From Western Maryland to the lower Eastern Shore, our state is rich in cultural heritage. Museum on Main Street shines the spotlight on it. This program brings traveling museum-quality exhibitions to small communities across the state.
True to our name, Maryland Humanities is committed to bringing outstanding humanities programs to every corner of our state. Museum on Main Street (MoMS) helps fulfill that promise. A collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils like Maryland Humanities, MoMS brings high-quality traveling exhibits to Main Street museums, historical societies, and other small-town cultural venues across the country. These exhibits boost civic pride, as residents young and old, from diverse backgrounds come together to share and celebrate their heritage.
In 2015, for example, Maryland Humanities brought the sports-oriented Smithsonian traveling exhibit Hometown Teams to five communities across Maryland. Sports are an indelible part of our culture, reflecting the trials and triumphs of the human experience. Hometown Teams identifies compelling sports stories on the local level and brings them to light.
By The Numbers
69,388
Museum on Main participants in 2023.
92
Partners and hosts in 2019-2020.
5
Counties where Museum on Main has been hosted.
613
Museum on Main Street special events, programs, and exhibits in 2023.
176
days that our last Museum on Main Street exhibition was on view in Maryland.
42,592
Museum on Main Street participants in 2019-2020.
127
Museum on Main Street community volunteers in 2022-2023.
Exhibit on Tour
See “SPARK!“ on tour near you!
Spark!: Places of Innovation explores the unique combination of places, people, and circumstances that sparks innovation and invention in rural communities.
See the exhibit at one of six communities throughout Maryland from May 17, 2025 – March 1, 2026.