Bring your group to explore CBMM’s 18 waterfront acres, our 12 exhibition buildings, and the surrounding town of historic St. Michaels. CBMM will provide a guide for your group upon request, with reservations made at least two weeks in advance. Some customization is available.
Group admission to CBMM covers each member of your group, with a minimum of 15 guests is required for group booking rates. See the bottom of this page for tour options and rates. Group reservations are subject to availability/capacity. Please send specific questions to groups@cbmm.org.
When submitting a request, please allow two business days for a response. CBMM’s Group Sales Department operates Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm. (We are closed weekends and holidays.)
For group admission rates, see bottom of this page
Navigating the Chesapeake Guided Tour
Discover the incredible history and distinctive culture of the Chesapeake Bay, exploring the connections between the environment and people over time. Tour a working shipyard, take a birds-eye view of St. Michaels from the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse, and uncover the legacy of the Chesapeake’s oystering and crabbing industries. This tour requires a moderate amount of walking (approximately ½ mile) across uneven surfaces including gravel and boardwalk, as well as several flights of stairs. Group admission rates apply–see bottom of this page.
Seeking Freedom Guided Tour
Uncover the stories of freedom seekers in the Chesapeake. Living in proximity to the Chesapeake’s marshes, creeks, and rivers, enslaved people used their access and knowledge to self-emancipate. On this tour, guests will explore the perspectives of four different Chesapeake figures who each sought freedom in different ways: Frederick Douglass, his sister Eliza Bailey Mitchell, Joseph Keene, and Henry “Box” Brown. This tour requires a moderate amount of walking (approximately 1/4 mile) across uneven surfaces including gravel and boardwalk. 90 minutes. Group admission rates apply–see bottom of this page
Catch of the Day Guided Tour
Learn what it means to “follow the water” in every season on the Chesapeake. Participants will view the Bay through the eyes of a waterman as they tong for oysters, pull crab pots, explore a skipjack, and hear stories of commercial hunters used at the turn of the 19th century. This tour requires a moderate amount of walking (approximately 1/4 mile) across uneven surfaces including gravel and boardwalk. 90 minutes. Group admission rates apply–see bottom of this page
Oystering on the Chesapeake Guided Tour
Explore the history of the greatest oyster factory on Earth—the Chesapeake Bay—and how the oyster has shaped the culture, industry, and environment. Climb aboard a skipjack and explore giant oyster shells to learn about a time when oysters lay thick as stones, tales of the Oyster Wars and an oyster “gold rush.” Tour guests will also take an up-close look at an oyster nursery’s crabs, fish, and baby mollusks. This tour requires a moderate amount of walking (approximately 1/4 mile) across uneven surfaces including gravel and boardwalk. 90 minutes. Group admission rates apply–see bottom of this page
Water Lines Exhibition Guided Tour
Explore the rich maritime history of the Chesapeake through the stories of people who sailed, raced, used, designed, and built the boats preserved at CBMM. This is the most physically accessible tour option for those with mobility concerns. 90 minutes. Group admission rates apply–see bottom of this page
Ecology Cruise
(This is also available as a land-based tour. Email groups@cbmm.org.)
Learn about the Chesapeake’s animals, plants, and environment through hands-on activities aboard a historic vessel in CBMM’s floating fleet. This 90-minute tour explores the Bay watershed from large to small, starting with maps of the Chesapeake’s waterways and populations, moving to water quality testing, and ending by examining the many organisms that call an oyster reef home. 25-passenger maximum. Flat rate per cruise in addition to group tour rate per person (see bottom of this page)
Day in St. Michaels Tour Package
Your authentic Chesapeake Bay experience begins here! Come visit the historic harbor town of St. Michaels, Md., for a full day of activity that offers something for everyone. This package includes a tour of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, lunch at The Crab Claw restaurant, and a cruise aboard PATRIOT. $89 per person, minimum 25 participants per group. Click here to download the Day in St. Michaels Package flyer.
Evening in St. Michaels Tour Package
This evening package includes a tour of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, dinner at Foxy’s Harbor Grille, and an Island Music Cocktail Cruise aboard PATRIOT. $119 per person, minimum 15 participants per group. This package is available on most Saturdays from Memorial Day-Labor Day. Contact us for availability. Click here to download the Evening in St. Michaels Package flyer.
For group tour rates, see bottom of this page
Custom Experiences
Reserve a custom workshop and more! For details and pricing, please email groups@cbmm.org or call 410-745-4966. Group admission rates apply–see bottom of this page
Private CBMM Member Family & Friends Group Tours
CBMM Members receive a 50% discount on guided tours for small private family and friends groups. Private guided tours are based upon availability and must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance. This discount does not apply to corporate, community, or school groups. Group tour rates apply–see bottom of this page
Members at the Individual and Household Levels may book tours for 6–15 participants.
Members at the Family & Friends Level may book tours for 6–30 participants.
GROUP ADMISSION RATES
Rates are per person. Group rates are available with advance reservations only.
| Group Admission (15 guest minimum) |
With Guided Tour (15 guest minimum) |
Group Combo (CBMM group admission + PATRIOT cruise) |
|
| Adults | $15 | $19 | $42 |
| Seniors (65+) | $15 | $19 | $38 |
Ask about our Day in St. Michaels package, which includes group admission to CBMM, small-group guided tours of CBMM, lunch, and a cruise aboard PATRIOT. Packages start at $70 per guest.
For student/child groups, please send a request to registration@cbmm.org or call 410-745-4988.