Watch CBS News

Visitor's Guide To Baltimore Museum of Art

Did you know that the Baltimore Museum of Art houses the largest collection of Henri Matisse works in the world? The Baltimore Museum of Art's Matisse collection is just one of the many reasons to visit. The museum boasts a wide display of American and European paintings, in addition to the Matisse collection. Other works featured at the Baltimore Museum of Art include American and European sculpture and decorative arts, prints and drawings from the 15th century to the present, works by established and emerging contemporary artists, and an array of gorgeous African and Asian objects.

Baltimore Museum Of Art
10 Art Museum Dr.
Baltimore, MD 21218
(443) 573-1700
www.artbma.org

Inside and outside the Baltimore Museum of Art is a treat for art lovers and tourists alike. In addition to the extensive painting, sculpture, objects of art, and decorative arts inside the museum, visitors can wander outside the museum and enjoy two elegantly landscaped gardens with an array of 20th century sculptures the museum calls "an oasis in the city." With a mission "to inspire creativity, encourage learning, and foster human understanding," the Baltimore Museum of Art offers an educational, friendly and welcoming atmosphere for all visitors.

History Of The Museum

Founded in 1914, the Baltimore Museum of Art opened with only one painting on display. Now the Baltimore Museum of Art has over 95,000 works of art. The founders hoped that the Baltimore Museum of Art would be known as "a vibrant and innovative institution that is embraced as an indispensable element of city life." Visitors to the Baltimore Museum of Art will discover that the museum offers incredible opportunities for cultural growth and education for its visitors.

Admission

Admission is free! Since 2006, the Baltimore Museum of Art has provided free general admission "so that everyone can enjoy the power of art." Special exhibits and events may require an admission fee. Open five days a week, the museum is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Baltimore Museum Shop is open Tuesday through Sunday, as well as Gertrude's Restaurant. The museum closes on New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Get There/Parking

Located Charles Village at North Charles and 31st Streets, the Baltimore Museum of Art is three miles north of the Inner Harbor. The museum is accessible via Maryland Transit Administration bus lines 3 and 11. Guests can also drive to the Baltimore Museum of Art. Parking for visitors is available at the following locations: BMA East and West Lots, Johns Hopkins Garage, and on-street parking on Art Museum Drive.

Related:  A Night Out In Harbor East

Upcoming Exhibits

The Baltimore Museum of Art houses permanent collections of European art, American art, African art, Asian art, modern art, and contemporary art. In addition to the permanent collections, the following exhibitions will open at the Baltimore Museum of Art: "Baker Artists Awards 2014 & 2015," "Photographs from the O'Neil Collection," "Imaging Home," and an exhibition by Joachim Koester. "The Baker Artist Awards" and O'Neil Collection exhibits open in September 2015, while "Imagining Home" and the exhibition by Joachim Koester open in October 2015.

Little Known Facts

Known for its Asian Art permanent collection, the Baltimore Museum of Art features an extensive collection of Chinese ceramics. These Chinese ceramics range from mortuary wares from the Tang Dynasty to utilitarian stoneware from the 11th through 13th centuries. Other highlights of the Asian art collection include a 15th-century Ming Dynasty Brush Washer, a 13th-century Song Dynasty wine jar, a 17th-century Zun-shaped vase decorated with figural scenes and a 15th-century life-sized bronze Water-Moon Guanyin.

Related: Best Free Summer Activities For Kids In Baltimore

Jill Berry @MusingsfromMe is a writer who stays at home or a SAHM who writesit depends on the day and her mood. While playing a writer on the internet, Jill has the gray hair AND blogposts from raising a kid, a preteen, and a teen. When not blogging at Musings from Me, Jill seizes family time whenever she candinner as a family, movie night, marathon family game sessions, travelingyou name it she wants to do it.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.