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.

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.

Wow! This museum was powerful, moving, sad and uplifting. Could definitely need updating and…read morefunding. I love being Black. I love and admire our resiliency. I enjoyed my time and believes it is reasonably priced. Only suggestion I have: to include Barbara Jordan. Never forgot those who came before me. The good, the bad, the ugly.

We stopped here with friends visiting from out of town, and everyone loved it! The exhibits tell…read moreAfrican American history in such a real and powerful way -- definitely not watered down. Our guide, Anani Kulu Fatiu, was amazing! His passion, knowledge, and energy made the whole experience come alive. You can tell he truly lives what he teaches. This place is educational, inspiring, and a must-see for all backgrounds. Can't wait to come back once the expansion is complete!

Great spot for a free indoor adventure…read more Right in the heart of OEC this museum is a great spot for a quick dose of history. The displays are great and who can beat the model train garden! You can also get inside a train car and experience what it was like to ride the oldest continuously running rail line.

Want a nice distraction from reality, one that is free? Then make yourself a detour and come to…read morethis nice little museum in historic Ellicot City. I had no idea that this museum existed until I was already in town. I parked my car near the top of town in one of the many free parking lots and started down the hill. I figured if I started at the bottom and made my way up, it would feel less of a tiring task heading back up. By heading to the bottom of the hill I found this gem. Like I said at the beginning, this is a free museum to attend (donations are welcome to help maintain the place). When you visit, you are transported back in time to when the railroads ruled the country. What you will come to find out is that this is the oldest railroad station still standing in the nation (that is how they bill it). When you start to traverse the museum you learn more and more about the history of this particular train station. You learn that it was first used with horse and carriage, then converted into a freight train station, and finally to a freight/passenger station before it was essentially decommissioned. Making your way through the museum you discover that you can see the working parts of it all. You go through the room that was the living quarters of the man that ran the station. You make your way upstairs and through the areas that was basically the central nervous system of the building. You pass by the ticket booth which tells you that back then there was separate entrances for men and women. Showing you that back then the railroad was a male dominated industry. You even get a glimpse of some very old graffiti. Make your way through what was the freight house and continue out into where they used to work on the trains. Once you are finished inside you can head outside onto what was once the passenger platform. Hang a right and head past the turntable to the external exhibit spaces. In what I am guessing is another freight house you will find a model of the railroad of the immediate and nearby area. Take a seat in here and you can watch a short documentary detailing the railroad in the area. After, or even before, the show, you can interact with the railroad model. Push a button and you will see how the railroad worked. Look closely and you will see the detail of each area. All the intricate little pieces of this model comes to life. Once you have fulfilled your inner child, you can then head outside once again and see the last piece of this museum. A caboose. You get to actually climb up into the caboose and see how one was used. Take a seat and take it in. You can take as much time as you want here, or run through it and get it completely out the way quickly. I'm sure you could even revisit this place and discover something new you overlooked on your prior visit.

Cool spot for history lovers and/or baseball fans. I'm more of a former, but lots of people can…read moreenjoy. They open daily at 10 and not a minute before, but when we went there were only a couple of employees who were available to answer questions and obviously loved the site. It's a small site featuring a couple of rooms accurate to where Babe was born (at his mom's parents' house) and the rest featuring the history of his illustrious career. There are a couple of short films on him and a lot of the merchandise that captured his likeness. There are 2 stories and takes about 1-2 hours to look through all the exhibits. As the most iconic player in the game, it's interesting to see such a thorough exhibit on his life and legacy. The gift shop is small, but there are some good souvenirs available. The employees were great with the intro and available for questions. Loved their enthusiasm. Great little museum just around the corner from Camden Yards.

well let's begin with Mr Personality at the front ticket counter seemed annoyed and reluctant to…read moreanswer any questions. Walk around this house of mirrors and walls and u realize it is a tourist trap. It reminded me of a hard rock cafe with junk on the walls and the order of things is too haphazard don't waste your money!

A great museum! You will have to pay for parking, but if you work for Hopkins and have a permit you…read morecan park closer, or if you can find street parking nearby you should be fine! I've been to this museum several times, esp as a Hopkins undergraduate, and I've always enjoyed the plethora of art and exhibits they've had over the years. I will say, sometimes the security inside the museum can be a bit rude and like they are looking over your shoulder all the time, but I would still recommend you go! They are free and some exhibits cost money. If you become a member then the newer exhibits that do cost money are discounted. It's a great way to spend a day and look at art throughout the times.

A wonderful museum set inside the home of whom the museum is named for. Several floors of pictures,…read moreartifacts, videos and documentation on Civil Rights fights featuring Lille Carroll Jackson and Thurgood Marshall. These are a few of the pioneers and heros of Baltimore and this U.S. civil rights leaders that need their, our, story told over and over and understand the fight the continues in this country today.

Excellent museum dedicated to Civil Rights and the work of Lillie Carroll Jackson. While not…read morenearly as well known as the likes of MLK and Rosa Parks, Jackson headed the Baltimore NAACP and inspired many friends and family in the pursuit of civil rights, working along side Thurgood Marshall and others. The house is beautifully preserved and professionally executed. It's a shame more people don't know about this museum.

The Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse is located on Pier 5 of Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Built in 1856, it…read moreis one of the oldest Chesapeake lighthouses still in existence. It initially stood on Seven Foot Knoll in the mouth of the Patapsco River, but it was transferred to Baltimore Maritime Museum (now the Historic Ships of Baltimore) in 1997 and was installed at its current location on the pier. It's worth walking over to see the lighthouse if you're wandering around the Inner Harbor (or visiting the Historic Ships of Baltimore), but you'd be lucky to find it open. It's open seasonally to begin with, but the website currently has a note about restoration ("An update on the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse will be coming soon.") and no opening hours. If you are lucky enough to get inside, the website refers to artifacts in its collection? That sounds exciting. But I personally have never seen it open! Still, its size, color, shape, and location make it worth a visit just for photographs if you're in the area.

How did I not see this when visiting the Inner Harbor??!…read more There's a set of tall stairs that lead you up so if you're scared of heights, watch out. You can walk around the lighthouse for a free scenic view or go inside where you'll meet a worker. The worker was super informative and nice. He told me and my friend that we could do a self guided tour of the lighthouse for $3/per person or there was another rate for the tour + seeing 4 ships. This time, we ended up just doing the self guided tour. When having conversations between me and my friend, the worker actually chimed in here and there. It was interesting to read up on the previous keepers and their lives. One thing I loved about the lighthouse was that there's a map that lights up to show diff locations of other lighthouses.