Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Maryland Building
Historic Maryland Zoo
The Maryland Building was originally constructed in Philadelphia as Maryland's state exhibition hall for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, the first World's Fair held in the United States.
After the fair, the building was disassembled, transported in pieces to Baltimore, and reassembled on top of the hill where it now stands. It was used as a natural history museum, then a storehouse, then a natural history museum again before being absorbed into the Zoo in 1967. Early on, it featured "curiosities that have been gradually collecting in one of the basement rooms under the portico of the Pavilion [Mansion House]." In its second incarnation as a museum, it showcased exhibits on local flora, fauna, geology, and archaeology. Stretching the length of the Center Hall was a 30-foot-long reconstruction skeleton of a baby blue whale that had washed ashore in Crisfield, Maryland in 1876. The whale skeleton and other curiosities have long since been removed, and the Maryland Building now houses the Zoo's Education Department
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Education • Notable Buildings • Notable Events • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.
Location. 39° 19.467′ N, 76° 38.8′
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mary Ann and George (here, next to this marker); The Elephant House (within shouting distance of this marker); Polar Bear Zoo (within shouting distance of this marker); Sea Lions Came First (within shouting distance of this marker); Elephant Walk (within shouting distance of this marker); Grizzlies in Polar Bear Territory (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Vega's Story (about 300 feet away); Back from the Brink (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Baltimore.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 26, 2021
2. Maryland Building Marker
The building stands up the hill.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 27, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 166 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
