Museums by Candlelight in Frederick County, Maryland

A Free Holiday Program for All Ages

Museums by Candlelight is a free, self-guided holiday event held each December at more than 20 historic sites and museums across Frederick County, Maryland. Hosted by the Frederick Historic Sites Consortium, this local tradition has welcomed visitors for more than 30 years. Programs begin at noon, and several sites stay open into the evening.

Participating sites stretch from Downtown Frederick to Thurmont, Emmitsburg, Walkersville, Brunswick, Burkittsville, Middletown, and Urbana. Explore Frederick County’s historic sites and museums dressed for the season. Expect period demonstrations, living history, hands-on crafts, guided tours, holiday music, and refreshments. Most locations also offer special activities for children.

Visit as many sites as you like, in any order. Spend the day with Civil War history at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and Monocacy National Battlefield. Or head north to the historic ironmaking village at Catoctin Furnace. As night falls, the historic settings glow by candlelight.

December 12, 2026 | Programs begin at 12pm (unless otherwise noted)

Participating Sites and Museums

See Below Virtual Map for Site Locations and Program Descriptions

Museums by Candlelight Program Descriptions

City of Frederick

AARCH Society African American Heritage Center

125 E. All Saints St., Frederick • 12pm–5pm

Experience an inspiring tribute to Frederick County’s African American heritage through the sights, sounds, and spirit of the season. Special music and Kwanzaa programs at 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm.

C. Burr Artz Public Library

110 E. Patrick St., Frederick • 12pm–5pm

View a collection of Maryland community cookbooks, pick up new cookie recipes, and talk with local authors about their work. Model trains run throughout the day, starting with a train-focused story time for little ones. Walkersville High School’s string quartet performs in the afternoon.

Delaplaine Arts Center

40 S. Carroll St., Frederick • 9am–5pm

Stop by the Delaplaine and create your own “stained glass” tea light candle holder in a self-guided craft project, available while supplies last.

Heritage Frederick | Museum of Frederick County History

24 E. Church St., Frederick • 12pm–7pm

Explore eight galleries filled with artifacts, photographs, and stories from across Frederick County. Take one final look at closing exhibitions, including “Timeless Toys” and “Growing Gold.” Enjoy festive trimmings throughout the historic building, a special ornament craft, and refreshments.

Historic Steiner House

368 W. Patrick St., Frederick • 12pm–5pm

Step inside for a guided holiday tour sharing the story of Stephen Steiner, his 1807 home, and its distinctive furnishings and artwork. Enjoy the nativity display and hot cider, and look for nutcrackers hiding throughout the house. Free parking behind Steiner House; driveway entrance is off Jefferson Street.

Hood College Library

401 Rosemont Ave., Frederick • 12pm–5pm

Visit the Hood College Library to view the annual nativity scene exhibit. Learn more about the beginnings of the college and how it has evolved. Crafts for young ones and snacks for everyone.

National Museum of Civil War Medicine

48 E. Patrick St., Frederick • 10am–5pm

Learn the history of our nation’s bloodiest conflict and the medical innovations that still save lives today. Members of the Blue and Gray Hospital Association, in Civil War attire with period medical equipment, will be on-site all day. Admission is pay-what-you-please, with donations supporting the museum.

Rose Hill Manor Park and Museums

1611 N. Market St., Frederick • 12pm–7pm

Travel back to the winter of 1776 and explore three new exhibits that opened in 2026: the 250th anniversary exhibit “In Search of Freedom,” the Frederick County Farm Museum Association’s Seed to Harvest Barn, and the Carriage Museum. Enjoy 1776-themed crafts, hearth cooking demonstrations, and light refreshments.

Daughters of the American Revolution

At Rose Hill Manor Park and Museums • 12pm–7pm

Members of the Frederick Chapter and Carrollton Manor Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will be on-site at Rose Hill Manor Park sharing stories from our nation’s founding era.

Schifferstadt Architectural Museum

1110 Rosemont Ave., Frederick • 12pm–7pm

Oranges, cloves, and crafts; cookies and hot cider; Hessians and open-hearth cooking; gift shop, brats, and glühwein — ’tis the season to visit this 1758 National Historic Landmark.

Northern Frederick County

Catoctin Furnace Historical Society

12610 Catoctin Furnace Rd., Thurmont • 12pm–5pm

Experience an old-fashioned Christmas in the historic ironmaking village that supplied ammunition to the Continental Army. Learn about the lives of its diverse workers, watch the blacksmith at the forge, and make a free traditional village craft. Enjoy hot cider and cookies while you design and purchase a fresh holiday wreath.

