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Description
The Carroll County Farm Museum is home to one of the largest collections of historic farm artifacts and machinery in the Mid-Atlantic region. Founded in 1966 by a group of like-minded county residents and officials in the Carroll County Government, they transformed the county Almshouse and surrounding property into a site for visitors to learn about the region’s agricultural heritage.
The Alms House was built in 1852 and opened a year later to assist people who had become ill, destitute or unable to feed their families. Each person was given one free night in the house and a hot meal with the stipulation that everyone must work the 340 acres in order to remain under the care of the steward and his wife. After 112 years, the Almshouse was closed in 1965. It reopened as the Museum in 1966.
Today, visitors can explore the seven rooms in the farmhouse which depict the life of a middle-class farm family in the 1880s. They can also see exhibits in our Living History Center featuring historic trades that were once important to Carroll County’s economy. Our spinning, weaving, tinsmithing, chair caning, broom making and summer kitchen rooms offer a peek into the past. During special events, artisans bring these rooms to life as they practice these traditional crafts once more. The Living History Center is also home to our newest exhibit, The Children’s Touch Room. There, children can experience hands-on learning activities in our late 19th century general store, post office and kitchen. Children also enjoy meeting our Farmyard Friends (here from mid-April through October) and our Red Devon Oxen — Jack and Jim.
Our barns and outbuildings highlight the importance of agriculture in Maryland’s history. Some of our more significant exhibits include our new wormseed distillery, transportation exhibit, and our 1700s Hoff Memorial Log Barn — built without any nails.
We welcome you to visit our site to see our exhibits, animals, and artisans. The Farm Museum is committed to educating through the promotion and preservation of our rural heritage.
Cost
Regular Admission: $3 Adults — $10 Families (Children under 9 free with paying adult)How
Visitor Guidelines
Please reference the information below to prepare for your visit.
For safety reasons, visitors must adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines.
Hours
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
Outdoor guided tours are offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesday through Friday
Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Outdoor guided tours offered at noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m.
COVID-19 Guidelines
Visitors must pay admission in the office. Masks are required when entering the office.
All visitors over the age of two are strongly encouraged to wear masks while outside on the Museum grounds.
We encourage you to bring and use hand sanitizer.
There are also multiple hand sanitizer stations on the grounds for public use.
Admission Procedures
Please look for the social distancing markings on the floor of the office and maintain the required six-foot social distance if there is another group in front of you.
The Museum counter has a plexiglass barrier for safety reasons. Please keep the barrier between you and the staff and slide payment under the barrier.
Admission is $3 per person (age 9 or older) or $10 per family.
Children 8 and under are free with a paying adult
Closures
The Farmhouse and Living History Center are closed indefinitely because they are too small to allow for required social distancing.
We will also not be bringing artisans or volunteers back at this time for safety reasons.
Tours
The Museum has three new outdoor guided tours.
- Hoff Barn Tour – A discussion of the Hoff Barn, the period in which it was built, notable facts about this 1700s barn and the Museum’s two oxen teams – Jack and Jim and Bud and Bo.
Wednesday through Friday 11 a.m.; Saturday and Sunday Noon and 2 p.m.
- Historic Buildings Tour – A guided outdoor tour leading visitors past the Museum’s many historic outbuildings including the Springhouse, Corn Crib, Historic Blacksmith Forge and Alms Barn. Visitors will learn the role each building played on the farm.
Wednesday through Friday 1 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
- Farmyard Friends Tour – A discussion of the farm animals here at the Museum and the role they played on the farm including the chores and animal care children would have had to perform. We have oxen, sheep, goats, poultry and rabbits this season.
This tour is geared toward children and can be offered in place of the other two tours at the times listed above. Simply let the staff know.
Tours are self-guided only on Monday and Tuesday.
Tour handouts are offered when visitors pay admission.
Tour Procedures
- Tour groups are limited to 10 people or less and they must all be from the same group/family. This is a health department requirement.
- Tours last about 15 minutes with additional time for questions as needed.
- Guides will carry hand sanitizer and point out the hand sanitizer stations on the grounds.
Children’s Activities
The following handouts are available at the front desk as part of your paid admission:
- Photo scavenger hunt
- Text scavenger hunt
- Vintage Games instruction sheet
- Checkers and tic-tac-toe can be checked out at the front desk.
Please return them after use so we can sanitize them.
Playground and Picnic Tables
The Museum playground is open.
We strongly recommend visitors over the age of two wear masks, bring hand sanitizer and avoid congregating at the playground.
Please respect other visitors by keeping the required six-foot social distance from them.
The Museum’s picnic tables are available for those who want to bring a lunch or snack.
Please abide by the state’s outdoor dining guidelines — no more than six people per table and tables spaced six feet apart.
Please, no pets or alcohol. An exception is made for service animals.
Please note: We do not sell any food on site except bottled water.
