Greenbelt can be explored from several angles: the Greenbelt Museum offers insights into the city’s history, the Greenbelt Arts Center combines theater with a gallery, and visitors can meet local artists and craftspeople at the Greenbelt Community Center. There are also camping opportunities in Greenbelt Park. When planning your visit, it is therefore helpful to distinguish between scheduled tour times, meeting artists during open studio days or by appointment, and spending time outdoors.
Greenbelt Museum: Tours of the House and City
At the Greenbelt Museum’s Historic House, half-hour tours are offered on Sundays starting at 1 p.m. The restored house is furnished with objects from the period 1936–1952. This gives your visit a specific historical focus, while the start time also provides a set point in your Sunday schedule. Check the opening hours before your trip if you plan to take the tour. The museum also offers tours of the historic city of Greenbelt. This is a different way to explore the past: the tour of the city focuses on its history, while the house tour centers on the restored rooms and their furnishings.
Theater and Gallery at the Greenbelt Arts Center
The Greenbelt Arts Center is a 90-seat black-box theater with an art gallery in the lobby. It presents productions by its resident company as well as visiting productions. Theater and visual art share the venue, while the museum focuses on tours and historic furnishings. If you are more interested in a performance than a tour, consider the Arts Center as a cultural option in its own right; the gallery adds a visual-art dimension without being the same thing as the theater program.
Artists and Crafts at the Community Center
Visitors can meet eight local visual artists and craftspeople at the Greenbelt Community Center on open studio days or by appointment. Original art and crafts are available for purchase. Unlike the gallery at the Greenbelt Arts Center, personal contact with the artists is explicitly part of the visit. There are two ways to meet them: open studio days or an appointment.
Arts Courses and Workshops
Greenbelt Recreation offers hundreds of courses, holiday programs and workshops in the visual and performing arts every year. The cultural offerings therefore extend beyond individual visits to a museum, theater or studio. If you want to plan more than just tours or performances, you can also consider these courses and workshops.
Camping in Greenbelt Park
Greenbelt Park offers camping opportunities. The campground is no more than two miles on foot from the University of Maryland/College Park Metro system. This distance may be relevant when planning your trip; check transit conditions before your visit.
Azalea Trail: Start and Finish at the Same Place
The Azalea Trail starts and ends at the Sweetgum Picnic Area. Having the same starting and ending point provides a specific landmark for planning your hike. Setting both the start and finish at this location makes it easier to treat the trail as a standalone activity.
Discover more destinations: Bowie, Temple Hills, Morningside, Beltsville, Forestville, Bladensburg, Cheverly, Clinton
For the main travel guide: Prince George's.
