Top 6 Entry-Free Museums In Baltimore, Maryland

1. Baltimore Museum of Art

Baltimore Museum of Art is a distinguished 210,000-square-foot (19,509-square-meter) museum established in 1914 and located on 10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, Maryland. Undoubtedly Maryland’s largest museum of art, it exhibits a large collection ranging from modern art to ancient mosaics. At this museum, you will also find lovely sculpture gardens, a wonderful museum shop, and a beautiful restaurant. The museum also showcases 95,000 objects which include over 1,000 pieces of art by Henri Matisse and several fine collections of prints, drawings, and photographs. The museum gallery also exhibits artworks from Africa, Europe, America, Asia, and ancient Antioch period. Kindly note that admission is free but special exhibitions or events incur charges.

Baltimore Museum of Art

Address: 10 Art Museum Dr, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States

Website: Baltimore Museum of Art

Opening hours: Wed - Sun: 10am - 5pm (closed on Mon & Tue)

Price: Free

2. The Walters Art Museum

The Walters Art Museum — formerly known as Walter Art Gallery — was established in 1934 as a public art museum. The museum showcases art collections of the mid-19th century. The journey of this museum begun through renowned American art and sculpture collector William Thompson Walters (1819–1894) — and continued by his son, Henry Walters (1848–1931) — who organized for the construction of an iconic building to house all the collections in Baltimore City. The son allowed the public to view his father’s collection. Soon, he expanded his father’s legacy with a stone palazzo-style building housing his own collection from his West Mount Vernon Place mansion. When he died in 1931, Henry Walters bequeathed all his works to the city. These collections include pieces of art from ancient Egypt, Greek sculptures and Roman sarcophagi, among others.

The Walters Art Museum

Address: 600 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States

Website: The Walters Art Museum

Opening hours: Wed - Sun: 10am - 5pm; Thu: 10am - 9pm (closed on Mon & Tue)

Price: Free

3. The Irish Railroad Workers Museum

Between 1840 to 1850, Baltimore experienced an influx of immigrants. A big percentage were Irish, who came to America to run away from the Irish famine of 1845 to 1853. These immigrants set base in southwest Baltimore and secured employment with the vibrant Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company. Thus, The Irish Railroad Workers Museum is a historic site officially established in 2002 to celebrate the rich history of Irish settlements in Baltimore City. This museum is the star attraction in a wider historical district that encompasses the B&O Railroad Museum, St. Peter the Apostle Church, Hollins Street Market, and St. Peter the Apostle Cemetery. Museum admission and tours are free of charge.

The Irish Railroad Workers Museum

Address: 918 Lemmon St, Baltimore, MD 21223, United States

Website: The Irish Railroad Workers Museum

Opening hours: Fri: 11am - 3pm; Sat: 11am - 4pm (closed from Sun - Thu)

Price: Free; Donations are welcome

4. Baltimore Immigration Museum

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

This wonderful museum was established as a partnership between the Baltimore Immigration Memorial and the Locust Point Community United Church of Christ. It is located in the historic Immigrant House where you will explore Baltimore’s vibrant immigration history from the 19th to the early 20th centuries. You will also learn about the significance of Baltimore as an important port of entry for many immigrants. The collections in this museum showcase amazing stories of several ethnic groups that began their new life here. These immigrants were mainly Irish, Jews, Germans, Czechs, Greeks, Poles, Lithuanians, and Italians. You will no doubt be mesmerized by household items that these immigrants brought along in their journey. Admission here is free but donations are encouraged.

Baltimore Immigration Museum

Address: 1308 Beason St, Baltimore, MD 21230, United States

Website: Baltimore Immigration Museum

Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 1pm - 4pm (closed from Mon - Fri)

Price: Free

5. Museums at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower

The Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower is situated in the west of downtown Baltimore at Lombard Street and has been an amazing part of Baltimore City’s skyline since 1911. It is also an icon of innovation and the arts since 2007. Bromo Seltzer is a headache remedy invented by Captain Isaac Emerson who also built the tower in 1907. Sometimes referred to as the Emerson Tower or just the Bromo Tower, this is a historic landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building has served artists, writers, jewelers, and architects with a space to curate, showcase, interact with, and market to the public. The gallery inside hosts local and regional works via free exhibitions, talent receptions and other artistic events including music and acting performances.

Museums at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower

Address: 21 S Eutaw St, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States

Website: Museums at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower

Price: Free

Museums that are free on certain days

6. American Visionary Art Museum (Saturday)

Designated by Congress as America’s national museum for self-taught art, American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) is tucked away in Baltimore in the region of Maryland’s Federal Hill. This museum’s main area of specialization is the preservation and display of outsider art. Without staff curators, the museum depends on guest curators for its shows. The museum features a whopping 67,000 square feet (6,224 square meters) of exhibition space and boasts over 4,000 pieces of collections including works of popular and visionary artists like Gregory Warmack, Howard Finster, Vanessa German, and Leonard Knight. Admission to this museum is only free on Saturdays and is absolutely free on any day for children of six years and below. Any other admission is charged at affordable rates.

American Visionary Art Museum

Address: 800 Key Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21230, United States

Website: American Visionary Art Museum

Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 10am - 5pm (closed on Mon)

Price: Free (Sat); Adult - 15.95 USD, Child - 9.95 USD (Tue-Wed, Sun)

History and art are part of life

Ensure your next holiday is well-spent. Head to Baltimore’s entry-free museums to explore some amazing art and learn something about the city’s history! You really don’t need to be an artist yourself to appreciate the works that are showcased in these attractions. You will see and learn from looking at majestic exhibits of art, and perhaps, you might even discover and learn something new about yourself when you immerse yourself in art.