Frederick Historic Sites Consortium, Visit Frederick to host free Museums by Candlelight event on December 13

FREDERICK, Md., Nov. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Frederick Historic Sites Consortium and Visit Frederick will once again welcome residents and visitors for Museums by Candlelight on Saturday, December 13. More than 25 historic sites, museums, and cultural organizations across Frederick County will open their doors with free admission and special programs from noon into the evening.

This long-running holiday tradition invites guests to explore the county's remarkable history in a single afternoon and evening. This free event offers hands-on experiences, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to engage with Frederick County's rich history.

This year's event arrives as Frederick County and the nation prepare for the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. Museums by Candlelight provides the perfect lead-in to that milestone - an opportunity to reflect on the stories, people, and places that shaped our shared history.

"Museums by Candlelight is one of the most welcoming and wide-ranging events our historic sites and museums host all year," said Scott Keefer, co-chair of the Frederick Historic Sites Consortium. "It's a chance for people to step inside places they may have driven past for years and discover the stories that shaped our communities."

"Each stop offers something different - local traditions, historic architecture, and the warmth of the holiday season," Keefer added. "As we approach America's 250th, this event reminds us how Frederick County's history is deeply woven into the nation's story."

These are the sites and organizations participating in the 2025 edition of Museums by Candlelight.

AARCH Society Heritage Center
Brunswick Heritage Museum
Brunswick Public Library
Catoctin Furnace Historical Society - Museum of the Iron Worker
Catoctin Mountain Park
Daughters of Charity Archives
Daughters of the American Revolution
Delaplaine Arts Center
Emmitsburg Branch Library
Heritage Frederick
Historic Harriet Chapel
Historic Steiner House
Hood College Archives
Maryland Room - C. Burr Artz Public Library
Monocacy National Battlefield
Myersville Community Library
National Museum of Civil War Medicine
National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Rose Hill Manor Park and Museums
Schifferstadt Architectural Museum
South Mountain Heritage Society
Thurmont Historical Society - Creeger House
Thurmont Community Library
William F. Moran Museum & Foundation
Woodsboro Historical Society
Zion Church and Cemetery

While many sites in the City of Frederick will be open from 12-7PM, visitors are encouraged to check the hours for individual sites at the event website.

All event information can be found at:
https://www.visitfrederick.org/events/annual-events/museums-by-candlelight/

Visit Frederick is the recognized Destination Marketing Organization for Frederick City and Frederick County, Maryland. It operates the Frederick Visitor Center and related Visit Frederick programs that include Destination Marketing and Group Tour Marketing.

For more information about Visit Frederick, visit www.visitfrederick.org or call 301-600-4047.

SOURCE Visit Frederick