Baltimore’s Cultural Hub

One of the great strengths of the the Mount Vernon-Belvedere neighborhood is the number, variety and quality of the cultural institutions located here.

A world-class museum, an internationally acclaimed orchestra and a leading music conservatory are our neighbors. So are three theaters, including the city’s premier acting company and its oldest experimental theater venue. And for those wanting to explore Maryland’s material culture and history, it’s only a short walk away.

Residents of Mount Vernon-Belvedere are blessed to live among such cultural wealth. The following are brief introductions to these venues–beginning with museums, then music venues, to theaters–and how you can make them part of your Mount-Vernon-Belvedere experience. (Some venues, of course, fit into more than one category like a museum offering concerts.)

Walters Art Museum

Main entrance : 10 W. Centre St.
Admission: free, except some special exhibitions
Hours: Wed-Sun. 10 am to 5 pm
Website: thewalters.org
Virtual tour: thewalters.org/experience/virtual
COVID restrictions: thewalters.org/visit/guidelines
Events calendar: thewalters.org/events

Public Programs: Currently (May, 2021) the Walters offers virtual lectures (see events calendar), but it’s in-person programs, especially those for children, have yet to resume.

The Walters Art Museum is justly renown for its collections of artifacts from ancient cultures, Medieval and Renaissance Europe, and Asia. Housed in three buildings–the 1909 palazzo-style original building, the 1974 poured-concrete annex and the 1850 Greek-Revival Hackerman House–the Walters began thanks to the voracious collecting of father and son Willam and Henry Walters.

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Maryland Center for History and Culture

Location: 610 Park Ave.
Website: mdhistory.org
Hours: Wed.-Sat. 10 am to 5 pm. Small group tours of 10 or less can be reserved.
Free admission: First Thursday and Second Saturday of the month
Library: Open by appointment only.
Public programs: Currently no in-person public programs are being offered. But MCHC has free virtual public programs almost weekly throughout the spring. There are also have group Virtual Field Trips that can be booked for all ages ($125 for groups of 10) as well as virtual programming for school children: Check under “Learn” in the main menu.

Formerly the Maryland Historical Society, the museum houses the largest collection of Maryland culture in the state that begins with Native American artifacts, then follows European culture from the earliest settler days right up to the 21st century. Strengths include Peale family paintings, Maryland-made furniture, Kirk silver, and four centuries of clothing. The H. Furlong Baldwin library is an invaluable depository of over seven million items of documents and photographs that cover the arts, culture, politics including civil rights.

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George Peabody Library

Location:  17 E Mt Vernon Pl.
Website: peabodyevents.library.jhu.edu
Phone: 443-840-9585

TEMPORARILY CLOSED: It is anticipated that rentals for private events will resume in November, 2021

While the George Peabody Library does act as a research library, it offers exhibitions from its vast collection of first editions, children’s books and natural history folios. The 1878 library itself is the main attraction, with its six tiers of cast-iron balconies. The library also presents lectures and concerts, and is a stunning location that can be rented for private events.

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Mount Vernon Place Conservancy

Location: Mount Vernon Place
Website: mvpconservancy.org
Contact: 410-962-5070, info@MVPConservancy.org

The Conservancy consists of the four parks that radiate from the iconic Washington Monument, which was designed by Robert Mills in 1814 and was completed in 1829. The monument is opening in stages, with the gallery opening first and the climb up the tower to be phased in later. Admission is free. Next year the Flower Mart will again be in-person, as opposed to the online event this spring.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Location: 1212 Cathedral St.
Website: bsomusic.org
Calendar: my.bsomusic.org/events
Box Office: 410-783-8000

The BSO in April released its 2021-22 calendar of in-person concerts at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Individual seats are as low as $25.

Virtual concerts: offstage.bsomusic.org/en

During the pandemic, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has operated a virtual series of concerts called BSO Sessions. Of the 30 sessions, 6 sessions are scheduled in May and June. The series will be available until June 30. While some concerts are free, most are available at $9.99 per view or a monthly all-access fee of $19.99. The latter provides access to all programs that began in October.

In-Person Concert: The BSO is planning a free concert June 5 outside the Meyerhoff.

Begun in 1916, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra keeps growing in stature. Under the baton of Marin Alsop, the first woman to lead a major American orchestra, the BSO has secured its place among the world’s best symphonies. Her tenure concludes with the current season although she is scheduled got conduct four concerts at the Meyerhoff next season.

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The Lyric

Location: 110 W. Mt. Royal Ave
Website: lyricbaltimore.com
Box Office: 800-982-2787
Ticket Window: Mon-Fri. 10 am -4 pm

The Lyric is a non-profit performing arts center. What began as Baltimore Opera House in the late 19th century, it is now principally a venue for national touring acts, from music, dance, comedy and youth and educational programs. The next scheduled event is not until July. Schools have used the Lyric for graduation ceremonies.

