As members of The Walters, we were invited to the "State of the Art" event at The Walters Art…read moreMuseum for an evening of conversation and connection at the museum especially to hear Kate Burgin's vision for the next chapter of the museum. The evening started with light refreshment in the Level 1 lobby. Then, we went into the Graham Auditorium to hear Kate's vision for the future. It was really interesting. We were then encouraged to visit three floors of the museums that were open. There we could experience hands on explorations, conversations with curators, behind-the-scenes stories from conservators, sneak peak at new and returning exhibitions, and learn about volunteers programs. Being a member of The Walters really has so many benefits. On each floor, they also were serving more refreshments. We were excited to be able to see the Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture. It will be on exhibit until August 9, 2026. What an exhibition this is! We were so excited that we were able to view this without any crowds. What an incredible artist Dourien Fletcher is! Her work is just stunning. It was interesting to see the breath of her work in jewelry, costumes, film, etc. You will see simple to elaborate pieces of jewelry and so much more. Don't miss what she made for the movies Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).

The Walters Art Museum is free admission all the time, yet it was the least populated attraction…read morethat we visited in Baltimore on this trip, which made it easier to pace ourselves at whatever our personal museum speed. Me, I like reading up on whatever catches my attention. It was fun to read that a certain lady's head did not belong to the body it originally arrived at the museum with. Regarding another collection, I read that the artists would inscribe their names and certain references, which weren't necessarily correct! And a piece of aged donated gold was discovered to have been crafted more recently due to its popularity amidst its lack of supply, as the wire had evidence of having been extruded, and the holes were cut with scissors. Yup, don't just go around believing everything! We spent perhaps 2 1/2 hours meandering the halls. If you get peckish, they do have a snack counter where their sandwiches and wraps top out at $13.

Not your typical art museum and that is why it is a Five Star experience. Funky and fun (and…read morepoignant) art work by those who are not typically featured in a museum. This strikes me as somewhat similar to the two excellent Kohler Art museums in Wisconsin. Super interesting and thought provoking especially the stories of many of the artists accompanying their work. The main museum building is a work of art itself. The gift shop is a riot. Hands down the best and craziest museum gift store. Thank goodness my friend recommended this stop. Heads up on parking - the meters on the street are way way cheaper then the Rusty Scupper lot across the street. This place is a gem. Don't miss it!

I've lived in the Baltimore area for quite some time now and I can't believe I've never been to the…read moreAmerican Visionary Art Museum. I mean how can you pass by the mirrored egg or the golden hand and not think to find out what type of dope art is hidden inside. With so many unique pieces to look at I took my time leisurely strolling through the two buildings for the museum. Welcomed by a half naked mannequin with wings floating in the center of the stairs, you can't help but be intrigued to learn more about the artists work. There was so much to take in with every turn. I especially liked the homage to the staples of Baltimore's culture in the second building. And we can't forget about the gift shop that I literally could've spent hours in just rummaging through all the eclectic finds. I'm happy I finally bit the bullet to visit the American Visionary Art Musuem, and I look forward to a return visit to see all the things I missed.

This is just an amazing place to shoot. People from all over come here to shoot with their models…read moreand there is plenty of space. There is about three floors of dark corners amazing Graffiti Art and light from the walls. The place is safe and a hidden gem. If you ever want to book your model in a place where you need a lot of space this is the place for you. Friendly staff and great pricing. You can also use the alley to shoot car and bike pictures. Make sure to see visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/graffitiwarehouse/

The alley is easy to find and there is a enough graffiti to get a lot of good pictures. The problem…read morethere is trash, needles, and other nasty things ALL OVER but to be fair it is an ally and I wen after it had been raining for days! Also the parking in front of it is not free. The gate is open but unless you wanna pay don't park there. The website mentions it but I didn't read till after so that's my fault. Overall it's great! Go there! You'll get some good pictures

It was so cool to learn about Edgar Allan Poe's life. The upkeep of the house now museum has been…read moredone wonderfully. The amount of information given, provides you his life story , and if you came to the museum not knowing anything about him , you will leave knowing his life beginning to end.

Very disappointed in this place. They offer a city bus tour, but then they cancelled with little…read morenotice by automated message with a date from what was clearly an old template and are not reachable by phone. Then they list they offer house tours but only booked in advance - so you can give them money but you can't reach them if you have questions or want to cancel, so them providing a service for the money you gave them is iffy. Very disappointing setup for a great writer's legacy.

