Things to do in Annapolis

Annapolis has a well-preserved historic district with more than 1,500 restored buildings, mainly from the 17th to 19th centuries. The area around the City Dock has many good restaurants, bars and shops.

State House

The Maryland State House is the oldest state capitol still in legislative use. It was designed by Joseph Horatio Anderson and its construction was completed in 1779. The present dome, which replaced an earlier cupola, is the oldest and largest wooden dome of its kind in the United States. It was designed and built by Joseph Clark, an Annapolis architect and builder. From a design and engineering point of view, it is an outstanding achievement as it is held together by wooden pegs which are reinforced by iron straps. No metal nails were used in its construction.

The State House was the first peacetime capitol of the United States and is the only state house ever to have served as the nation's capitol. The Continental Congress met in the Old Senate Chamber from 1783 to 1784. It was during that time that George Washington famously came before the Congress to resign as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and the Treaty of Paris was ratified, marking the official end of the Revolutionary War.

You can watch Maryland's government in action from visitor galleries in both the House and Senate Chambers. Thirty-minute free guided tours of the public rooms are available, starting from the visitor's centre. Phone: +1 410 974 3400.

St John's College

Situated close to the State House, St John's College is the third-oldest institution of higher learning in the country after Harvard and William and Mary.
It follows an unusual curriculum known as The New Program or The Great Books Program, which is based on discussion of works from the Western philosophic and literary canon.

It was heavily influenced by Jacob Klein, who was dean of the college in the 1940s and 50s. Classes at St John's are exclusively discussion-based and students address teachers and fellow students only by their last names. The school places less emphasis on formal grades and they are released only at the request of the student. Grading is based largely on class participation and papers.

The school was the first in America to prohibit religious discrimination when it was chartered in 1784, and despite its name, it has no religious affiliations. The centre of campus, McDowell Hall, is a major landmark in Annapolis. Construction started in 1742 and it was originally intended as a palatial residence. Funds were cut off because of its extravagance and the building sat empty and incomplete for 40 years. It was later renamed McDowell Hall and became a part of the college. Phone: +1 410 263 2371.

Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial

The memorial, located at the City Dock in historic Annapolis, commemorates the place of arrival of Alex Haley's African ancestor, Kunta Kinte, as told in the book Roots. It's the only memorial in the country that commemorates the actual name and place of arrival of an enslaved African. It features a sculpture group of a seated Alex Haley reading from a book on his lap to three children of different ethnic backgrounds.

Next to the sculptures is the Story Wall, a series of 10 markers topped with bronze plaques lining the retaining sea wall on Compromise Street. On each plaque is a quote from Alex Haley's story of his family's journey, as told in Roots. One of the plaques contains the original acknowledgement of Kunta Kinte's arrival on the slave ship Lord Ligonier in 1767.

Just across the street from the sculpture group is The Compass Rose, a bronze inlaid compass measuring 14 feet in diameter and oriented north with Annapolis at its centre. A nearby information display stand explains the memorial and the meaning of each of its components.

Naval Academy

Founded in 1845, the United States Naval Academy has expanded to fill a 238-acre campus located north of downtown Annapolis, at the mouth of the Severn River. This National Historic site attracts over a million visitors every year, who come to view the Navy Chapel, Bancroft Hall and museum. The Navy Chapel, with its soaring copper dome, is the architectural centrepiece of The Yard. John Paul Jones, America's first naval hero, is buried in a vault beneath the sanctuary.

Bancroft Hall is one of the world's largest dormitories and several parts of it are open to the public. There are several rolls of honour, including lists of academy graduates who were killed in action or who won the Medal of Honour. The Naval Academy Museum is situated in Preble Hall on Maryland avenue, and contains some fine model ships and mementos of American naval history. The visitor centre is on King George Street, and guided walking tours are available daily. Phone: +1 410 293 5001.

Hammond-Harwood House

Of all the historic homes in Annapolis, the Hammond-Harwood House is one of the premier colonial houses from the British colonial period. It was built in 1774 as an urban villa for Matthias Hammond, a local farmer. Designed by one of America's first architect's, William Buckland, the classic Georgian architecture was inspired from a plate in Palladios book, I quattro Libri dellArchitettura. It houses the finest collection of 18th century decorative and fine arts in Maryland. There are some beautiful pieces of furniture, handicrafts and textiles on view. Tours of the home last about 45 minutes and can be booked in advance. Phone: +1 401 263 4683.