Maryland Science Center marks 50 years, breaks ground on Harbor Plaza makeover
The Science Center rolled back admission to 1976 prices and broke ground on a Harbor Plaza redesign aimed at easier access for families and school groups.
A gentler path to the Maryland Science Center is coming to Harbor Plaza. The Inner Harbor landmark used its 50th anniversary weekend to launch a $2 million overhaul of the entrance space between the promenade and the museum’s front doors, a change leaders say will make the site more welcoming for Baltimore families, school groups and tourists.
At a ceremonial groundbreaking on June 13, Governor Wes Moore, Senate President Bill Ferguson and other civic leaders joined Science Center officials on the plaza as the museum capped a $15.2 million fundraising campaign. The renovation, designed by Baltimore-based Mahan Rykiel, will replace the existing brick steps and terraces with a sloping walkway and landscaped lawn while preserving the Easy Landing sculpture, which has stood there since 1978. The project also includes water-management improvements aimed at reducing runoff and limiting its impact on the Chesapeake Bay.
The celebration doubled as a look back at the museum’s place in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor revival. The Science Center first opened to the public on June 13, 1976, but says its roots go back to 1797, when the Maryland Academy of Sciences was founded. Leaders also point to the 1961 Greater Baltimore Committee proposal and the 1966 Baltimore City vote that secured the Inner Harbor site as the foundation for the museum that now welcomes about 400,000 visitors a year, including roughly 100,000 Maryland schoolchildren.
Inside, the anniversary programming leaned into the museum’s hands-on mission. The center rolled back admission prices to 1976 levels for the day, charging $1 for children, $2.50 for adults and $1.50 for seniors. Visitors also got live science demonstrations, cake, a timeline exhibit with archival photos and video, and access to newer attractions including Space, presented by Northrop Grumman, Make, presented by The Kahlert Foundation, and Design Build Test. The Space exhibit opened in December 2025 and was part of the anniversary lineup.
Museum leaders said the Harbor Plaza work is scheduled to begin in fall 2026, after the busiest summer season, so the entrance remains available in the meantime. The governor’s office said the Moore-Miller administration has provided annual support and $3.2 million in capital grants for Harbor Plaza in fiscal years 2024 and 2025, while the broader anniversary campaign is also intended to help sustain free and reduced-cost admission for students and Marylanders on SNAP or WIC. After more than 15 million guests since opening day, the Science Center is trying to do more than celebrate 50 years; it is trying to reset its front door for the next generation.
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