I visited the Amaranthine Museum with a friend this past weekend as part of Doors Open Baltimore…read more(google that if you don't know what it is!). I'm ashamed to say - as a person that lives in Hampden and loves art - that I didn't know anything about the Amaranthine Museum (or had even heard about it) before it was included in Doors Open 2024! So what is it? It's a museum dedicated to local maximalist artist Les Harris. The space is tiny but practically every surface (even parts of the ceiling) are covered in Les Harris's art (there are supposedly 250 works in this tiny little space)! Les Harris's daughter welcomed guests at the entrance, gave a description of her father's art and works, and answered questions as guests walked around. I can't emphasize enough that this is a small space - just one room! But it's packed full of fascinating art (Harris's work looks back through history - focusing on art and culture and time and consciousness) and is such a unique experience. I was blown away by the art and the space itself. Having the artist's daughter there to explain his work made the visit even more special. It's not open on a regular schedule, so if you want to visit this unique space, visit their website and click "III. Hours, Contacts, Directions etc." A very unique experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in art and special local experiences!

This was a little off the beaten path down a back walkway on the rear of the foundry building on…read morethe Doors Open Baltimore tours. This is a very unique museum showcasing the work of one man, Les Harris. Mr. Harris created over 300 pieces of art in an installation that envelopes every surface and transports the visitor through time in a fallout shelter. The entire collection was moved to its present location for all to enjoy. It is an eclectic work of art. We were in awe of the colors and textures and subject matter used.

I have been to the Gallery a couple of times and always had a great time. The staff is extremely…read moreprofessional and great to deal with. FIVE STARS

The place is small but enough for about 10 people. The man who outlined our work is an artist for…read moresure and gifted!! I do feel like he rushed on outlining my art piece; however it still came out nice. The guy who worked there also got me a drink of water which I appreciated!!!! They are all nice and friendly here and are some talented people.

I admit, I came here for the instagram photos. I didn't get exactly what I came for because you…read moreonly see a limited number of rooms in the house and you can't take photos on the first floor (to protect the artifacts) . . . but it was still a worthwhile trip! First, call ahead (there is no online system so you do actually have to call) to make sure they are giving tours and at what times (only certain days of the week, last tour usually starts at 1 PM). This mansion is another relic from the gilded age, however this one isn't completely stuck in the past and is a living, breathing arts venue. The last residents (she died in 1956 I think) had no children and left it to Johns Hopkins University with the specification it be used as an art museum. And there is a lot of interesting and attractive art, though it's mostly art by European white men. That's just what the owners collected . . . but our docent told us they are trying to diversify the collection by purchasing pieces by artists of color. The libraries are actually part of the Johns Hopkins collection and students can make appointments to come read them or use them for research. There are some nature books and some Audubon books that are so large that they require two people to move and turn the pages. There is also a reading room for students. It was previously their bedroom, which they didn't want displayed. There are some fun little quirky rich people things (if you dissociate from today's capitalistic hell). A 23K gold bathroom. The second wife who lived in the residence was obsessed with herself and had multiple paintings and busts of herself around the home. And her bathtub was surrounded by mirrors, including a mirror on the ceiling. A bowling alley that was turned into a display space for all their expensive artificacts. A lot of Tiffany glass. Antiquities. My admission was 10 dollars with a AAA discount. I think regular admission is 12 dollars.

I do recommend calling to confirm when a docent is available, but if one is, it is definitely worth…read morecoming. There is plenty of parking as it's a bit away from the main Johns Hopkins campus. Our tour guide was really knowledgeable and explained a lot about each room and answered all of our questions. There are a lot of beautiful and unique objects, even though unfortunately photograph isn't allowed in the good rooms. The sheer amount of books they owned and how they present them is pretty inspiring. The Garrett's having their own performance/stage area is pretty unique, and you can even rent the space out if desired. At the end, there's a great display of their Asian art collection, and then suddenly you are back in the gift shop where you started, which has some good items. The tour was more than an hour, but it was really interesting, and all the employees were excited to answer questions, so you could see their passion. It's a great tour and worth doing if in Baltimore.

This was on our radar as a possible stop when in the area. Given the cold and rainy weather we…read moredecided to give this a try after our visit to the excellent American Visionary Art Museum down the street. With our reciprocal museum membership the admission was free. Otherwise it would have $8-$10 each. Parking is free and easily available which is not common in downtown Baltimore. The worker at the front desk was super energetic and helpful. This museum is housed in an old canning factory. The displays are all well done and we learned alot about industry in the Baltimore area and local history. Lots of hands on displays. Worth an hour or so of your time. Thumbs up!

Came here for a wedding this past spring. This is a cute little museum with some neat exhibits…read more Rumor has it that if you use a museum as your wedding venue, you maybe able to write off your deposit and rental fees on your taxes because it's treated as a donation to charitable organization. Don't quote me because this was something I heard in passing. This museum looks out into part of the harbor, which during a clear day adds even more charm. The museum features a life-size replica of an old pharmacy/ apothecary, and they was my favorite part of the whole thing. For a moment, I was able to relive that scene from Willy Wonka where Charlie walks into the soda shoppe where he purchases his life changing chocolate bar. Glad I came here to see something I otherwise wouldn't have.