Historic Harriet Chapel

12625 Catoctin Furnace Rd., Thurmont • 12pm–5pm

A warm welcome awaits visitors to Historic Harriet Chapel, where tours and hands-on crafts invite you to step back in time in the village historic district. Celebrating 193 years as an Episcopal church and 198 years as a house of worship, docents love sharing the beautiful setting and the stories of this active faith community. Refreshments provide a taste of Harriet Chapel in the holiday season.

National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

339 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg • 10am–5pm

Shake off the chill of the season at the Seton Shrine with free tours of the museum and basilica. Try your hand at historic papercutting to make a holiday ornament. Celebrate Advent with a free sacred music concert by Fr. Maximilian Mary Dean at 4pm in the basilica. Christmas in the Valley living history tours of Mother Seton’s homes are available with the purchase of a ticket.

Snook Family Farm Agricultural Center

Utica District Park, 10200-B Old Frederick Rd., Frederick • 12pm–7pm

Learn about life in 1876 and how Frederick County celebrated the centennial of the American Revolution. Join in period crafts or relax at the firepit with a cup of cocoa as you explore the farmstead. A winter farm story time runs at the top of each hour.

Thurmont Center for Agricultural History at Thurmont Regional Library

76 E. Moser Rd., Thurmont • 12pm–4pm

Discover Frederick County’s rich farming heritage at the Thurmont Center for Agricultural History. Explore rare books, photographs, reports, and awards that tell the story of local agriculture and the settlement, culture, and history of northern Frederick County.

Thurmont Historical Society

11 N. Church St., Thurmont • 12pm–5pm

Visit the newly renovated Creeger House and explore new exhibits featuring stories from Thurmont and the surrounding region. Discover the people, places, and events that shaped 275 years of Thurmont history.

Walkersville Branch Library

2 S. Glade Rd., Walkersville • 12pm–5pm

Explore the book art of local artist June Seckler on exhibit, then create your own simple ornament from recycled book pages. It will be fun for everyone.

Woodsboro Historical Society

6 Woodsboro Creagerstown Rd., Woodsboro • 12pm–4pm

Visit our restored historical Pennsylvania Railroad Station and collection of Woodsboro memorabilia. Members will be available to answer questions and share stories.

Western Frederick County

Brunswick Heritage Museum

40 W. Potomac St., Brunswick • 12pm–5pm

Bring the whole family for a day full of holiday fun. Kids can enjoy festive crafts, photos with Santa, and a special Santa storytime. Don’t forget to explore the museum’s historic model train layout while you’re here.

Middletown Branch Library

31 E. Green St., Middletown • 2pm–4:30pm

Join the South Mountain Quartet and friends at 2pm for an afternoon of classical holiday music. At 3pm, A Very Victorian Holiday explores the oddities, traditions, and wonderfully bizarre visual culture of a 19th-century Christmas, followed by a Victorian-inspired card craft using vintage imagery and decorative papers. The 3pm program is for teens and adults.

South Mountain Heritage Society

3 E. Main St., Burkittsville • 12pm–5pm

Enjoy the history and architecture of the Resurrection Reformed Church, beautifully decorated for the holidays. Discover artifacts and stories from Burkittsville’s past, including the special display “Revolutionary Times in Burkittsville.” Enjoy refreshments, and children can make a craft ornament to take home.

Middletown Valley Historical Society

At South Mountain Heritage Society, Burkittsville • 12pm–5pm

Visit the Middletown Valley Historical Society’s display to learn about the history of Middletown and pick up local historical publications. Make a special craft ornament honoring the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

William F. Moran, Jr. Museum & Foundation

4246 Old National Pike, Middletown • 12pm–5pm

Bill Moran’s historic shop opens with forging demonstrations and knives by Moran and other makers, with docents on hand upstairs. Tour the forge and tool displays at the W.F. Moran Bladesmith & Artisan Academy. Please park at the Academy, 7304 Hollow Rd., unless accessible parking is needed.

Southern Frederick County

Monocacy National Battlefield

5201 Urbana Pike, Frederick • 12pm–5pm

Visit with Civil War soldiers celebrating the holiday season. What did they eat for Christmas dinner, and how did they entertain themselves? Tour the redesigned museum and explore the battlefield that saved Washington, D.C., in 1864.

Zion Church and Cemetery | Frederick County Landmarks Foundation

8998 Urbana Church Rd., Frederick • 12pm–5pm

Established in 1802, Zion was a community hub for early Urbana and the first church in the Sugarloaf Mountain area. Rebuilt after a 1961 fire, it now stands as a preservation success story. Take advantage of this special opportunity to view the interior of this Frederick County Landmarks property, along with the many recently cleaned tombstones. Recommended parking is the Urbana Park and Ride north lot.

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