On the second Sunday of every August, something happens on the waterfront at St. Michaels that’s hard to put into words. Workboats roar in at full throttle, competing to dock as precisely as possible at the pier. Steamed crabs hit the tables. The watermen who make their living on the Chesapeake — mostly unseen in the predawn hours of most days — step into the spotlight.
“Just the feeling that you feel on a day like that,” says Eric Detweiler, Marketing & Communications Manager at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. “To see all those people come here and have a great time — seeing watermen as a living tradition — some of it is just when you’re there and you see and feel what that looks like.”
At Full Sail Media, we’re honored to spotlight the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum as our August 2026 Changemaker community partner. This month, we spoke with Detweiler about a 61-year-old institution on Navy Point in St. Michaels that has quietly become one of the region’s most vital cultural anchors — part museum, part working shipyard, part community gathering place for the Chesapeake and beyond.
More Than a Museum
CBMM’s campus is a lot to take in. There’s the iconic Hooper Strait Lighthouse — a screwpile lighthouse that once stood in the middle of the bay off Dorchester County, relocated to St. Michaels in 1966 and now one of the museum’s most recognizable landmarks. There are historic vessels, a floating fleet, and a working shipyard where visitors can watch (and help with) real restoration work. There are exhibitions, river cruises, education programs for all ages, summer camps, private events, and a research library.
“There’s never a dull day around here,” Detweiler says. “A lot of people know us for a lot of different reasons. They’ve come here to do something, and we can tell them about other things.”
That breadth is intentional. The museum’s mission is to embrace the history, environment, and culture of the Chesapeake, and doing that well means meeting people wherever their entry point is, whether that’s a school field trip, a weekend festival, or a first-time boat purchase.
New Stories, Freshly Told
CBMM is not content to rest on its collection. The museum’s changing exhibitions building is currently home to two complementary shows: Sailing to Freedom: The Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad, a traveling exhibition running through the end of 2026, and a Frederick Douglass exhibition exploring his deep ties to Talbot County, up through the end of 2027.
Just last month, the museum opened Stories from the Shoreline, a new long-term exhibition in a black box space within the Welcome Center — a transformational new addition to CBMM’s campus back in December 2023.
“We’re highlighting the ways that Chesapeake people across time have connected with the water’s edge,” Detweiler explains. “You go in there, it’s very vibrant, very colorful, very photo heavy. You see the people whose stories are being told.”
That people-first approach runs through everything the curatorial team does. “We want to introduce you to actual people — some still with us today, some historical — so that guests can really see themselves within these stories, or connect with these people instead of just broad themes.”
Education Runs Deep
Last school year, CBMM set a record for student participation in field trips and education programming. Every 3rd, 5th, and 8th grader in Talbot County schools makes the trip to campus — and CBMM takes its outreach beyond those walls, working with organizations including Building African American Minds in Easton and the Benedictine School to reach different corners of the community.
The museum serves more than 5,000 Maryland public school students, teachers, and chaperones annually, and its collection contains more than 90,000 objects dedicated to the region’s history.
The Shipyard: Where History Gets Its Hands Dirty
One of CBMM’s most distinctive offerings is its working shipyard — a place where historic vessels are actively restored by staff, volunteers, and skilled tradespeople, all in view of the public.
The current marquee project is the Winnie Estelle, a Bay buyboat that’s been undergoing a major refit for the past four years. The team pulled the entire bottom off the boat, rebuilt the keel, and reconstructed the hull. She’s expected to go back in the water and begin offering new cruise experiences in 2027.
“They took the entire bottom off the boat and basically rebuilt back the keel and then the hull,” Detweiler explains. “It’s going to open up some new cruise offering opportunities for us.”
Getting Involved: There’s a Place for Everyone
Volunteers are woven into almost every corner of CBMM’s operation. Boaters can get out on the water. Those with woodworking skills can help in the shipyard. The research library uses volunteers for cataloging and curatorial support. There’s even a group that works directly with the exhibition designer on building out physical displays.
“If you have an interest and passion for what we do,” Detweiler says, “I think you can pretty easily find a place to contribute around here.”
What’s Coming Up
CBMM’s fall calendar is as full as its summer one — arguably more accessible without the heat.
Charity Boat Auction — Labor Day Weekend (September 5): Dozens of boats up for auction along the waterfront. The live auction begins at 11 AM. Whether you’re in the market or just curious, it’s worth a look. See the current inventory at cbmm.org/buy-a-boat.
Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival — Friday, October 2 – Sunday, October 4: Small boat enthusiasts bring their vessels to sail the Miles River for the weekend. A beloved community tradition.
OysterFest — Saturday, November 7: The Bay’s favorite bivalve gets its moment. Watermen serving oysters, live celebration, and what Detweiler’s team calls “a big celebration of the day’s favorite bivalve.”
Holiday Sea Glass Festival — Saturday, November 21: A pre-Thanksgiving tradition, with a companion event in the spring.
Winter on the Chesapeake — Saturday, December 12: Holiday programming in conjunction with Christmas in St. Michaels.
How to Support the Mission
Visit: General admission supports everything CBMM does. Members always get in free. Plan your visit at cbmm.org.
Become a Member: Membership dues directly fund programming, exhibitions, and community access. Learn more at cbmm.org/memberships.
Volunteer: From the shipyard to the research library to on-the-water programs, CBMM can match your skills to a meaningful role. Sign up at cbmm.org/become-a-volunteer.
Donate a Boat: CBMM’s charity boat donation program makes the process simple. Donated boats are auctioned, with proceeds supporting the museum’s mission. Details at cbmm.org/donate-a-boat.
Donate: As a nonprofit, CBMM directs 70–80% of annual expenditures toward programming. Give at cbmm.org/donate.
At Full Sail Media, we’re drawn to organizations that understand their community’s identity and take seriously the responsibility of preserving it. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum has spent 61 years doing exactly that: making sure the stories of the bay, and the people who live and work on it, don’t get lost to time.
To learn more, explore upcoming events, or plan your visit, go to cbmm.org.
