Black Lives Matter at Baltimore Museum of Art; (c) Soul Of America

Baltimore Arts

Baltimore Arts are substantial for a medium-sized metro area. They are in large part, based on old money philanthropy when Baltimore was the 5th largest city in the nation. Its art museums remain top tier and its performing arts venues and schools are renowned.

Baltimore Museum of Art
DESCRIPTION: Maryland’s largest art museum showcases a dazzling collection of ancient mosaics, European master’s classics, contemporary art, and sculpture gardens adjacent to the Johns Hopkins University campus. The main building was designed in the 1920s by renowned architect John Russell Pope and an impressive wing for contemporary art was added in 1994. It’s home to an impressive collection of artwork by Matisse, Picasso, Monet, Cezanne, Gauguin, and van Gogh. Along with its extensive collection of 18th and 19th-century American art, the museum has 16 galleries filled with one of the country’s best collections of 20th-century Post-Impressionistic pieces and a permanent exhibit of African art. It is wheelchair accessible and features an eclectic gift shop and scenic restaurant.
ADMISSION: Free
DAYS & HOURS: Wed-Fri 11a-5p; Sat-Sun 11a-6p
ADDRESS: Art Museum Drive at North Charles Street and 31st Street, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: Johns Hopkins University South Parking Garage
RAPID TRANSIT: none
PHONE: 410-396-7100
WEBSITE: http://www.artbma.org

Peabody Institute
DESCRIPTION: Founded in 1857 by George Peabody, it has become one of the nation’s major sources of professionally trained musicians and dancers of every age and at every level. The library court is an architectural lesson in how to design great interior spaces – a magnificent treat for the eyes. Peabody Institute became a division of Johns Hopkins University in 1977.
ADMISSION: free, its a school
DAYS & HOURS: Friedheim Library Mon-Thu 8a-10p, Fri 8a-6p, Sat 10a-5p, Sun 1p-10p
ADDRESS: 1 East Mount Vernon Place, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: nearby garage
RAPID TRANSIT: Centre Street Light Rail Station
PHONE: 410-659-8100
WEBSITE: http://www.peabody.jhu.edu

Walters Art Museum
DESCRIPTION: Acclaimed as one of America’s greatest art museums with a collection spanning 55 centuries, 30,000 objects are housed in three wings. It presents art from pre-dynastic Egypt to Greek sculpture to Roman sarcophagi to Old European Master paintings and now 20th-century Europe, Art Deco jewelry, and 19th-century masterpieces. A recently completed renovation dramatically presents many more objects on view for the first time. An extensive gift shop and café are on the premises of this treasure in Mount Vernon Place.
ADMISSION: Free; but fee-based guided group tours are available
DAYS & HOURS: Wed-Sun 10a—5p
ADDRESS: 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: Cathedral and Centre Streets
RAPID TRANSIT: Centre Street Light Rail Station
PHONE: 410-547-9000
WEBSITE: http://www.thewalters.org

Maryland Historical Museum
DESCRIPTION: Founded in 1844 by the Maryland Historical Society, it’s first building was completed in 1847 near the Washington Monument. It contains Maryland historic artifacts and a research library. The 3-building complex includes the renovated Art Deco Greyhound Bus Garage as a gallery. A Black Heritage note: it contains a mural exhibition of the Royal Theater, Pennsylvania Avenue and the former Afro-American Newspaper headquarters on Eutaw Street.
ADMISSION: Adults $4,
 Ages 13-17, 
Students and Seniors $6
DAYS & HOURS: Wed-Sun 10a-5p, the library closed on Sunday
ADDRESS: 201 West Monument Street, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: nearby garage and on street
RAPID TRANSIT: Centre Street Light Rail Station
PHONE: 410-685-3750
WEBSITE: http://www.mdhs.org

Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower
DESCRIPTION: Long-time natives remember it solely as the Bromo-Seltzer Tower and more recently it has been transformed into 15 floors of studio space for visual and literary artists. The 15-story building also features an exhibition gallery. Emerging artists display and sell work at the Tower’s art gallery. One of the best features is the clock room tour at the top.
ADMISSION: Clock Room tours $5
DAYS & HOURS: Friday 1:30p, 2:30p, 3:30p, 4:30p, 5:30p tours; Saturday 11a-4p
ADDRESS: 21 South Eutaw Street, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: Convention Center garage
RAPID TRANSIT: Camden Yards MARC Station and Light Rail Station
PHONE: 410-752-8632
WEBSITE: http://www.bromoseltzertower.com

