sessions. A new tour called Historical Tour & Dining Experience is being offered. 
• Museum of Eastern Shore Culture – The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art has changed their name and moved to a new location in Salisbury. The new home is in the Powell Building at 218 W. Main Street. Salisbury University will no longer maintain an operating agreement with the Ward Foundation to act as an affiliated foundation of the university. 
• Museum of Ocean City – The museum's vision includes exhibits on the Native Americans of the Delmarva region, Ocean City's development, and the history of local hotels and restaurants. These exhibits are designed to engage visitors with the rich and varied history of Ocean City. Museum officials say the restoration of the 1910 former Bank of Ocean City building will be completed ahead of the summer season.
• Richardson Maritime Museum – The Sequoia, known as "The Floating White House" used by presidents from Hubert Hoover to Gerald Ford, has been added to the museum’s collection. The 104-foot motor cruising yacht is slated for renovation and display. The full renovation is expected to take five years. 
• Turkey Point Lighthouse – A new area has opened with a renovated roadway, a 52-vehicle parking lot, a reconfigured entrance, and handicap-accessible parking at the lighthouse itself. 
• We Walk With Harriet Mural – A second mural by Michael Rosato, has been added to the Harriet Tubman Museum Center in Cambridge. “We Walk With Harriet” represents the path she took with her three brothers and others to freedom through Popular Neck to Cambridge and all the way to St. Catherines, Ontario.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND

• Calvert Marine Museum – A new exhibit opened in late 2024 featuring a never-before-seen set of teeth from an extinct megatooth shark known as megalodon. The 53 teeth from one individual shark believed to be over 50 feet in length were collected over a period of six years from one location along Calvert Cliffs. 
• Chesapeake Beach Water Park – With needed design adjustments, permitting and funding, they will be adding features like new slides and improved facilities. The Water Park will open in 2027. 
• Historic St. Mary’s City – The museum will begin construction on a new Visitor Center, tentatively named the Maryland Heritage Interpretive Center (MHIC). The new indoor museum will feature interactive exhibits that will help further tell the complex story of the area. The anticipated opening is Summer 2026. A newly built replica of the Maryland Dove is now available for touring. 
• Mallows Bay Visitor Center – Charles County has received funding to design and support construction of a Visitor Center for the Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, home to a diverse collection of more than 100 known historic shipwrecks. The center will provide better accessibility and expand available offerings through exhibits, educational programs & offices. The site also has cultural importance with ties to Native American history, including the Piscataway Conoy Tribe and Piscataway Indian Nation, as well as connections to the Revolutionary War, Civil War and early commercial fishing. 
• Point Lookout Lighthouse – After a major renovation, the 195-year-old structure at the southern tip of St. Mary’s County has reopened. The inside of the lighthouse features informational panels, period furniture, appliances, toys, vintage photographs and a large floor map of the Chesapeake Bay. The lighthouse will be open several days per week. 
• St. Clement’s Island Museum – The museum has plans to be demolished and rebuilt with a new structure. The new museum is expected to open in 2026. Two new boats will eventually be added – an ADA water taxi shuttle and a 45-passenger cruising boat to offer tours of the Potomac. 

WESTERN MARYLAND

• Antietam National Battlefield – After a multi-year renovation, the Visitor Center has reopened to the public.
• Casselman River Bridge State Park – Due to safety concerns, the Maryland Park Service has closed the bridge to the public. Fencing and signs have been installed to prevent public access to the park, including a small portion of the Casselman River. Restoration work is being done to reopen the bridge. 
• Hagerstown Aviation Museum – Home to the largest collection of Fairchild aircraft and memorabilia in the world; the museum has grown from a concept to a collection of 23 historic aircraft and over 10,000 photos and artifacts spanning over a century of aviation. A large hangar is being renovated to include exhibits, the airplane collection and event space.
• Meritus Park – A new minor league baseball stadium has opened in downtown Hagerstown. The Hagerstown Flying Boxcars, a professional baseball club has begun play as part of the Atlantic League. 
• National Road Museum – Visitors to the 1,900 square-foot building will learn the history of the Historic National Road, the first major east-west route that carried early settlers from the historic seaport in Baltimore to Illinois, and its impact on the development of transportation technology. The new museum is open. 
• South Mountain State Park – The Maryland Park Service has purchased the historic South Mountain Inn and has plans to turn it into a Visitor Center for the park.
   

