---
title: Deconstructing Maryland’s Open House
date: 2023-05-31T15:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://terp.umd.edu/deconstructing-marylands-open-house"
section: Articles
---
# Deconstructing Maryland’s Open House

*May 31, 2023* — by [Annie Krakower](/authors/annie-krakower)


- *Photo by Stephanie S. Cordle*

> As UMD celebrates 25 years of Maryland Day, we share behind-the-scenes stories and stats

*There are white tents set up on the green lawn in the distance, and a large crowd is holding a grand festival.*

**A STROLL THROUGH CAMPUS** on the last Saturday in April is like experiencing a university turned inside out. All the gooey and fizzy experiments, soaring artistic excursions and amusing oddities of academic life—ready to make friends with a giant bug?—are on display in a sea of tents around McKeldin Mall and elsewhere, rather than tucked away in labs or classrooms.


*orange and yellow crab*


*purple robot*


## LET THEM EAT CAKE


*giant cake with UMD seal and "150th" written in icing*


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## ... AND CUPCAKES


*staff poses with thousands of cupcakes forming UMD seal*


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*flags from Maryland and several countries*
*fire tornado*


- **200** — Flags on display each year on Hornbake Plaza _(representing countries, U.S. territories and commonwealths, and Maryland’s own distinctive banner.)_

- **2,000K** — the temperature in Kelvin (a whopping 3,140 degrees Fahrenheit) and rotational speed of fire tornadoes at 140 MPH _(like the one created each Maryland Day by the Department of Fire Protection Engineering in a room with special swirling air currents.)_



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## TORREY TRANSPORT


*Lisa Church and Torrey Smith*


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## ROSIE, STINKY AND TWIGGY


*man holds tarantula while children and woman watch*


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## 1,856


*Anne Turkos poses with crocheted turtle bookmarks*


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## GET THE SCOOP


*ice cream with fudge and sprinkles*


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## QUICK CLEANUP


*red building with white columns*


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*Testudo bobblehead*
*kids fishing floating foam turtles out of ODK Fountain with nets*


- **1,200** — Floating toy turtles tossed into the ODK Fountain each Maryland Day for kids to fish out.

- **15,000** — Testudo bobbleheads handed out during Maryland Day 2022. _(The free mini mascots went fast, but guests could still get their hands on one if they dug into their pockets: The collectibles quickly showed up on eBay, selling for $40 or more.)_



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## ROBOT REDEMPTION


*student and diver watch underwater robot in pool*


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## 1,000+


*Jeff Kinney poses with kids as he signs their copy of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book*


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[youtube video Deconstructing Maryland’s Open House](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAmQKLtisno)





**Issue:** [Spring 2023](https://terp.umd.edu/editions/spring-2023)


**Types:** [Features](https://terp.umd.edu/category/features)