Fall Arts 2019: Small ... but Mighty Baltimore Museums

There’s no denying that Baltimore is a great museum town. With world-class museums such as the Baltimore Museum of Art, the American Visionary Art Museum and The Walters Art Museum, Charm City residents don’t have to leave town to see some of the finest artwork in the world.

But there’s more to Baltimore’s museum scene than just these exemplary institutions. Baltimore is host to dozens of small and medium-size museums that are well worth our attention and patronage. Visiting these museums is a terrific way to gain new appreciation for our city’s rich and important cultural heritage.

Besides, it’s a lot of fun!

“Baltimore played an important role in early U.S. history,” says Amanda Shores Davis, executive director of the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House and president of the Greater Baltimore History Alliance, which is “dedicated to preserving, interpreting and promoting Baltimore’s history.”

“In Baltimore, so much of our history has been preserved,” says Shores Davis. “Not only by preservationists and archaeologists but through stories — personal stories of ordinary people and how they lived. Those stories are what bring some of the smaller [museum] sites to life.”

Says Anita Kassof, executive director of the Baltimore Museum of Industry: “Baltimore has such an amazing diversity of museums and cultural institutions that curious visitors can find one to suit almost any interest, and may just be surprised to discover something completely new. First-time visitors to the BMI often come away commenting about how their visit made them realize how many things were invented right here in Baltimore.” —S.E.

Built in 1811, the Carroll Mansion was the home of Charles Carroll, a signer of the declaration of Independence. The mansion now houses antiques from the early 19th century and displays changing art exhibits. (Provided photo)
Owned by the Jewish Museum of Maryland, B'nai Israel Congregation, built in 1876, was the first home of Chizuk Amuno Congregation. (Provided photo)
The B&O Railroad Museum exhibits historic railroad equipment. (Provided photo)
Baseball legend Babe Ruth’s birthplace exhibits baseball and other sports-related memorabilia. (Provided photo)
The Baltimore Civil War Museum is a historic railroad station with artifacts and displays telling the story of the city's critical role in the Civil War. (Provided photo)
The Baltimore Immigration Museum explores the city’s history as the third largest port of entry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. (Provided photo)
Evergreen Museum and Library, one of the Johns Hopkins University Museums, is an example of Gilded Age Italianate architecture. Offering guided tours, it is also used as an events venue. (Provided photo)
The Fire Museum of Maryland houses over 40 pieces of historic firefighting equipment. (Provided photo)
Best known for its role in the War of 1812, Fort McHenry protected the Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy. The triumph inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry," now known as the “The Star Spangled Banner.” (Provided photo)
Hampton Mansion
The 18th-century estate, one of the largest private homes in America at the time, includes a Georgian manor house, gardens, grounds, and the original stone slave quarters. (Provided photo)
Hancock’s Resolution is a historic farm in Pasadena that tells the story of Maryland farms and farm families. (Provided photo)
Johns Hopkins University's Homewood Mansion (File photo)
Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park Museum chronicles the history of Frederick Douglass, Isaac Myers and the first black-owned shipyard in the United States. (Provided photo)
The Irish Railroad Workers Museum documents Baltimore’s Irish History. (Provided photo)
Dedicated on Sept. 26, 1845, the Lloyd Street Synagogue in East Baltimore is the third oldest Jewish house of worship in the United States. The only older synagogue buildings in the nation are Rhode Island's Touro Synagogue and Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim in Charleston, S.C. (Provided photo)
Maryland Historical Society is the oldest cultural institution in the United Sates to document Maryland's heritage. It includes more than 350,000 objects and 7 million books and documents, from pre-settlement times to the present day. (Provided photo)
The National Electronics Museum displays telegraphs, radios, radars, satellites and hands-on electronics. (Provided photo)
The first dental college in America, the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry chronicles the history of dentistry in United States and throughout the world.
The Edgar Allen Poe House and Museum, a typical Baltimore rowhouse, is the former home of American writer Edgar Allan Poe. (Provided photo)
The Phoenix Shot Tower (also known as the Old Baltimore Shot Tower), was the tallest structure in the United States when it was built in 1828. It is the only surviving shot tower among four that existed in Baltimore. (Provided photo)
The Baltimore Streetcar Museum documents Baltimore's public transportation history, especially the streetcar era. (Provided photo)
Located in historic Mount Vernon, the Washington Monument was the first major monument to honor George Washington. (Provided photo)

Visit Baltimore museums from Oct. 1 to Nov. 10 and receive free admission through Free Fall Baltimore 2019. Presented by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts and held in conjunction with National Arts and Humanities Month, Free Fall Baltimore is a citywide arts and culture celebration that includes free art exhibitions, theater, music and dance performances and more. For information visit freefallbaltimore.org.