Walters Art Museum Tours and Activities

When William Walters began collecting art in Europe in the 1860s, he could never have foreseen that over 150 years later, his collection would be on permanent display and a favourite attraction in the city where he lived.

Walters bought his first pieces when he moved to Europe with his family during the American Civil War. Upon his return, he occasionally opened his house as a museum for friends and local people. When he died in 1894, his son Henry continued the collection and founded a palazzo-like gallery in three old mansions owned by the family.

The museum opened in 1934 as the Walters Art Gallery. The 35,000 works on display there today span over 55 centuries and include ancient Egyptian sculptures, 19th-century European art and antique manuscripts. It really is a unique collection nowhere else in Maryland will you find ancient Greek statues, Islamic scripture, art deco jewellery, medieval ivories and Roman sarcophagi on display together.

If you’d like to learn more about the different exhibits then there are free guided tours running throughout the day or alternatively you could pick up one of the audio guides – also free of charge – at the Visitor Services Desk. Hackerman House is home to the collection’s Asian art and the Greek-revival mansion is worth a visit in its own right to see the Tiffany glass dome, carved ceilings and grand spiral staircase, which leads to a serenely peaceful exhibition area with bamboo walls.

The Family Art Centre is great for families as it gives children the opportunity to create art, dress up and listen to stories, as well as hosting festivals and drop-in activities on weekends.

Walters Art Museum is located around 1.6 kilometres north of Inner Harbour in Baltimore in the Mt. Vernon Cultural District and is open from Wednesday to Sunday every week. There’s a pay car park across the road and it’s also serviced by public transport and the free Charm City Circulator shuttle bus.