2024 DCC Award Winner
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and Welcome Center, Hyde Concrete, Pasadena, MD
First Place: Polished Concrete & Overlays, Over 5,000 SF

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM), located on the Eastern shore of Maryland, has a mission to explore and preserve the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and make this resource accessible to all. CBMM’s new 12,000 sq. ft. Welcome Center is part of ongoing campus upgrades to create engaging, immersive, and transformative experiences that educate and inspire.

Polished concrete was utilized to embrace the vison of the designer, meet the demands of the heavy museum traffic, and notably, to integrate a beautiful, large, stained, and polished concrete map of the Chesapeake Bay.

Early in the design process, CBMM and the designer reached out to Hyde Concrete with a vision of a concrete floor with a map of the Chesapeake Bay integrated into the flooring. They relied on Hyde Concrete’s knowledge and skills in the decorative concrete industry to help bring the vision to represent the largest estuary in the United States to life. After many conversations about the project's design, use, and budget, Hyde recommended a low-sheen, polished concrete finish throughout. At the main entrance, we would incorporate the map of the Chesapeake Bay.

Upon entering the Welcome Center, visitors encounter a large, 20x30-foot map of the Chesapeake Bay. After completing multiple mock-ups for sheen and color, the designer decided on a blue-grey to reflect the color of the bay, and a low sheen, matte polish for the surrounding areas. The map of the bay was achieved by intricately placing large, portioned stencils of the map and staining the design into the polished concrete. It is geographically accurate, and a standout design feature of CBMM’s new space! All parties are thrilled with the result, and many enjoy trying to locate and name the Chesapeake Bay’s many rivers and surrounding cities.