American Visionary Art Museum
DESCRIPTION: A hard-to-describe, critically acclaimed architectural jewel housed in a 35,000-square-foot main building that was formerly a paint factory; the museum contains six galleries filled with cutting-edge art presented in novel ways. The adjoining barn, formerly a whiskey warehouse with 45-foot ceilings, makes for light spirits as you wander among its ample sculptural exhibits, which include We Are Not Alone: Angels and Other Aliens. It is best experienced, rather than categorized.
ADMISSION: Adults $11, Students $7
DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Sun 10a-6p
ADDRESS: 800 Key Highway, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: on Covington Street and Key Highway
RAPID TRANSIT: bus
PHONE: 410-244-1900
WEBSITE: http://www.avam.org

Hippodrome Theatre at France-Merrick Performing Arts Center
DESCRIPTION: The Hippodrome Theatre first opened as a movie palace in 1914. With organ entertainment between movies, the Hippodrome enjoyed wide acclaim during the golden era of movies and survived as the last movie theater Downtown until closing in 1990. Fully restored and reopened in 2004, the Hippodrome seats 2,248 patrons for concerts and touring Broadway performances and significant films of the last century, while M&T Bank Pavilion, also in the center, hosts special events in the 500-patron range. Hipp Cafe opens 2 hours before each performance and 1 1/2 hours before Sunday performances. Baltimore’s centerpiece for world-class stage performances and revitalizing the West Side Downtown on the University of Maryland Baltimore campus.
BOX OFFICE: Mon-Sat 10a-5p
ADDRESS: 12 North Eutaw Street, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: Baltimore Grand Garage at 5 North Paca Street
RAPID TRANSIT: Lexington Market Metro Station
PHONE: 410-752-7400
WEBSITE: http://www.france-merrickpac.com

Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
DESCRIPTION: Internationally acclaimed Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) offers a wide variety of classical, jazz, pops, and family concerts year-round, including a tour by the Lincoln Jazz Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. There’s also a Soulful Symphony performance. The BSO made musical history in September 2007, when Maestra Marin Alsop led her inaugural concerts as the Orchestra’s 12th musician and first woman to head a major American orchestra.
BOX OFFICE: Mon-Sat 10a-6p; Sat-Sun Noon-5p
ADDRESS: 1212 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: Cathedral Parking Garage at Preston and Cathedral
RAPID TRANSIT: Cultural Center Metro Station on Howard Lightrail line
PHONE: 410-783-8100
WEBSITE: http://www.baltimoresymphony.org

Lyric Opera House
DESCRIPTION: Founded in 1894, it is one of the nation’s finest acoustic opera houses. It also hosts small Broadway plays and Jazz concerts. Acoustical experts rank the Lyric as one of the best acoustical auditoriums in the world. Due to its smaller size, the Lyric may be superior to the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. A superior website illustrates its seating.
BOX OFFICE: Mon-Fri 10a-5p
ADDRESS: 140 West Mount Royal Avenue, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: Meyerhoff Garage at Preston and Cathedral Streets
RAPID TRANSIT: University of Baltimore/Mount Royal Light Rail Station
PHONE: 410-685-5086
WEBSITE: http://www.lyricoperahouse.com

CENTERSTAGE
DESCRIPTION: Launched in 1963, it became a leader in the regional theater movement to produce first-rate professional theater in communities across America. Along with regional theaters like Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Arena Stage in Washington, and Alley Theatre in Houston, CENTERSTAGE changed the way Americans experience serious regional theater. Today, it features a very diverse range of dramatic material to appeal to all audiences.
BOX OFFICE: Tue–Sun Noon–8p
ADDRESS: 700 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: Charles Street and Chesapeake Center Garage
RAPID TRANSIT: University of Baltimore/Mount Royal Light Rail Station
PHONE: 410-986-4000
WEBSITE: http://www.centerstage.org

Pier Six Pavilion
DESCRIPTION: Founded in 1981, the Pavilion has played host to some of the biggest names in entertainment from Rock to Jazz to R&B to Classical. The Teflon-nylon roof is held down by cables on a concrete base with six masts that rise 70 feet. The structure also contains a box office, restrooms, merchandise stores, and concession areas for patrons.
BOX OFFICE: Mon-Sat 10a-5p, on show days until 10p
ADDRESS: 731 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD MAP
PARKING: Pier V Parking Garage at 711 East Pratt Street
RAPID TRANSIT: Shot Tower/Market Place Metro Station
PHONE: 410-547-7328
WEBSITE: http://www.piersixpavilion.com

Merriweather Post Pavilion
DESCRIPTION: Designed by Frank Gehry, known for defying architectural conventions, the amphitheater least disturbs the natural topography of the site nestled within the 40 preserved acres known as Symphony Woods. Its acoustics were considered by many in the industry to be the best among outdoor venues. Since 1967, it has hosted a diverse range of events, including Jazz and Soul Music festivals.
BOX OFFICE: Mon-Fri 10a-5:30p at the West Box Office
ADDRESS: 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD MAP
PARKING: paid parking
PHONE: 410-715-5550
WEBSITE: http://www.merriweathermusic.com

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