Springsong Museum at Burnt Mills East Park
Project Overview
Montgomery Parks is cooperating with Springsong Museum, a community-based 501(c)(3) organization, that intends to fund and operate a museum at Burnt Mills East Park (10701 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring) that connects community and nature through the wonder and wisdom of Rachel Carson. Writer, biologist, and considered by many to be the "Mother of the Modern Environmental Movement," Rachel Carson lived her adult life in Maryland and wrote her most influential books in the neighborhoods surrounding the future site of the Springsong Museum.
As the landowner of Burnt Mills Park, Montgomery Parks has cooperated with Springsong through the Concept Review process to refine the project scope and design elements. Springsong is currently working on advanced design and permitting. Montgomery Parks will continue to coordinate with Springsong through regulatory reviews, the park permit process, and project construction. Springsong anticipates completing design and permitting over the next year, with construction to follow pending approvals and funding. Springsong will be fully responsible for fundraising, design, construction, and operation of the museum.
The proposed site, Burnt Mills East Park, is the former site of the WSSC Robert B. Morse Water Filtration Plant, which ceased operations in the 1960s. Re-use of the site and buildings is consistent with Montgomery Parks' priorities of using historic buildings and aligns with the 2014 White Oak Master Plan. The site is also home to a trailhead for the Northwest Branch trail; this trailhead will remain open to the public with trailhead parking.
For more information, watch the video about the Springsong Museum project. If you would like to share thoughts, concerns, or ideas about the project, we would like to hear from you!
Phases
Reporting Phase
Springsong Museum Community Engagement Summary
Survey Period: June 25, 2025 - August 15, 2025
In June 2025, Montgomery Parks launched an online survey to solicit public input about the future Springsong Museum to be located at Burnt Mills East Park. Following is a report of the 201 survey responses.
Survey Promotion
To inform the public about the survey, Montgomery Parks sent 2,665 postcards to homes within a 1/2 mile radius of the site, posted signs onsite with a QR code to the survey, emailed the nearby homeowner associations and posted the survey link to social media.
Demographics
Survey Question
Please share your thoughts, ideas, or concerns about the Springsong Museum project.
"This is a phenomenal idea and I fully support this project. What a wonderful gift for the community and a fantastic way to honor Rachel Carson and her legacy. Plus the building is such an eyesore and I love seeing it re-imagined and re-purposed."
"As a person who is passionate about the natural world, I think it is a fantastic idea, and I love that the plan utilizes an existing building that is not currently in use."
Summary:
The overwhelming majority of respondents are highly supportive and enthusiastic about the Springsong Museum project, frequently describing it as a "great idea," "wonderful," "exciting," and a much-needed addition to the community.
Many respondents emphasize the importance of honoring Rachel Carson’s legacy, her local ties, and her impact on environmental awareness and advocacy. There is strong appreciation for repurposing the existing vacant or historic building for educational and community use.
A significant number of comments highlight the museum’s potential for environmental education, especially for children and families, and suggest interactive programming, hands-on activities, workshops, and community events. Many hope the museum will foster stewardship of local trails and nature.
Concerns most frequently raised relate to parking availability and traffic congestion, especially given the busy location and existing trail use. Several respondents urge planners to ensure safe pedestrian and cyclist access across Colesville Road/Route 29, with suggestions for improved crosswalks or even a pedestrian bridge. Flooding risk at the site is mentioned by multiple respondents as a concern that needs careful assessment.
Some want minimal impact on the natural environment and trails during construction and operation while others request that accessibility be prioritized for people with disabilities. There are requests for programming to be inclusive and multilingual.
A few respondents express concerns about funding sources and financial sustainability with some questioning the use of public funds or the project's overall cost. A small minority oppose the project or Rachel Carson’s legacy.
Other suggestions include connecting the museum to Rachel Carson’s home in Quaint Acres hosting lectures and special events including exhibits on water filtration history and collaborating with local schools and organizations.
In summary, the dominant trends are strong support for honoring Rachel Carson and repurposing the site for environmental education; frequent requests for child-friendly programming and community events; concerns about parking, traffic, pedestrian/cyclist safety, and flooding; desire for accessibility and minimal ecological impact; some questions about funding; and a few voices of opposition.
Upcoming and ongoing events
Past events
Event date: October 25th, 2025 from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
10701 Columbia Pike
1 registrant