The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD - Baltimore, Maryland - Diverse Art Works Displayed in Public Museum in Mount Vernon

The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD, is located at 600 North Charles Street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, a historic and cultural district of this port city.

There is a parking lot directly across the street from the museum that charges reduced rates for museum visitors and additional lots are also in the immediate vicinity.

Most of the museum's collection and the building itself were bequeathed to the city in 1931 upon the death of Henry Walters. Walters' father, William, had initiated the collection and had begun to open his house to the public every spring for a 50 cent admission fee to benefit charity. Henry acquired a much broader collection than his father.

It was after it passed onto the city that Baltimore modernized the collection and its upkeep. In 1974 the exhibit space was expanded. I n 1984 the adjoining Hackerman House, which was built between 1848 and 1850, was donated to the city and entrusted to the museum. It is considered an elegant example of classical architecture and it hosts the Asian Exhibit. It s open only on weekends.

In 1998 extensive renovations were carried out.

The museum is open weekly, from Wednesday through Sunday from 10AM until 5 PM. It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays each week as well as the fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day and December 24-25 annually.

Admission to the permanent collection is free of charge.

The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD, has an extensive and diverse collection that includes Egyptian sarcophagi and 20th Century European paintings, antique weaponry and jewelry. In addition to the museum's own collection, from which traveling exhibitions are put together, other artwork arrives on exhibit at this museum as well. The building, while not very large is packed with objects for visitors to admire.

The museum hosts lectures as well as a variety of educational, cultural and entertainment programs throughout the year.

The museum works to be accessible to the differently-abled. The main entrance has a lift for wheelchairs and elevators make all floors in the museum accessible. Most of the restrooms are also wheelchair accessible. Audio tours and guided touch and multi-sensory tours have been designed for the visually impaired.

Transcripts of the tours are made available upon request to the hearing impaired and there are assisted listening devices available for museum lectures.

The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD, is stroller friendly and provides strollers as well as wheelchairs on a first come first serve basis. There is a family activity center at the museum for children that need to let off steam.

Cameras are permitted within the permanent collection galleries although they may be prohibited for special exhibits. Sketching is also permitted without prior approval unless an easel is going to be used.

The museum has a caf, as well as a gift shop on the premises.