Inner Harbor
According to allunitconverters, the central point of contact in Baltimore and a tourist magnet is the Inner Harbor area, an example of successful urban redevelopment with numerous sights that are only a short distance from each other. A ride with the water taxi gives an overview. The original seaport, which was founded in 1729, has become an attraction for “show” fun. Every weekend from June to September, the Showcase of Nations event takes place, a colorful ethnic festival in which individual groups of the population present themselves.
Harborplace:
Harborplace & The Gallery form the heart of the renovated Inner Harbor. There are over 100 shops (including Benetton, Laura Ashley), 16 restaurants and around 40 other dining options. Live entertainment is provided with alternating programs and street performers. It is the No. 1 visitor attraction in Baltimore and consists of two so-called pavilions: Light Street Pavilion and Pratt Street Pavilion.
USS Constellation:
In 1797 the US Navy’s first warship, a frigate, was built as a sailor in Baltimore and launched. It was in use until 1955, making it the oldest warship in the United States. Today the ship is firmly anchored and serves as a naval museum with exhibitions on shipping and marine history.
Pride of Baltimore II:
World Trade Center, 401 E. Pratt Street: The Pride of Baltimore II is a replica of the 1812 top sail schooner from the time of the Baltimore Clipper. The ship is now in service as a “goodwill” ambassador for the state of Maryland and is not always found in the home port of Baltimore.
Top of the World – Baltimore World Trade Center:
An observation deck on the 27th floor with a panoramic view of the harbor and downtown. There are exhibitions on history, economy and culture.
The World Trade Trade Center was created by the star architect IM Pei and is a building with a pentagonal floor plan.
National Aquarium:
The National Museum is a magnet for visitors. The best times to visit are therefore from 9 a.m. and after 3 p.m. as well as on autumn and winter afternoons. On Sundays and public holidays there is a rush like the best times to visit Disney World. Over 5,000 species of marine animals and birds are on display, including various types of shark, dolphins (demonstrations every 90 minutes with trained dolphins and white whales), rays and tropical fish. 3 connected water basins illustrate life in the sea. A piece of rainforest with waterfalls and tropical vegetation is modeled in an 18 m high glass pyramid. The background noise from the tape (sound of the sea, animal sounds) intensifies the impression.
Baltimore Maritime Museum:
Visiting time per ship should be at least 15 minutes (3 warships and a lightship). The submarine vessel USS “Torsk” (the last US boat to sink a Japanese warship in World War II), the lightship “Cheasapeak” and the coastal defense ship “Taney” can be visited in particular.
Maryland Science Center:
Interactive exhibitions on three floors, an IMAX 3D cinema over 5 floors (in 2002: Walt Disney’s “The Beauty and the Beast”), the Davis Planetarium with live performances of the starry sky (display of 8,500 stars) and visit the Crosby Ramsey Memorial Observatory.
Baltimore Museum of Industry:
An interactive exhibit on Baltimore and the mid-Atlantic US industrial history, from canned food to television. The tug “Baltimore” is anchored at the quay.
Port Discovery Children’s Museum:
A child-friendly museum, designed by the Imageneers of the Walt Disney Group, with interactive exhibitions on three levels (tomb of a pharaoh, tree house and other explorations). With the balloon “HiFlyer” right next to the Port Discovery you can go into the air for about 15 minutes.
Federal Hill District
Close to the Inner Harbor and within walking distance is Federall Hill, a nice residential area with interesting shops. The main street is Light Street, which leads to the Cross Street Market, which is smaller than its downtown counterpart, but more intimate and inviting. There is food, fish, flowers and numerous dining options (delis). Federal Hill Park in the northeast offers a beautiful view of the harbor and the downtown skyline.
American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM):
Here art is shown by people who otherwise hardly find a place for exhibitions. The artists are self-taught such as housewives, pensioners, non-residents, etc. The exhibits include everything imaginable.
Downtown
In 1904, Baltimore was destroyed by a fire from the waterfront to Mount Vernon. One of the few buildings that was spared is the
City Hall:
100 North Holiday Street, near the one built for the fallen of World War I.
War Memorial:
The central axis of Downtown is the
Charles Street:
on which there are numerous shops, restaurants and cafes. To the west of it lies
Lexington Market:
The oldest and noisiest market hall in town with over 140 vendors. At “Faidley” s “you can get the cheapest oysters, shrimp and other seafood from the Chesapeake Bay.
Westminster Church:
Under a stone memorial on Green Street north of the church, the bones of Edgar Allen Poe, which were removed from a poor grave in 1875, rest in the cemetery.
Charles Center:
It is the city’s business district, dominated by the One Charles Center building, a 24-story bronze glass skyscrater designed by Mies van der Rohe.
Mount Vernon
The cultural heart of Baltimore (Mount Vernon Cultural Historic District) is located north of downtown on a gentle hill and is accessible via an easy footpath up Charles Street. Baltimore’s most elegant neighborhood was named after the mansion of the first President of the United States, George Washington.
Basilica of the Assumption:
The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the first Catholic cathedral in the United States and was designed by Banjamin Latrobe, the architect of the Washington Capitol. Guided tours take place regularly, especially on Sunday afternoon after the service.
Maryland Historical Society:
In addition to a valuable library, historical collections are shown, including the manuscript of the national anthem by Francis Scott Key, as well as uniforms from the Revolutionary War.
