Havre de Grace Decoy Museum

The Carver's Gallery

Mike Tarquini

Quick Facts

Location:

215 Giles Street, Havre de Grace, MD 21078

Significance:

The Havre de Grace Decoy Museum preserves Chesapeake Bay waterfowling, decoy-making traditions, and ecological heritage, celebrating craftsmanship, community, and resilience along the Susquehanna Flats.

Designation:

Chesapeake Gateways Network Site

MANAGED BY:

The Havre de Grace Decoy Museum

Amenities

5 listed

Cellular Signal, Gifts/Souvenirs/Books, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Internet/WiFi Available, Parking - Auto

The Havre de Grace Decoy Museum immerses visitors in the rich cultural traditions of waterfowling and decoy making along the Chesapeake Bay’s Susquehanna Flats. As a Chesapeake Gateways Place, the museum explores how local ecology, migration patterns, and community artistry shaped this iconic heritage landscape.

Visitors can discover masterfully carved decoys, historic hunting boats, sink boxes, and folk art that tell the story of market and sport hunting in the "Golden Age of Waterfowl Hunting." Exhibits like "Gunning the Flats," “Influences of African Americans on Decoy Making,” and the historic R. Madison Mitchell Decoy Shop provide an authentic glimpse into the craft and regional culture along the Lower Susquehanna River. 

Through interactive displays, narrated dioramas, and galleries featuring artisans from across the Chesapeake and Mid-Atlantic, visitors gain an appreciation for the environmental abundance that made Havre de Grace a national destination for hunters and carvers alike.

Open year-round, the museum invites guests of all ages to experience the artistry, resilience, and natural bounty that define Chesapeake Bay waterfowling history. Learn more about exhibits, events, and regional connections by visiting the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum website.