Discover Delmarva: Museum of Ocean City
OCEAN CITY, Md- Ocean City has been welcoming tourists for decades. At the same time, the local history of the town is ingrained into the fabric of the community, often in plain sight. The Museum of Ocean City preserves the natural, cultural, and historical relics of the past are used to educate and remember how we got to where we are today. Christine Okerblom, the curator of the museum, walked us through the history of the town and the building they use to tell the story. “So this was the former bank of Ocean City building. Before that, it was Charlie McGregor’s Grocery store. Now you are standing in the museum of Ocean City.”
After the bank moved out of its downtown location, it was donated with the understanding that it would become a useful spot for the community. Even the old safe has become a spot where the story of Ocean City is displayed. Okerblom tells us, “They have been collecting artifacts for years since the 80s. And they have quite a few artifacts that have never had the opportunity to be on exhibit.”
From animal bones, hotel decor, shoes, bowling shirts, and even sauce bottles that aren’t so different from today. These all advance the message of their four main exhibits, according to Okerblo, “When you visit the museum of Ocean City, you’re going to see four main exhibits. The history of McGregor’s, when it was a bank- it was a bank for over 100 years. You are going to experience our native American exhibit, the history of hotels and restaurants, and the history of downtown Ocean City.”
Their mock storefronts transport you back to a time when the bustling town hadn’t seen its first high-rise hotel yet… While the history of the hotels and the true mystic a trip to the beach held was much more than getting a tan, rather a true tease to an extravagant lifestyle showcased by how a typical dinner would look in the 1900s. While remembering the land of the natives, who knew the lands like no other. Ocean City continues to be a must-visit each and every year for so many.
Christine tells us it was a successful first season at the museum. And they’ll continue to operate on the weekends through April. You can visit them at 217 South Baltimore Avenue in Ocean City, Maryland.