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Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University

Location: 1 E Mount Vernon Pl.
Website: peabody.jhu.edu
Online Concerts: peabody.jhu.edu/concerts-events/?event_type=56

Free online concerts are available through May

Ticket Office: 667-208-6620, boxoffice@peabody.jhu.edu

Founded in 1857 by George Peabody, the Peabody Institute has been one of the country’s principle music conservatories ever since. It boasts a stellar faculty and an illustrious list of alumni. It is anticipated that in the fall Peabody will resume a full schedule of free concerts by both students and faculty.

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Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center

Location: 847 N. Howard St.
Website: eubieblake.org
Contact: 410.225-3130, info@eubieblake.org

Eubie Blake, born James Hubert Blake, was a legendary Baltimore-born jazz pianist.  The center maintains an exhibition celebrating his legacy. It also hosts concerts, dance classes and art exhibitions.

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An Die Musik

Location: 409 N. Charles St.
Website: andiemusiklive.com
Phone: 410-385-2638
Streaming calendar: andiemusiklive.com/events

Located in a townhouse on Charles Street, An die Music, a venue for jazz concerts in an intimate setting, has been offering streaming concerts since March 2020. It has begun limited in-person seating.

Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre

Location: 817 St. Paul St.
Website: spotlighters.org
E-Newsletter: app.arts-people.com/index.php?mailing_list=spot

Spotlighters Theatre had its 58th season cancelled last March by the pandemic. Only four of the eight planned productions by this dedicated group of Baltimore thespians reached the stage. Spotlighters has yet to post their plans for the 2021-22 season. But there is a free video available online. First posted on YouTube in February, it is called “Our history…Their Words.” (spotlighters.org/ourhistory01.html)

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Center Stage

Location: 700 N. Calvert St
Website: centerstage.org

Center Stage soon established itself as a leader in regional theater movement after its founding in 1963 and was designated the State Theater of Maryland in 1978. Its Mount Vernon home since 1975 boasts two main stages plus a more intimate performance space. Two streaming productions are due this spring, and “The Garden, a play by Charlayne Woodard, is scheduled to be performed in-person June 2-17. (There will also be two virtual performances.)

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Theatre Project

Location: 45 W. Preston St.
Website: https://www.theatreproject.org
Contact: 410-539-3091

This year is the Theatre Project’s 50th birthday. It’s been the home of exciting, innovative performances from theater to dance to chamber opera. There are nine resident companies that perform there as well as a number of frequently returning artists. Currently the space is undergoing upgrades to make the building more energy efficient thanks to a grant from Healthy Neighborhoods.

Baltimore Basilica

Location: 409 Cathedral St.
Website: americasfirstcathedral.org
Tour information (both virtual and in-person): americasfirstcathedral.org/tour

Completed in 1821, the Basilica of the Assumption is still very much a place of worship with masses celebrated every day. It has great historical significance as America’s first cathedral, and thanks to architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe the Basilica is an extraordinary building. Both a virtual and in-person tours are available.

Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library

Location: 400 Cathedral St.
Website: prattlibrary.org/locations/central
Contact: 410-396-5430
Hours: 10 am to 5 pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday; 12 pm to 7 pm Tuesday & Thursday; closed Sunday
Live online events: live.prattlibrary.org

The newly renovated central branch not only lends books, but offers digital loans of movies, ebooks and even TV shows. Its digital collections include historical materials like maps, books and photographs.

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George Peabody Library

Location:  17 E Mt Vernon Pl.
Website: peabodyevents.library.jhu.edu
Phone: 443-840-9585

TEMPORARILY CLOSED: It is anticipated that rentals for private events will resume in November, 2021

While the George Peabody Library does act as a research library, it offers exhibitions from its vast collection of first editions, children’s books and natural history folios. The 1878 library itself is the main attraction, with its six tiers of cast-iron balconies. The library also presents lectures and concerts, and is a stunning location that can be rented for private events.

Arena Players Incorporated

Location: 801 McCulloh St.
Website: arenaplayersinc.com
Phone: 410-728-6500

Arena Players is the nation’s oldest continuously operating African-American community theater. Besides theatrical performances, it offers classes for young people in its Youtheater program.

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SNF Parkway Theatre

Location: 5 W. North Ave.
Website: mdfilmfest.com

The Parkway Theatre is the home of the Maryland Film Festival. Currently all movies are shown virtually.

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The Charles Theater

Location: 1711 N. Charles St.
Website: thecharles.com

This multiplex features first-run films, foreign films and cinema classics.