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.

For my first Baltimore review, I'm giving praise to a solid overall art museum experience. And it…read morewas also a museum experience that was completely FREE! When I was looking at Baltimore attractions closest to my Airbnb, I instantly made a note. And from the moment that I first walked through its outdoor sculpture garden before even entering the building, I knew I was in for a treat! It might not be as expansive as other art museums I've been to, like the Philadelphia Museum of Art and MOMA. But it's well curated with impressive Asian and African art wings, an awesome section devoted to local Baltimore artists, and works from artists spanning across the globe and centuries. I've touched on it in the opening, but the fact that its a free museum experience unless you choose to pay less than $10 to see the special featured exhibit is absolutely amazing and unfathomable! Since the current featured exhibit had the works of Matisse, whom I've seen plenty of times, I decided to take in everything else, and could have easily spent 5+ hours taking it all in! With features like this inside and out, and the incredible value, I'm honestly surprised that the BMA doesn't get mentioned in the conversation about must-visit art museums in the US!

WHAT A TREAT, to have caught the entire Amy Sherald exhibit and BAM! I loved this museum, and this…read moreexhibit specifically! My college campus and myself took a trip here for this, and 5/5 would recommend! So enlightening, so thought-provoking, so CHROME. ;) I'm also especially thankful for the guides that walked our group through Amy's pieces, who then were able to describe and confirm the emotions and response she wanted her audience to receive! Love love love this museum, and thank you to my campus for coordinating this.

We arrived in Ellicott City on a beautiful windy winter day. I think you need a lot of patience…read moredriving around cause it's a small area and parking is as precious as gold. If you find a spot, take it. We meandered into HorseSpirit Gallery and just spent an hour overwhelmed by the talent of the work by different artists. They have fabulous jewelry, to die for wind chime sculptures and some art pieces that make you do a double take. I would definitely put this on my list of places to go if you are in the area. For this shop as well as all the others along the strip.

Beautifully curated gallery focusing on Maryland artists. Great location at Savage Mill. Robin,…read morethe owner, works so well with artists and clients. Highly recommended.

Very cool museum. There is plenty of parking which is great, and it's a reappropriated old canning…read morefactory, which makes the space very big and well-lit and directly referencing the content of the museum. It is a shame Baltimore is past some of its old industry successes, but the exhibits are engaging and beautifully designed. There's a lot of information on canning, fishing, steel, automotive, and manufacturing industries and why they rose and fell. You can see the water from the back of the building and the Domino's sugar factory which is still around producing. There are even smaller immersive exhibits on clothing, pharmacies, bakeries, and bars thrived in the city. The employee at the front was very knowledgeable about our questions. They also give some free tours throughout the day. There was a small movie about a fisherman's experience in contemporary times trying to find work. There was a fairly new exhibit on the men who lost their lives with the Dali boat crash into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Overall, a bunch of great content worth a couple of hours to look through. Visual exhibits are also good for children. The price of admission is reasonable and this is a great introduction to what build Baltimore and how it continues to endure.

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!

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.

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.

We stop here on a quick trip to MD. It has a very clean and…read morefree vibe. I used to teach art classes at my local AA to I have an appreciation for small local art establishments. I would visit here again when I am in town.