Current Exhibit
“Carried on the Tide: The Rise and Fall of Colonial Oxford”
It’s a great American story: A courageous rebellion against a tyrannical king; a military victory against impossible odds; a glorious declaration of national independence. But that does not begin to describe what happened in Oxford more than two centuries ago.
To commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, the Oxford Museum is presenting a new exhibition. “Carried on the Tide: The Rise and Fall of Colonial Oxford” not only traces the town’s spectacular success as a port dependent on the British tobacco trade but reveals its collapse after independence left the port abandoned. Rare documents, artifacts, and artwork illustrate the shifting fortunes and loyalties of local merchants, landowners, planters, and sailors. The journal of Jeremiah Banning—Oxford mariner, trader, and civil servant—provides a vivid first-person narrative that will carry visitors to Atlantic and European ports and guide them through the tumultuous politics of the era.
The exhibition opens on Oxford Day, April 25, and will run through the 2026 season. A variety of public programs, tours, and activities are being developed to expand the exhibition’s themes. Visit our Events Calendar to see a full listing.
The Oxford Museum gratefully acknowledges these organizations for the artifacts and images they generously loaned for this exhibition:
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Digital Maryland
Enoch Pratt Library
Library of Congress
Mariners Museum and Park
Maryland Center for History and Culture
Edward H. Naab Research Center, Salisbury University
Talbot Historical Society
The Oxford Museum and Shop is located at 101 S. Morris St, Oxford, MD and admission is free of charge.
Museum Days and Hours for the 2026 season are:
April 25 – May 17: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 12 – 4 pm.
May 22 – September 7: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm.
Memorial Day, Monday, May 25; Monday, July 6, Labor Day, Monday, Sept 7, 10am – 4 pm.
September 10 – November 15: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 12-4 pm.