Entry No. 20 — the Baltimore file — filed under: history
Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry
This Smithsonian-affiliated museum houses over 50,000 dental artifacts, celebrating the history of oral care with a mix of bizarre historical relics and pop-culture dental ephemera.
The story
You didn't hear it from us, but Baltimore is ground zero for modern dental anxiety. When the world's first dental school opened here in 1840, professors started hoarding tooth specimens and obsolete equipment. That collection eventually expanded into a 50,000-artifact repository housed inside a 1903 University of Maryland building, designated by Congress in 2003 as the official national museum of the dental profession.
Step inside this Smithsonian affiliate and you'll encounter the horrifying tools of pre-anesthesia oral surgery: 16th-century extraction pelicans, turnkeys, heavy steel forceps, and foot-powered treadle drills. Beside the metal sits the ultimate history-class correction: George Washington's lower dentures, constructed from gold, brass, hippopotamus ivory, and animal teeth—definitively not cherry wood—plus Queen Victoria's personal set of gold-plated, ivory-handled dental instruments.
Beyond the macabre steel, the galleries shift into surreal pop-culture ephemera. You can examine vintage dental poster art, browse decades of cartoon toothbrush mascots, watch vintage public service announcements in the museum's mini-theater, and explore exhibits covering everything from ancient tooth sharpening to forensic bite-mark evidence.
What it's like
Set right inside the downtown UMB campus, the museum feels like a quiet, retro time capsule hidden in plain sight. You'll share the space with medical students between classes and history buffs hunting for Washington's teeth. Street parking along Greene Street is notoriously brutal, so steer toward a university garage or take public transit. Because hours can fluctuate, double-check that they are open before you walk over.
The move: Challenge your date to find George Washington's actual dentures (made of ivory, gold, and animal teeth—not wood!) and marvel at Queen Victoria's personal dental tools.
- 📍 Downtown
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 31 S. Greene St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Westminster Burying Ground & Catacombs — Located just a block away, this historic churchyard lets you pivot from medical relics to low-ceilinged brick catacombs where Edgar Allan Poe rests.
- The Lord Baltimore Hotel — Walk four blocks east to grab a drink in the lobby of a 1928 French Renaissance landmark with a dark Great Depression backstory.
- Irish Railroad Workers Museum — Head half a mile south to trade medical history for two preserved 1848 alley homes detailing the lives of Irish immigrants who built the B&O Railroad.
Good to know
Are George Washington's dentures actually made of wood?
No. Despite the popular myth, his dentures on display were carved from hippopotamus ivory, gold wire, brass screws, and animal teeth.
Where is the museum located?
It sits at 31 S. Greene Street in Downtown Baltimore, inside a historic 1903 building on the University of Maryland campus.
Is the museum good for kids?
Yes. Alongside historical extraction tools, the museum features interactive exhibits, vintage cartoon toothbrush mascots, and animated educational films.
Do I need to plan ahead before visiting?
Yes. Operating schedules can vary and area parking is limited, so confirming current hours beforehand is strongly recommended.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Atlas Obscura · dental.umaryland.edu · ada.org · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21