Hotels – New, Changes & Updates

CENTRAL MARYLAND

• Pendry Hotel Baltimore – The Sagamore Pendry was rebranded after Sagamore Holdings sold the property.
• Roost Apartment Hotel – A new hotel opened at Baltimore Peninsula (Port Covington), billing itself as an extended-stay property that blends the attributes of a boutique hotel and upscale apartments. With 81 extended-stay units and 40 apartments, it is located at 2400 Terrapin Way in Port Covington.
• William Fell Inn, Tapestry Collection by Hilton – The Admiral Fell Inn, a historic property has been rebuilt as an 80-room hotel in Fell’s Point. The property has undergone a complete renovation and maintained its original 1700s brick structure. The hotel is operated by Meyer Jabara Hotels (MJH), is named after William Fell, an English settler and shipbuilder in the waterfront community. 

GREATER WASHINGTON

• Holiday Inn-Greenbelt/Candlewood Suites-Greenbelt – The Holiday Inn Greenbelt is undergoing an extensive renovation. The hotel will become a dual-branded property offering hotel rooms and extended stay suites.
• Visitation Frederick Hotel – A historic school building in downtown has undergone a total renovation, transforming it into a boutique hotel with 57 standard and 10 extended stay rooms. It is a Tribute Portfolio property at 211 E. Church Street.

Hotels in the Works

Marriott Downtown Frederick – Finally, a new downtown hotel is coming to Frederick thanks to Plamondon Hospitality Partners. The $103 million, five-story project consists of a 204-room upscale Marriott hotel; approximately 27,000 square feet of meeting space; an underground garage; four food outlets; retail space; and a renovated historic Trolley Building. Anticipated opening is late 2027.

EASTERN SHORE

Bohemia Manor Farm, Winery & Resort – Chateau Bu-De is under new ownership and the winery venue is being transformed. The Winemaker Cottage is a cozy retreat; the Manor House combines luxury with history; and the 1920s estate features 12 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, and a stunning ballroom for special events.

Hotels in the Works

• Chesapeake Bay Beach Club & Wilson’s Cove Hotel – The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club has announced the expansion of its award-winning hospitality portfolio with the addition of Wilson’s Cove, a 32-room waterfront hotel designed to enhance the guest experience and elevate the Beach Club as a premier Chesapeake Bay destination. Construction is well underway, with the hotel opening anticipated in Summer 2026.
• SpringHill Suites by Marriott-Ocean City – The Harrison Group has plans for a new build on the Boardwalk between 26 th and 27 th streets. The Flagship Hotel will be demolished in the Fall. The new build will be an eight-story hotel, constructed in an U-shaped pattern, providing all suites with ocean views. There will be 135 rooms, a 5,543-square-foot restaurant, indoor pool, outdoor pool and pool bar on the ground floor.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND

• Rod N Reel Resort – Renovations have been completed that include the addition of large parking garage and new restaurants, two floors of gaming, new Bingo Hall, new charter boat fishing office, small rooftop pool & club house for hotel guests, additional hotel rooms, new Rod ‘N’ Reel restaurant, banquet space for 500 people, roof top deck and 3-story glass atrium with mezzanine bar.
• Solomons Inn Resort & Marina – A portion of the hotel reopened in August 2024, with newly renovated rooms & suites. The meeting and banquet facilities offering more than 20,000 square feet of versatile function space, ideal for elevating both business and social events. 

WESTERN MARYLAND

• The Rosenbaum – A luxurious 13-room boutique property is opening at 118 Baltimore Street in Cumberland. 
• Wills Hotel – A 20-room boutique hotel on the upper floors with a restaurant and a retail store on the first floor is opening by fall of 2025 at 69 Baltimore Street in downtown Cumberland.