Visiting Baltimore Museum of Art

About Baltimore Museum of Art

The BMA's free collection is centred on the Cone Collection assembled by sisters Claribel and Etta Cone, with hundreds of works by Henri Matisse alongside Picasso, Cézanne and Van Gogh. It also has a large holding of Antioch mosaics, African and contemporary art, and two sculpture gardens.

Tip: Go straight to the Cone Wing for the Matisse paintings, then finish in the sculpture garden with Rodin's The Thinker.

Plan your visit

• Time needed: 2–3 hours.
• Cost: Free — no ticket needed for the main area.
• Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
• Where: Charles Village, painted row houses next to Johns Hopkins and the Baltimore Museum of Art.

Best time to visit Baltimore Museum of Art

Baltimore Museum of Art is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:

• May: 24°C (75°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, busy crowds.
• March: 13°C (55°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds.
• April: 19°C (66°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, moderate crowds.

When to visit Baltimore has the full month-by-month picture.

Fit it into your trip

Our 3-day Baltimore itinerary visits Baltimore Museum of Art on day 2, together with Fort McHenry National Monument, American Visionary Art Museum and Fells Point waterfront.

• No. 4 of the 18 sights in our Baltimore things-to-do list.
• Day 2 of the 2-day plan.
• Listed in free things to do in Baltimore.
• One of the picks in museums in Baltimore.

If you like Baltimore Museum of Art

• American Visionary Art Museum — Federal Hill, 2 hours
• Walters Art Museum — Mount Vernon, 2 hours
• B&O Railroad Museum — Southwest Baltimore, 2–3 hours
• Port Discovery Children's Museum — Inner Harbor, 2–3 hours

Staying near Baltimore Museum of Art

Stay in Charles Village ($$) to walk here: painted row houses next to Johns Hopkins and the Baltimore Museum of Art. All areas to stay in Baltimore.

Questions travellers ask