Skip to Main Content Jump to Main Content Skip to Search Jump to Search

American Visionary Art Museum

Share this Page

Leave your traditional perceptions of museums behind and visit the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM), a must-see Baltimore landmark dedicated to fresh thought, humor, and creative intuition. Featuring the work of self-taught artists—including farmers, mathematicians, prison inmates, and people with mental illness—AVAM challenges the notions of what it means to be an artist. If you like walking to the beat of your own drum, you’ll love this inclusive space for “outsider” art.

Share this Page
Hop Around

Admissions And More Information

Located at the base of historic Federal Hill, AVAM is adjacent to downtown Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Be sure to check out the museum’s store, Sideshow, for all kinds of eccentric novelties and gifts, and Cielo Verde, the museum’s new café located on the top floor.

Metered street parking is available and there’s also a public parking lot on Key Highway.

Hours

Tuesday–Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Tickets

Adults $15.95
Seniors $13.95
Students/Youth $9.95
Kids 6 and under Free
Members Free

What It's Like

A creative urban wonderland, the museum itself is an architectural oddity, featuring curved hallways, stairwells and rounded gallery walls. The works on display include embroidery, graffiti, diorama, film, sculpture, and multimedia. Pieces of art are created from unusual mediums such as toothpicks, or a picture painted with mustard and ketchup. Each piece at the museum tells a unique story about its creator and encourages you to rethink the definition of fine art.

Don't Miss

Bling is the thing at AVAM, where art reflects life, both literally and figuritively. There’s lots of sparkling mirrored surfaces and art throughout the grounds. Most notable is the museum’s iconic, mirrored mosaic facade, which was created by at-risk Baltimore youth; artist Andrew Logan’s hypnotic, eight-foot mirrored egg; a bedazzled tree sculpture; and Adam Kurtzman’s 11-foot Giant Golden Hand sculpture.

Check AVAM’s website for special monthly events, art workshops, and the museum’s annual Kinetic Sculpture Race, a contest of wacky human-powered sculptures created by Baltimore residents.

Amenities

Visit Baltimore Merch

Show off your Baltimore pride in style with t-shirts, hats and hoodies featuring the Visit Baltimore logo. Plus get your hands on our one-of-a-kind posters.