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Baltimore’s Arts & Cultural Heritage

DAY ONE

Baltimore's vast array of cultural and artistic treasures will delight even the most discerning art lover. Begin your day's exploration with a stroll through the Mount Vernon Cultural District, a neighborhood with European ambiance, filled with tree-shaded parks, fountains, statues, elegant townhouses, and unique art galleries. The neighborhood's cultural anchor is the Walters Art Museum with its collection of over 30,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years and five continents. One of America's greatest museums, the Walters houses world-renowned Egyptian artifacts, medieval armor, Renaissance paintings, Fabergé jeweled eggs, and more. Take a self-guided audio tour or a docent-led tour, and be sure not to miss the Hackerman House, an adjoining 1850s mansion that is now home to the museum's impressive Asian collection.

A quick trip downtown takes you into another exciting world of the visual arts at the American Visionary Art Museum. This national museum and educational center highlights outstanding original works of art created by self-taught artists. Critically acclaimed as an "architectural jewel," the 35,000 square-foot building combines an elliptically shaped, historic industrial building with extensive new and dramatic architecture. Stroll the outdoor sculpture garden and then step inside where you'll find seven galleries filled with exciting and unique art, along with a truly unique gift shop.

End your day with a trip to Mount Airy where you can explore the beauty and charm of the Linganore Winecellars – Berrywine Plantations. Wander the vineyard and a tour guide will explain the entire winemaking process for you. Home to outdoor music-fests, weekend events and picnics, this lovely plantation is also close to restored period homes and antique shops.

DAY TWO

Maryland's largest art museum and one of the region's greatest cultural centers is the Baltimore Museum of Art. The BMA offers a world-class permanent collection, ever-changing special exhibitions, dynamic performances and special events, and a sensational array of educational programs for children and adults. A highlight of the BMA's permanent collection is the Cone Collection, which includes works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Matisse and more. The BMA also houses more than 85,000 works ranging from ancient mosaics to contemporary art, collections from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania, and one of the country's largest and most notable collections of 16th- through 20th-century prints, drawings, and photographs.

For an extraordinary afternoon, we suggest you travel to the countryside. Just north of Baltimore, you will find the Ladew Topiary Gardens' fifteen thematic and elaborate gardens situated on twenty-two impeccable groomed acres. With a beautiful Manor House and Carriage Museum, this attraction is not to be missed. Or, visit the historic Hampton Mansion, a Georgian style home that was once a working plantation and industrial site. This estate remained in the Ridgely family from 1790 until 1946, when it became a National Park.

Finish your evening in style with a show at one of the area's fine dinner theaters. Lorenzo's Timonium Dinner Theatre, Baltimore's only family owned and operated dinner theatre, is located just twenty minutes from the Inner Harbor and features live musicals, tempting home-made specialties, and top rated service. Toby's Dinner Theatre is located in nearby Columbia, and is the area's only professional dinner theatre in the round. Toby's is critically acclaimed, and boasts spectacular musicals, lavish buffets, and eight weekly shows.

Other great theatrical options include Baltimore's Center Stage, rated one of the top ten regional theaters in the country. Located on Calvert Street in Mount Vernon, Center Stage has a changing schedule of performances and houses two theatres, three bars and a restaurant. You could also elect to visit the Chesapeake Arts Center, Baltimore's new performing arts space with an exciting schedule of classes, performances, and more. North of Baltimore, you could try the Gordon Center for the Performing Arts, a state-of-the-art professional theater.

DAY THREE

Today's exploration of the arts begins in Baltimore's charming Mount Washington neighborhood with a visit to Baltimore Clayworks. This internationally known ceramics center features galleries with changing exhibitions of functional and sculptural pottery and offers you the chance to purchase hand-crafted ceramics.

Haven't had your artistic appetites satisfied? Baltimore is host to many other art galleries featuring work by acclaimed regional, national, and international artists. Downtown, you can drop by the Watermark Gallery, Maryland Art Place and Tradestone Gallery. Then travel to Fells Point to check out the art scene and don't miss the Creative Alliance in Patterson Park.

There is no better way to conclude your exploration of Baltimore's arts and culture than by relaxing to a performance by the internationally acclaimed Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Surround yourself with music as the BSO presents a classical or pop performance under the direction of conductor Yuri Temirkanov. In the summer, enjoy the BSO in a lovely outdoor setting for their summer concert series at Oregon Ridge Park.

Or, consider topping off your evening with a night at the theater. Try a show at the Baltimore Center for the Performing Arts, a major stop for national touring companies and a great value for pre-Broadway productions. Or, check out one of the many other wonderful sights and sounds at The Maryland Stage Company, Baltimore Opera, Baltimore Theatre Alliance or Everyman Theater in downtown Baltimore. On the westside there is the Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center. This historic vaudeville theater reopened to the public after being restored to its original 1914 glory.

ADDITIONAL TOURS

Begin your exploration of Baltimore's rich religious heritage with a visit to the neo-classical Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption, the first Catholic cathedral in the United States, designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, architect of the U.S. Capitol. Masses are held there daily, and tours are conducted by appointment. Afterwards, visit the Mother Seton House, home of Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born canonized Roman Catholic Saint and founder of the parochial school system and Daughters and Sister of Charity in the U.S. and Canada.

Travel to St. Luke's at Franklin Square, established in 1847, to view German and English stained glass windows and the church's Gothic interior. The St. Vincent de Paul Church is Baltimore's oldest Catholic parish church and was built in 1840. Also worth a visit is the St. Alphonsus Shrine on Saratoga Street and the Greek Orthodox Cathedral where you can participate in a tour and liturgy services. A short walk up Charles Street will take you to Old St. Paul's Church. Built in 1856, the church boasts many beautiful Tiffany glass windows.

The country's largest museum of regional Jewish history, the Jewish Museum of Maryland, features two historic synagogues, The Lloyd Street Synagogue (1845) and B'nai Israel (1876). Tours are available daily. The museum also houses extensive changing exhibitions, a library, archives, galleries, and a gift shop.