Count them, 17 aquariums stocked with huge fish, makes for a real kid pleaser. The live otter tank and fossils displays are wonderful. We particularly like the hands-on Learning Center complete with puppets and costumes. There were things there even for the big kids to enjoy.

The museum showcases artifacts from the life on the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent River area. Travel DC With Kids! loves this fun museum. We highly recommend it to you. Go when the weather is nice and sit out on the water by the lighthouse and watch the boat traffic. It is beautiful! The nearby shopping area with quaint restaurants is a real treat and off the beaten path. A restful and beautiful side trip, even with kids!

The restored lighthouse on the grounds was most unusual and really fun to walk through. The kids all thought that this was really cool. It is an octagon shape and up on stilts.

Dad's love the boat and motor history displays.

Directions: Take Route 4 South from I-495, the outer loop of the Capital Beltway. Route 4 dead ends in Solomon's Island. The Museum sits almost under the bridge back to the mainland and before the Boardwalk on Solmon's Island Road. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for kids 5-12. Phone number is (410) 326-2042.