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.

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.

There's fun kids' activities in the Maryland Science Center downtown Baltimore. We're members, so…read moreit's free to go as often as we like! With that, we can stay with any one thing we're in the mood for, and next time see other stuff. This time, (Apr 2026), it was all the color-panel floor! No, I dont know what the official name is. The kids with us just ran and danced and played across the changing shapes and colors, and sometime just lay there as the colors and shapes changed around them, while other kids of all ages joined in for longer or shorter times. I don't think they have free days, but there are some inexpensive entry categories, and you can bring a friend in with anything but the most basic membership.

With your ID and your Bank of America card you can enjoy free admission to the Maryland Science…read moreCenter on the first Saturday of the month. Okay for adults but best with kids. The two of us were done under 3 hours. I loved the paper airplane shooter.

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.

Casual art space with a mini hip hop gallery upstairs. Walls are lined with original artwork for…read moresale. They host a variety of events - mostly sip and paints for adults with various themes. Some classes for kids too. I noticed adult themed events / BYOB. I attended a sip and paint with friends; staff was friendly. Call ahead if you have limited mobility; only saw steps to reach upper level.

What a hidden treasure, if you are into a terrifying look into historical medical practices related…read moreprimarily to the male genitalia. Our tour guide was amazing! She gave a thorough history of some unsettling medical procedures that honestly made me have to sit down briefly (thought I was going to pass out). My daughter, however, found the talk fascinating. So, don't let my squeamishness dissuade you from going. Well worth the time!!!

Smallish museum. The displays were done well. Best of all it was free as in free. They have free…read moreparking.

Well organized museum that is dense in information despite it's small size. Admission is cheap and…read morethe staff is both helpful and really friendly. There is some info and items from the Civil War, but a sizable chunk of the displays are about the riot. While I wouldn't make this a destination of itself - there's a lot to do around the harbor, so if you have a half hour to hour, and want to learn a bit about Baltimore it's worth a stop and your support. This could also be a great add on stop to a trip to Fort McHenry - if you were planning on using the water taxi anyway.

So disappointed! I was expecting well anything more than this. It was like paintings and props…read more Very little info or artifacts on the Civil war. It was like a mix match of collections including a skeleton, Babe Ruth info, Edgar Allen Poe, and the Circus, early railroad. Yeah no lie. It reminded me of 5th grade science exhibits where everyone had a small space to show whatever they wanted. Not tied together at all. It boasted that it was part of the Under Ground railroad. Once inside an 8x10 card told you the building was once a railroad station that Fredrick Dougless LIKELY passed thru on his way to freedom. What? There is nothing "underground" about a regular train station. The only good part was it only cost me 3 dollars.....to be disappointed.

This is the most fantastical gift shop in the whole world. I loved the American Visionary Art…read moreMuseum (reviewed separately), but I spent as much time in this shop as I did the museum! I love folk art . . . so creative, earthy, edgy. And this shop is full of that, and a lotta quirk! Lots of affordable art from folk artists. Tons of cool postcards you might not be able to find anywhere else. Weird old photos to buy. Bizarro clowns. Chair socks (who knew those existed), vintage halloween masks (I wanted to buy them all), journals, very cool books. A lot of social justice stuff, which I appreciate. I know I'm safe here. The staff (including the owner who helps out around the place himself) were so cool and nice! I bought a ton of weird and delightful greeting cards, postcards, and a few other fun things. And I bought a couple fortunes from Zoltar, the famous fortune teller from BIG. This is a place I would shop at frequently, outside of museum patronage.

Really fun gift shop with tons of quirky stuff! Came to shop for some gifts for friends and was not…read moredisappointed. There are tons of tchotchkes and Knick knacks at several price points including jewelry, pouches, decor, cards, puzzles, and more. Make sure to check the hours before you come as they're not open Monday/Tuesday.