American Visionary Art Museum Celebrates Anniversary

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- On this day 25 years ago, Congress took the time to recognize one of Baltimore's most popular attractions, the American Visionary Art Museum.

They called it a national treasure. As Ron Matz reports, in the years since it opened it's become a place for unique artwork from Baltimore and beyond.

"People who have come through here are champions of what it is to be a human being, and have found their own distinct way to try to better humanity, and we're so thankful for that collaboration," says founder and director Rebecca Hoffberger.

The works housed at the museum are iconic -- from a sculpture of The Muppets' Swedish chef made of Peeps, to the drag icon Divine in statue form, to the famous eight-foot Cosmic Galaxy Egg, "inspired by the images that the Hubble Space Telescope provides to everybody around the world," according to Hoffberger.

There's also Fifi, the giant pink poodle and star of the Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race, held each May and hosted by the museum.

"People build a vehicle, you have to pedal it yourself, no fossil fuel, 15 miles around the city of Baltimore and then float over the water," Hoffberger says.

Everything about the museum is a celebration of artistic spirit.

Hoffberger calls it 1.1 acre of wonderland.

The museum is open every day except Monday, and hosts more than 100 weddings every year.

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