On Friday, March 14, 2025, my friend Leah and I decided to visit the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) for an afternoon of exploring. The Baltimore Museum of Art is located on, 10 Art Museum Drive, right next to Johns Hopkins University. I wasn’t expecting it to be super busy for an early Friday afternoon, but as we walked up to the entrance, three yellow school buses occupied the road in front of the building. At first, I thought students would be getting on or off, but when we went inside, we realized they were already there. Groups of kids scattered throughout the museum on their field trip, their teachers scrambling to keep them in line. One little boy in a grey zip-up kept testing his luck, outstretching his arm and reaching for the artwork before him, and his teacher kept saying, “Hands to yourself, please!” in a tired but patient voice, glancing around to make sure no one else was getting too close to the artwork. It was like he couldn’t help himself, and I got the same reminder to stay away from the art when posing with one of the sculptures. Don’t worry I didn't touch it, but I did get close up to its stand for a picture, but was kindly reminded, “Ma’am (apparently I look old enough to be ma’am now so that was disheartening) please make sure not to touch the pieces.” Even though I did not touch it, I respectfully said I was sorry and took a step away. Leah and I giggled to ourselves then kept on. The energy and excitement the kids radiated throughout the building made the usually quiet space feel alive.
One of the coolest exhibits was right when you walked in on the left. It was called fyi... For Your Inspiration, is an exhibition featuring artwork from students in pre-K through 12th grade from Baltimore City Public Schools. It was in the Patricia and Mark Joseph Education Center and was only running from March 12 to March 16, but this was the 18th year the museum had hosted it. Seeing all the student work displayed in a major museum was inspiring, and I loved that the kids visiting on field trips got to see art made by people their age. You could see how much it meant to them. Some were pointing excitedly at certain pieces, while others stood there quietly, taking it all in. It made me think about how much representation in spaces like this matters to both young and old minds. This reinforces the idea that their voices and experiences matter. It shows them that art is not just something from the past but something they are actively shaping. For visitors like me, it was a reminder that cultural spaces should reflect the people who live in and contribute to the city. It also emphasized how museums can be places of growth and encouragement, not just preservation.
Inside the Patricia and Mark Joseph Education Center, there was another section called Flower of Ancient Games (Flor de Juegos Antiguos), created by artist Pablo Helguera. It was an experimental game arcade with different tables featuring board games from around the world. The idea was that playing is part of the art, and you could even change the rules if you wanted. The artist’s blurb mentioned that the way you play a game can reflect what you value. He invites you to take a seat and play to determine how you view the game and to remember that rules are made to be broken, so you are more than welcome to create your unique version. For example, chess could be a way to relax or a serious mental strategy game, depending on how you approach it. The whole space felt interactive and inviting, and I liked how it encouraged people to engage with art in a hands-on way.
Another exhibit that stood out to me focused on air pollution and its influence on European Modernism, comparing it to the air pollution in Baltimore. One of the most interesting things I learned was how smog in places like 20th-century London and Paris didn’t just impact people’s health but also the way artists saw and painted the world around them. Because of the thick haze in the air, their color palettes became more muted and almost lifeless. Even though Baltimore’s air quality is much better than it was back then, fossil fuel emissions still affect the city. One display showed a statue that had been treated in 2004, but over the past 20 years, pollution has worn it down, staining and breaking down the stone. It was one of those exhibits that made me think about how art isn’t just something to look at, but it is shaped by the world around it.
Through this visit, I got to see a side of Baltimore’s cultural diversity that I hadn’t thought about before. The museum wasn’t just a place to house historical art, it was a space for the community. Seeing students excited about an art museum, playing games in an exhibit, and even learning about how pollution impacts sculptures in their city showed how BMA works to keep its displays closely knitted to Baltimore.
I would recommend visiting the Baltimore Museum of Art, whether you’re into art or just looking for something different to do in the city. The museum was founded in 1914 and opened in 1923 intending to make amazing pieces of art available to the public, and compared to other major museums, BMA offers free admission while others continue to charge a fee. It is also unique because of the fyi exhibit and the representation of Baltimore City school kids' works. It is also unique because it has a lot of dedicated space for community engagement. For instance, there was one room, The Insight Lab, for kids to give their input on their favorite art pieces and to draw and put them up on the walls themselves. There was also a tablet there to get their input on what other types of work they would want to see which was awesome for community engagement. The BMA showcases cultural diversity through its student exhibit, the game space highlights traditions from around the world, and the pollution exhibit ties global issues to the local environment. There was so much art from different facets of the world and learning opportunities about how artwork changed because of global networks established across seas (refer to Oceania picture). Overall, it was a great trip with Leah, and I would recommend a visit to any curious minds!
Comments
Post a Comment