Maryland Hall — formally Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts — is Annapolis's premier nonprofit arts center, located at 801 Chase Street in the Annapolis Arts District. Housed in the former Annapolis High School and founded in 1979, it is home to four resident performing companies, five art galleries, year-round arts classes, and a full calendar of concerts, ballet, opera, symphony, film, and touring performers. This guide covers the venue, how tickets and seating work, and how to get to Maryland Hall from Baltimore, Washington DC, and around Maryland.
- Location: 801 Chase Street, Annapolis, MD 21401 — in the Annapolis Arts District, about three blocks south of Westgate Circle.
- Resident companies: Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Theatre of Maryland, Annapolis Opera, and Live Arts Maryland — performing year-round.
- Main auditorium: Roughly 725 seats with tiered sightlines, plus the smaller Bowen Theatre for intimate performances.
- Free parking: Four on-site lots at no charge — a rarity in Annapolis. Overflow at Park Place Garage and West Garrett Parking Garage nearby.
- From Baltimore: ~30 miles, 35 to 50 minutes via I-97 S to Route 50. From DC: ~30 miles, 45 min to 1 hour via US-50 E.
Annapolis High School
Seating Capacity
Companies
Per Year
What Is Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts?
Maryland Hall is a multidisciplinary community arts center dedicated to its "Art for All" mission. When a group of local arts visionaries partnered with the Anne Arundel County Board of Education in 1979, they transformed the former Annapolis High School into what has become the cultural core of the region. In 2020, the totality of its programming was dedicated as the Michael E. Busch Center for the Arts. Today, Maryland Hall draws more than 100,000 visitors a year — far more than a concert venue, it is a working arts campus with performances, exhibitions, and more than 600 classes annually.
The Hall is home to four resident companies: the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (Signature Series, Holiday Pops, and family concerts), Ballet Theatre of Maryland (the state's professional ballet company), Annapolis Opera (full productions and concerts), and Live Arts Maryland (choral and orchestral programming). A longstanding partnership with Rams Head Presents (since 2014) brings leading contemporary touring musicians, alongside independent film through the Annapolis Film Society, children's entertainment, and community festivals. The full Maryland Hall calendar covers all upcoming performances and events.
Tickets and How Booking Works
Tickets are available through the Maryland Hall box office and official website. For resident-company performances, tickets may also be sold through that company's own box office — the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, for example, sells subscriptions and single tickets through its own system. Resident-company subscriptions are the best way to lock in seats for a full season at the best prices. Prices vary widely depending on whether it is a community event, a resident-company production, or a marquee touring artist. Accessible seating is available — the venue is fully handicap accessible with designated parking and ramp access.
Seating and Venue Layout
The main auditorium seats roughly 725 guests in tiered sections with clear sightlines to the stage — large enough for a full symphony orchestra and ballet productions, yet intimate enough that the experience feels personal. The smaller Bowen Theatre hosts recitals and performances that suit a more compact space. Five gallery spaces display curated exhibitions year-round with free admission, so an evening at Maryland Hall can include a gallery walk during intermission.
Getting to Maryland Hall From Baltimore, DC, and Maryland
| From | Distance | Drive Time | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | ~30 miles | 35–50 min | I-97 S to Route 50, Rowe Blvd |
| Washington, DC | ~30 miles | 45 min – 1 hr | US-50 E to Rowe Blvd |
| Northern Virginia | ~45 miles | 1 hr+ | Beltway to US-50 E |
| Eastern Shore | Varies | Varies | US-50 W across Bay Bridge |
| Anne Arundel County | Local | 20–40 min | Local routes |
For Baltimore-area residents, Maryland Hall makes an excellent evening out — close enough for a weeknight symphony or ballet, and paired easily with dinner in downtown Annapolis before or after the show.
Parking and Arrival
One of Maryland Hall's advantages over downtown Annapolis venues is parking: the campus has four on-site parking lots, free of charge. For most events, you can park right at the venue and walk in — a rarity in Annapolis. For especially large or sold-out events, additional paid parking is available within walking distance at the Park Place Garage (at the Westin Annapolis) and the West Garrett Parking Garage. Designated accessible parking is located behind the building with ramp access. Arrive with a buffer for popular resident-company productions and touring concerts when the lots are busiest.
Private Car and Group Transportation
Even with free on-site parking, how you get to Maryland Hall shapes the evening — especially for groups, for anyone coming from Baltimore or DC, and for events built around a night out. Private car service offers door-to-door pickup, a direct drop at the venue, and a scheduled return — no one in your party has to be the designated driver if you are pairing the show with dinner and drinks in downtown Annapolis.
Group transportation is where a single vehicle really pays off. For milestone occasions — a family attending a ballet, a symphony subscriber group, an anniversary built around a concert, or a corporate arts outing — an Executive Sprinter van picks everyone up at one point and keeps the group together door to door. For larger parties, a limo bus carries the full group. Bayside provides pickup for Annapolis events across the Baltimore, DC, and Maryland service area.
Nearby Hotels and Restaurants
Downtown Annapolis, a short drive from the venue, offers Chesapeake seafood, casual pubs, and upscale dining — ideal for dinner before a performance. The Westin Annapolis is beside the Park Place complex near the venue, and downtown offers historic inns and boutique hotels near the waterfront. Pairing a Maryland Hall performance with dinner and a stay turns the evening into a full Annapolis getaway. For a longer visit, Annapolis anchors day trips like the Chesapeake Wine Trail on the nearby Eastern Shore — wineries just 20 minutes across the Bay Bridge.
| Couple or solo | Drive yourself — free parking makes it easy. Private car if pairing with dinner and drinks downtown. |
| Family group | SUV or Sprinter van — one vehicle, no splitting the family across cars, door-to-door from Baltimore or DC. |
| Group of 7–14 | Executive Sprinter van — one pickup, the ride is part of the night, no coordinating multiple cars into Annapolis. |
| Large celebration (15+) | Limo bus — corporate arts outing, subscriber group, milestone occasion. Call (410) 451-0000 to book. |
Symphony, Ballet, or a Show — Without the Drive Home
Bayside Limousines has been running event and group transportation across the DMV for over 33 years. Owned fleet, W-2 chauffeurs, and fixed-rate pricing for Annapolis arts nights. Call or book online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Venue details, capacity, parking, and resident company information verified via marylandhall.org and Visit Annapolis. Check the Maryland Hall calendar for current event listings.