| BALTIMORE Tue, Apr 1, 2008 The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED), in partnership with the Maryland State Archives, today announced that the State House Visitors Center will be closed effective April 7, 2008 while the Maryland State House undergoes extensive renovations. During the construction, which is expected to be completed later this year, visitors to Annapolis will be directed to the House of Delegates Office Building at 6 Bladen Street, or the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau (AAACCVB) located at 26 West Street for information, literature, guided tours or restroom facilities. The State House Visitors Center is staffed by the Maryland Office of Tourism, a division of DBED.
“The Maryland Office of Tourism is pleased to work in conjunction with the Maryland State Archives and the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau to ensure a smooth transition for our visitors during the State House renovations,” said Hannah Byron, Assistant Secretary for the Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts. “Our goal is to give our visitors the best possible experience and we are confident that they will continue to receive the level of service expected when visiting a world-class destination like Maryland.”
While the State House is closed to the public, the Maryland State Archives has developed an alternate visitor experience for travelers interested in learning more about Maryland’s State House, which remains the oldest State House in continuous legislative use. A new exhibit, Four Centuries of History in the Maryland State House, opens April 14 and will be housed in the House of Delegates Office Building. The exhibit will showcase the role of the state capitol in Maryland history from the 17th century to the present, and will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visitors to the building will be required to show a picture I.D. Guided tours will be available through the Maryland Office of Tourism State House Visitors Center staff. For more information or to schedule a tour, please call 410-974-3400.
Developed by staff of the Maryland Commission on Artistic Property, Four Centuries of History in the Maryland State House will feature a selection of original artifacts from the State House including furnishings from the Old Senate Chamber; portions of the USS Maryland Silver Service; and a facsimile of George Washington’s copy of the resignation speech he delivered in the State House in December 1783, the original of which was recently acquired by the Maryland State Archives. Reproductions of the historic paintings from the State House including portraits of Maryland’s four signers of the Declaration of Independence will also be displayed. A multi-media presentation of the architectural restoration of the Old Senate Chamber will enable visitors to see the most up-to-date images and follow the progress of the work taking place in the State House’s most historic room.
Visitors can also obtain local tourism information from the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau (AAACCVB), which was recently renovated. The Bureau now offers an eco-friendly environment, highly trained volunteers and upgraded restroom facilities. Please visit www.visit-annapolis.org for more information.
Maryland’s latest visitor data confirms that in 2006, Maryland welcomed more than 28 million visitors who generated more than $11.4 billion in visitor spending. That figure is up from $10.7 billion the previous calendar year. During 2006, the Maryland tourism industry generated more than $895 million in state and local taxes and provided more than 116,000 jobs to Maryland residents.
For more information on tourism-related events and travel information, the public is invited to call 800-719-5900 or visit Maryland’s official web site at www.visitmaryland.org.
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