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!