My parents are electrical/RF/satellite engineers, and I took them here on one of their visits to…read moreMaryland. While this is no Smithsonian, it is an incredibly educational and fascinating experience. The staff here are incredibly helpful and it is very sad that the museum will be shut down in October due to Northrop Grumman needing the space. Hopefully it will be relocated rather than closed permanently. For those who work in the relevant fields, like my parents, this will prove to be one of the best museums you will ever visit in your life, especially with all the unique exhibits featuring real artifacts from the defense and electronics industries. Overall, I don't think you need more than an hour or two (if you are reading every plaque carefully) to see the entire museum, we did it in 45 minutes.

Sunday, December 7 Pearl Harbor - At 7:02 a.m., two Army operators at Oahu's northern shore radar…read morestation detect the Japanese air attack approaching and contact a junior officer who disregards their reports, thinking they are American B-17 planes which are expected in from the U.S. west coast. This brand new (in 1941) Westinghouse radar performed flawlessly to its design parameters. A same type radar is on display outside of the museum. If you ever wanted to see real hardware, a comprehensive history and easy to understand technical explaination of military electronics of radar, communications, and electronic warfare for ground, air, navy and space applications under one roof, look no further than the Historical Electronics Museum. Nestled near the BWI Airport (and near some really great crab cake restaurants) this museum provides a wealth of information that will fascinate both grade schoolers and electrical engineering PhD's. I personally find this museum much superior to even the Smithsonian in providing real hardware as well as the explanations of the history and technical operations of the equipment. What is even more fascinating is that much of the hardware there is still in operating condition. There is even an active ham radio club operating out of the museum under the call sign W3HEM. The museum can also host lunches, dinners and parties. An interesting option for a Yelp event..... I have been to this museum several times and am always fascinated with something different. Best news is that this museum is free thanks to Northrop Grumman and the museum patrons and donors. 9 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays

I simply cannot believe that this lovely museum in Baltimore was FREE!! We spent about two hours…read moreexploring the 3 floors of art, artifacts and exhibits. We were lucky enough to see the Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture exhibit that showcased her various works and costumes that were made for The Black Panther, which was super cool. A great way to spend a morning or afternoon and cannot complain that it was free!!

Cost: Free (!) Neighborhood: Mount Vernon…read moreHow much time? 60-100 minutes, maybe. Depends on exhibits and how much you like certain time periods Baltimore Reviews 9/11: I went to this wonderful free museum, located in the historical Mount Vernon neighborhood, while traveling through the city with a couple of others, though apparently I had been there about 10 years earlier when I went to Baltimore for an Orioles game. The space was well air-conditioned, and there were several floors for us to explore. The special exhibit was about contemporary jewelry maker Douriean Fletcher and her exhibition, Jewelry of the Afrofuture, which showcased her modern designs and how she drew inspiration from her ancestry and other African countries. She's probably best known for Black Panther, and the exhibit did a good job of comparing while also including some other useful information. It was nice overall and well spaced. Otherwise, we went to the top and made our way down through the various floors, though we didn't take as much time as I would have liked, since we left at one point to go back to the hotel and get ready for the convention center. My favorite sections were probably on the Middle East and ancient Asia, as there was an impressive amount of antiques, ranging from bowls and jugs to statues and other items. The sections containing European artifacts were also nice, with a good hall to relax in, though I've never been the biggest fan of works from the Italian Renaissance. Some spaces felt a bit discombobulated, but there was a ton of stuff there to see, so it's hard to complain. Overall, we had an excellent time. If you want to see a wide variety of things and prefer more historical objects over modern art, I would heavily recommend this museum. It's hard not to, as it's free, though I did give them a small donation, as they definitely deserved it.

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.

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 was an excellent museum, which I say as an enjoyer of museums. My sister who can appreciate a…read moregood museum but doesn't as much as me also loved it, if that convinces you anymore that you should go. The civil rights exhibit was SO in depth. It did a really good job of being specific to the area while still setting a foundational backdrop of nationwide events. I was wildly impressed. The images and items used were great. I also enjoyed the rest of the museum, especially the collection and the painted screens exhibit! I'm from Massachusetts and have been to my fair share of revolutionary war museums or exhibits so I more sped through that section, but it also seems comprehensive.

This is a great place to learn about Baltimore's rich history. I started on the 3rd floor then…read moreworked my way down. The 3rd floor was the "Furniture in Maryland Life" exhibit. This exhibit consists of furniture pieces from the years 1634-2000. There were many pieces that I wanted though they were vintage. The second floor had a few exhibits: Unfinished Revolution, Claire/McCardell and Collecting Maryland. The Claire/McCardell really caught my eye. The exhibit highlighted how she redefined women's fashion in America during the 1930s -1950s. My favorite exhibit was on the 1st floor. It was the Passion and Purpose: Voices of Maryland's Civil Rights Activists exhibit. The 1st floor was dedicated to all of the Black activism in Baltimore. I love learning about Black history and I learned so much about Baltimore's contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.

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.

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!

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.