St. Mary’s County museums are offering special opportunities for visitors over Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer, including cruises to St. Clement’s Island and extended hours at the Old Jail Museum in Leonardtown.
Over Memorial Day Weekend, May 23–25, 2026, the St. Mary’s County Museum Division will provide special cruises to St. Clement’s Island State Park aboard North Star Charters. The cruises will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the final return trip from the island departing at 3 p.m. Tickets are $7 per person and include round-trip transportation. On Saturday and Sunday, visitors will also receive a free tour of the historic Blackistone Lighthouse.
The cruises are being offered while the museum’s new water taxi completes final U.S. Coast Guard inspections and certification. Karen Stone, Manager of the St. Mary’s County Museum Division, said the division appreciates the community’s patience during the process and is grateful to North Star Charters for providing transportation over the holiday weekend.
Regular daily water taxi service between St. Clement’s Island Museum and the island remains unavailable until certification is complete. A public notice will be issued once the new vessel is ready for daily operations.
Meanwhile, the Old Jail Museum in Leonardtown continues to welcome visitors with both regular and extended hours. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free admission. During Leonardtown First Fridays, the museum extends its hours until 7 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. It is closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
The Old Jail Museum features exhibits on local history, including a special display highlighting Benjamin Hance, a young African American man who was held at the jail in 1887 and later killed by a mob. Hance is the only documented lynching victim in St. Mary’s County history. The site is also part of the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom and serves as the official Leonardtown Visitor Center.
The Old Jail Museum is located at 41625 Court House Drive in downtown Leonardtown, next to the historic courthouse.
For more information on museum hours, events, and cruises, visit www.stmaryscountymd.gov/museums or follow the St. Clement’s Island Museum on Facebook.