Walters Art Museum:
An audio tour with over 300 stops and around 8 hours of text is included in the entrance fee (otherwise $ 2)
Photography is permitted in the permanent exhibition, but video cameras and tripods are prohibited. There is a cafe on the first floor of the Center Street Building. The Walters Art Museum is one of the most precious collections in the United States and provides an overview of the world’s art from 5,000 years and 5 continents, from the early dynasties of Egypt to the 21st century. The main attractions are Greek sculptures, Roman sarcophagi, medieval ivory and paintings, Art Deco jewelry and masterpieces of painting. Artists such as Pietro Lorenzetti, Carlo da Camerini, Giovanni Bellini, Raphael, Guido Reni, El Greco are represented. Since autumn 2001 the main building has been reopened after three years of renovation and shines in new splendor (renovation costs of $ 18.5 million).
Washington Monument and Museum:
In a park-like area at the top of a hill, the Doric column rises 54 m high, which is dedicated to George Washington and was erected between 1815 and 1842. 228 steps lead to the top with a beautiful view of Baltimore and the harbor. The monument surrounds a park that is considered to be Baltimore’s most beautiful. Baltimore’s premier hotel, the Clarion, is on one side and the Peabody Conservatory on the other.
Peabody Conservatory:
The Peabody Library is part of the Peabody Conservatory of Music near the Washington Monument. The interior design is impressive: on five floors with elaborate iron railings, there are books from the 16th century, including an illustrated edition of the Decamerone from 1555 and a Nuremberg Chronicle printed in 1493.
The Peabody Institute offers numerous events from classical, jazz and opera to dance performances. Is close by
Center Stage:
Calvert and Center Street. The Maryland State Theater is considered America’s premier regional theater.
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra:
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Cathedral Street
Lyric Opera House:
Home of the Baltimore Opera
Little Italy and Fells Point
About 400 m east of Downtown and Inner Harbor one finds
Star Spangled Banner Flag House and 1812 War Museum:
The legendary large US flag that flew over Fort McHenry in 1814, is currently in the National Museum of American History in Washington and Francis Scott Key to the anthem “The Star Spangled Banner “Inspired, was hand sewn by Mary Young Pickersgill in this building. Following the example of the house from 1793, the building has been restored true to the original and shows furniture and memorabilia from the former occupant. Attached is the “1812 War Museum” with exhibitions of weapons, uniforms, ship models, maps and prints.
Little Italy:
Little Italy is a district that still has a predominantly Italian-born population. Here everything revolves around food: pasta, wine, pasteries, etc. from simple and inexpensive offers to gourmet dishes can be found here. The address for cozy summer evenings.
Fells Point:
adjoins Little Italy and still has a maritime flair today. The old shipyards and warehouses are no longer in operation, but there is a lively pub scene, especially for the young and the young at heart.
More Attractions
Baltimore Museum of Art:
The largest art museum in Maryland, an art collection of repute. The highlight is the so-called Cone Collection, a private collection of modern art that the sisters Claribel and Etta Cone brought together, with 30 works by Henri Matisse, as well as paintings by Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt, Anthonis van Dyck and Canaletto. One focus is on paintings, sculptures and drawings from the 19th and 20th centuries. There are also carpets from Aubusson, silver from Maryland, mosaics from Antioch, as well as oriental, African, pre-Columbian and oceanic art.
B&O Railroad Museum:
This is where the history of the American railways comes to life. The museum has the most extensive collection of old locomotives (in the round house). The center of the facility is the 22-track turntable with locomotives and railway wagons. Almost all exhibits are fully functional originals. In front of the building there is an outdoor area with other exhibits, of course there is also a miniature railway. In 1830 the “Baltimore & Ohio Railroad” started operations in Baltimore and it was here that the first locomotive built in the USA, the “Tom Thumb”, was used.
Great Blacks in Wax Museum: Wax
models of dark-skinned personalities are shown, from Egyptian pharaohs to first Muslims to Martin Luther King jr. and Malcolm X. The museum is dedicated to African-American history, with a particular focus on slavery, civil war, and the civil rights movement.
Babe Ruth Museum:
The museum is dedicated to legendary baseball player George Herman “Babe” Ruth and the Baltimore baseball team, the Orioles, and is located in the birthplace of “Babe”.
Evergreeen House:
Evergreen House is an Italian-style mansion with 48 furnished rooms that was built in 1878 and can be visited on guided tours. It houses over 50,000 individual objects that were acquired over two generations by the Garrett family, who once owned it. The building is now part of Johns Hopkins University.
Baltimore Zoo:
More than 2,000 mammals, birds and reptiles await a visit.
Edgar Allan Poe House:
Maria Clemm and her relatives moved into this small building around 1832/33. Her household also included her 23-year-old nephew, Edgar Allan Poe. He left the building in August or September 1835 to go to Richmond, Virginia. The house consists of 5 rooms and contains some memorabilia from Egar Allan Poe and his foster father.
Fort McHenry:
Fort McHenry (built 1798-1803) is famous for its resistance to a 24-hour English attack, a fact that is still recorded today as the text of the national anthem. Francis Scott Key wrote the text for “The Star Sprangled Banner” under the impression of the US flag still waving after the British attacks.
