Baltimore, in the American State of Maryland is a historic city and an important sea-port. Baltimore is the birthplace of the American National Anthem ‘Star Spangled Banner.’ Such is the character of the city that it is said that one in every 3 buildings in the city has been listed on the national register; a claim that no other city in the whole of United States can make.
The city is labelled as one of the major cultural centers on the east coast. Famous for its orioles and the old bay seasoned crabs, there is so much more to the city than that. A beautiful blend of history and tradition, here are the best things to see in Baltimore in no particular order.
The Walters Art Museum
Located in the cultural district of Mount Vernons, is the Walters Art museum, which hosts a collection of art spanning 55 centuries. This museum presents a comprehensive history of art right from the third millennium B.C all the way to the early 20th century. This treasure trove features an exhaustive collection of ivories and jewellery, and extremely rare illuminated manuscripts and books. The museum holds collections of pieces from the Egyptian, Byzantine, Greek and Roman, Medieval, Renaissance and Asian art.
The National Aquarium
The National Aquarium is located on Pier 3 &4, and is carried out as a joint effort with another museum located in Washington D.C. The aquarium is famous for various marine-life exhibits, with sharks and dolphins being the most popular attractions. The Dolphin Discovery exhibit allows you to watch how dolphins are fed and trained throughout the day. Also check out the Coral Reef Exhibit featuring hundreds of exotic species found in the Atlantic.
Maryland Science Centre
The Modern Maryland science centre is on the southwest corner of the inner harbour. This centre has 3 floors of educational and interactive exhibits, some on topics related to physics and space travel. You will also find entertaining scientific experiments that aim to educate and offer learning experiences. There is also a planetarium and an IMAX theatre.
Inner Harbour
The Inner harbour has been an important sea-port hub since the early 1700’s. It is today, the centre of the city’s tourism. It is the perfect sight-seeing spot, on which the Maryland Science centre and The National Aquarium are located. Near the waterfront, one can find a good deal of shopping and dining options. A great, affordable way to see the sights around is by renting a water-taxi.
American Visionary Art Museum
The USP of the American Visionary Art Museum is that it features works of art by self-taught artists in six different galleries. This main building, with its quirky character has won a number of national and international awards for the way it has been designed. The sculpture barn in the building houses many an exhibits. Among its main treasures is a life-size interactive, metallic chess set which is said to resemble Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons and Whirligig, a 55-foot tall, wind-powered sculpture, set outdoors.
Baltimore Museum of Art
The largest art museum in Baltimore, this museum features works of art from all around the world. The art on the exhibits here covers a broad spectrum of different periods and the art styles of those periods. The world’s largest collection of the works of Matisse is on permanent display here. Works of other notable artists including Picasso, Van Gogh, Cezzane and Warhol are also displayed here.
Fells Point
This historic area right along the lively Baltimore waterfront has been restored beautifully. The Fells Point was at one point, the most important colonial sea-port in all of America. It was Baltimore’s ship-building district catering to the entertainment of the seamen. Today Fells point is a mix of history and modernity in that you will find historic buildings on cobblestone streets on the one hand and a flourishing night-life with clubs, restaurants, pubs and shopping options on the other.
Fort McHenry
Built between 1798 and1803, this star shaped fort is best known for its role in the 1812 War. The Fort is said to withstand a bombardment of 24 hours by a British Warship, staving off British Invasion. Francis Scott Key penned a poem; “Defence of Fort McHenry” and the words from the poem served as the lyrics to the American National Anthem, “Star Spangled Banner.”
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
The official home of the Baltimore Orioles, the Oriole Park is one of America’s first ‘retro-revival’ stadiums. The park was built in 1992 on a former rail-road site. This major-league baseball park stands only 2 blocks away from the birthplace of Babe Ruth, the most legendary hero of Baseball.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The oldest Roman Catholic Cathedral, built in the time of Archbishop John Carol, the Basilica of the Assumption is a national historic landmark. The tomb of Archbishop Carol lies in the crypt here. Between the years 2004-2006, this building was under renovation and has now been restored completely to its original style.
Washington Monument
Dedicated to the first president of the country, the Washington monument is 228 feet high. A museum on the ground floor of the monument features a display on George Washington and gives you a good history lesson about the monument itself. A spiral stairway leads you to the top of the monument where you can see observation windows and the statue of George Washington.
Baltimore is a beautiful city with a great waterfront. The city is awesome in more ways than one. You can make countless memories and get a wide scale of experiences. Not only do you get to learn a lot in this historic city, its modern front allows you to truly enjoy yourself and relax. One of the best things about the city is that it goes light on the pocket and leaves you with a sense of nostalgia.
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