Baltimore’s floating museum, the 1854 Navy warship USS Constellation has new digs at the Inner Harbor. During Fleet Week 2022 this past week, city and state leaders and organizations cut the ribbon on the new USS Constellation Education Center and Inner Harbor Water Taxi Terminal.
The new building is billed as a “gateway to our maritime heritage” on Pier 1 at the Inner Harbor. It combines combines a water taxi terminal for public use with an education center for the USS Constellation. It has historic maritime exhibits, the Bauer Education Center, as well as a gift shop, ticket counter and restrooms.
The building serves as the entry point to the Constellation, the Navy’s last sailing warship constructed from 1853 to 1854, a National Historic Landmark that now serves as a museum with newly-built gangplanks.
A rooftop deck at the education center and terminal will host education programs in addition to giving visitors a great view. Water taxi patrons and local travelers also enjoy better amenities in the multi-purpose space.
The building has been in the works for 20 years. It’s a community resource funded through the city, the State of Maryland, U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Charles T. Bauer Foundation with Living
Classrooms Foundation and Historic Ships of Baltimore.
“This new educational center highlights the significance of the USS Constellation and elevates the
importance of the water taxi to the harbor,” said Mayor Brandon Scott. “As we work to provide alternative modes of transportation in the city, this facility not only serves as a new water taxi terminal but also as a catalyst for revitalization efforts in downtown Baltimore and along the Inner Harbor.”
You can buy tickets to visit the USS Constellation in person or ahead of time online. A General Admission Boarding Pass gets you admission to not just the Constellation, but also the USSÂ Torsk, a World War II Tench-class submarine docked outside the National Aquarium, and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter WHEC-37, the last warship still floating that fought in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
To take a ride around the Inner Harbor on the Baltimore Water Taxi, click here for routes and schedules.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
