Maryland State Police Museum
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The Maryland Department of State Police (MDSP) Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the MDSP, from its establishment on January 10, 1921, to the present.
About the Museum
In 2018, at the direction of then Maryland State Police Superintendent William M. Pallozzi, the Department of State Police reacquired the property known as 38 East Sudbrook Lane by way of the State Clearinghouse process. Since that time, with the steadfast efforts of the Maryland State Police Alumni Association (MSPAA) and generous benefactors 38 Sudbrook will forever be known as the Maryland Department of State Police Museum.
According to the Maryland Historical Trust, 38 Sudbrook Lane was previously known as the Pikesville Arsenal Powder Magazine. This building, along with Building A and Building F on today’s headquarters compound, comprise the property formally known as the U.S. Arsenal and Confederate Soldiers Home. The other buildings were added in the 1950s in support of what was to become the Maryland Department of State Police Headquarters.
Arsenal Powder Magazine
The Pikesville Arsenal Powder Magazine was built on land purchased from James Smith, a Baltimore County physician, in 1815. It was built in 1816 as one of nine arsenals constructed along the Eastern Seaboard following the War of 1812 intended as a laboratory dedicated to the development and manufacturing of weapons. The Pikesville Arsenal and Powder Magazine continued in use by the United States military until 1879 when it was offered as surplus to the State of Maryland in 1880.
The State developed the Arsenal as a home for indigent Confederate veterans until it ceased operations in 1932. In the late 1940s the complex was restored as the new headquarters for the Maryland State Police. In 1949 the Arsenal was sold, with a reversionary clause, to the Kiwanis Club of Pikesville. The Kiwanis Club replaced the building’s roof and removed the inner magazine walls to create a more welcoming meeting place.
In 2018 the Maryland State Police successfully returned the Arsenal to its facilities assets and leased the building to the Maryland State Police Alumni Association for the purpose of renovation and relocation of the Maryland Department of State Police Museum.
The mission features artifacts, photos, documents, uniforms, and exhibits that tell the story of how the Maryland Department of State Police has grown and served over the last century.
Museum features
Visitors can explore new exhibitions and displays highlighting
- Decades of evolution beginning with the 1920s
- Tributes to Fallen Heroes
- The growth of specialized units including: Aviation, Forensic Sciences, K-9, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Automotive Safety Enforcement Division, Underwater Recovery Team and the S.T.A.T.E. Team
- The addition of the Office of the State Fire Marshal in 1997
- Trailblazing employees
- Understanding of the department's history
Want to Contribute?
The museum is also looking for photo donations from the public to help tell the story of the department. Photos can be uploaded through your smartphone
Questions?
For questions or to offer assistance, please email any of the museum committees.
- Archiving
- Financial Sustainability
- Interior Design
- Media and Marketing
- Programs and Exhibitions
- Purpose and Goals
- Inventory and Display
For general inquiries, email [email protected] or call 443-754-0160.
Visit Us
The museum is located on the grounds of the Maryland State Police headquarters at 38 E. Sudbrook Lane, Pikesville, MD 21208.
Museum hours: Every Monday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To request special, after-hours private or group tours please email [email protected] or call 410-653-4212.