Explore a two-story ship with an engine room, ship bridge and more!

Captain an imaginative adventure on the giant S.S. Friendship. Sail, navigate and be a ship engineer as you explore the seas and discover how products make their way around the world. Work together to move, stack, and explore what’s inside of shipping containers. Try your hand at operating a gantry crane, explore an engine room and try your hand at navigating a ship, plus learn about the Port of Baltimore – and the many jobs and products you’ll find at one of the world’s most active ports!

See All Play Areas
Floor 3
  • toddlers & pre-k
  • ages 5-10
  • sensory friendly
  • mobility-friendly
Two children playing together as they pretend to steer Port Discovery's giant S.S. Friendship exhibit across a pretend sea
A sideview A giant blue ship named the S.S. Friendship that juts out from the back wall of Port Discovery Children's Museum.
Two children playing with levers and lights featured in Port Discovery's interactive pretend engine room
Excited child stacking foam blocks on an interactive cargo loader in one of Port Discovery's interactive play areas
Man kneeling down with child as they play together and fill a small container with foam blocks
  • Explore a huge life-sized ship – including an engine room, gantry crane, and more.
  • Role play as the ship’s captain and sailors, navigators, engineers, stevedores and merchants.
  • Scan cargo in our security station – and learn about where cargo comes from.
  • Try out – and learn about – jobs that make The Port of Baltimore work.
  • Collaboration
  • Confidence
  • Gross motor skills
  • Problem Solving
  • Social skills
  • STEM concepts including sorting, weighing, and transporting a variety of products.
  • Recommended for all ages (including parents and caregivers).
  • Encourage children to work together as they operate the crane and role-play as the ship.
  • Ask children questions a variety of questions to help them think about what they are experiencing. You might ask them to identify the many parts of the ship, what jobs they think make a ship operate, how things are put on and taken off a ship, where objects they are wearing or use every day come from – and how they get here.
The Port Virtual Tour Port Discovery Play Area
The Port Virtual Tour
view virtual tour

Port Discovery Children’s Museum Port Exhibit was supported in part by the following partners.

This project has been financed (in part) with Federal funds from the National Maritime Heritage program, administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. However, the contents and opinions contained herein do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior.

This program received Federal financial assistance for the preservation of historic maritime resources and for increasing public awareness and appreciation for the maritime heritage of the United States. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability or age in its federally funded assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated again in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity National Park Service 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240

The Project has been financed in part with State Funds from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, an instrumentality of the State of Maryland. However, Project contents or opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority.