Richardson Maritime Museum

The Richardson Maritime Museum welcomes visitors to their Ruark Boatworks and Museum buildings.

Richardson Maritime Museum

Quick Facts

Location:

103 Hayward Street, Cambridge, MD 21613

Significance:

This Chesapeake Gateways Network Site preserves Dorchester County’s boatbuilding legacy through hands-on restoration, historic vessels, research and exhibits that honor Chesapeake Bay maritime traditions.

Designation:

Chesapeake Gateways Network Site

MANAGED BY:

Richardson Maritime Museum

Amenities

5 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Internet/WiFi Available, Parking - Auto, Restroom - Accessible, Wheelchair Accessible

The Richardson Maritime Museum, home to the Ruark Boatworks and the Brannock Education and Research Center — preserves and celebrates the rich maritime heritage of Dorchester County and the Chesapeake Bay. Located along Cambridge Creek in Cambridge, Maryland, this Chesapeake Gateways Network Site connects visitors to the traditions of wooden boatbuilding and the generations of people who have worked these waters.

The museum offers hands-on experiences through guided tours, where wooden vessels are restored and preserved using traditional craftsmanship. Visitors can explore maritime artifacts, interpretive exhibits, and historic boats that showcase the region’s shipbuilding legacy. Exhibits highlight the lives and work of local shipwrights, watermen, and the broader social and economic impact of maritime trades across the Eastern Shore.

Special events and educational programs are held throughout the year, including woodworking workshops for both adults and youth, offered onsite and offsite. The Dudley, a traditional wooden vessel, offers chartered cruises from the dock—providing a living connection to the Bay’s working watercraft. Each fall, the museum hosts the Boatyard Bash Heritage Celebration, its annual fundraiser, featuring vendor tables, a silent auction, live music, and fresh oysters on the half shell.

As part of the Chesapeake Gateways Network, the Richardson Maritime Museum deepens our collective understanding of the Chesapeake’s maritime culture. Learn more at their website.