Visit The Peale
Where Baltimore's Stories Meet Innovation
Baltimore's Community Museum
Plan Your Visit
The Peale Museum
225 Holliday Street, Baltimore
Thu–Fri 3–7 PM | Sat–Sun 10–4 PM | Mon – Wed Closed
Free Admission
Fully Accessible
Parking Nearby
Can’t make it during these times? Please let us know if we can accommodate you at a better time. We are also open for partner programs and events.
Explore art, history, and community stories in America’s first purpose-built museum.
Why The Peale Matters
Founded in 1814, The Peale was America's first purpose-built museum and has served Baltimore in many roles throughout its history—as a museum, City Hall, public school, and gathering place for civic life.
Created by artist, inventor, entrepreneur, and innovator Rembrandt Peale, the museum became one of the first buildings in the United States illuminated by gaslight. Produced in the museum's garden and used to light the galleries after dark, this groundbreaking technology attracted paying visitors and helped launch an industry that would eventually become Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE).
Today, The Peale continues its tradition of innovation as Baltimore's Community Museum—a place where history, art, technology, and community come together to tell the stories of Baltimore and its people.
What You'll Experience
During Your Visit You May Discover
Rotating art, history, and community exhibitions
Stories of Baltimore’s people, neighborhoods, and culture
Contemporary artists and creative voices
Public programs, performances, and conversations
The historic Peale building and garden
Interactive digital and audio experiences
New perspectives on Baltimore’s past, present, and future
Every visit to The Peale is different.
Explore rotating exhibitions featuring Baltimore artists, neighborhood stories, community voices, and contemporary perspectives. Discover the history of the nation’s first purpose-built museum, relax in our urban garden, attend a public program or performance, and experience innovative digital storytelling through audio tours, virtual exhibitions, and interactive experiences.
Whether you’re interested in history, art, architecture, culture, technology, or simply discovering something new, The Peale offers a uniquely Baltimore experience that changes with every visit.
Bringing a Group?
The Peale welcomes school groups, universities, community organizations, senior groups, tour operators, and professional associations.
On View Now
Getting to the Peale
The Peale is located at 225 Holliday Street, in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, between Zion Church and the Real News Network, and across the street from the Abel Wolman Municipal Building.
Parking and Bus Service
The Peale is well served by public transportation and is near stops for City Hall, the War Memorial, and Farmers’ Market on the Purple, Orange, Red, Blue, Yellow CityLink lines and the free Green Charm City Circulator Route, as well as LocalLink routes 54, 56, 154, 67, 78, 80 and Express BusLink routes 105, 115, 160, 154, 164. The Peale is a short walk from the Charles Center and Shot Tower Stations.
There is on-street parking and numerous lots around the Peale. The most affordable hourly parking is in the municipal lot underneath the I-83/Jones Falls overpass on Saratoga Street between Gay and Holliday Streets.
Access at the Peale
Wheelchair Accessible
The Peale team believes in creating a space, programs, and communications that are designed with the differing needs and preferences of people who attend our programs and are a part of our community. By employing the basic guidelines and principles of inclusive design in our work, we can expand the Peale’s audiences and offerings to provide more relevant and engaging programming for all participants. Even the most simple adjustments can have a profound impact on making community spaces and performances equitable for all.
As a part of the renovations in 2019, The Peale has an accessible elevator. The entrance is on the left side of the building, down Watchhouse alley about 100 ft. There is a keypad on the right side of the elevator door. Visitors can press the button to call the elevator. There is a door that will swing open automatically once the elevator is called. Be careful. Once the door is open, visitors can enter the elevator portico and then step/roll/dance into the elevator. When you come out of the elevator you will be in a short hallway by the bathrooms and the lobby and welcome desk is on the right. There are three floors in the Peale and there is a handrail on all flights of stairs. Various and ample forms of seating are available in every room. The historic entrance has five steps and no functioning handrail.
All online events that include a program with spoken language will be interpreted into sign language. Visitors to the building can also request sign language interpretation ahead of time by emailing us at info@ThePeale.org.
Our entire team is engaged in shifting the culture, practices and institution of both the Peale and the cultural sector to meet our communities’ needs. Peale events take place online and in person. Make sure to check the event listing to determine where the event is happening.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is a temporary drop off spot in the “no parking” zone directly in front of the Holiday St. entrance. There are multiple public paid parking lots within a two block radius of The Peale as well as street parking. There are 4 access parking spots on the 200 block of Holiday Street.
Use this page to find the closest parking at The Peale.
The Peale has an accessible elevator. The accessible entrance is on the left side of the building, down Watchhouse alley about 100 ft. There is a keypad on the right side of the elevator door. Press the button to call the elevator. There is a door that will swing open automatically once the elevator is called so stand back. Once the door is open you can enter the elevator portico and then step/roll/dance into the elevator. When you come out of the elevator you will be in a short hallway by the bathrooms and the lobby and welcome desk is on the right. There are three floors in the Peale there is a handrail on all flights of stairs. Various and ample forms of seating is available in every room.
The historic entrance has five steps and no functioning handrail.
Service Animals and emotional support animals are welcome.
All bathrooms are located by the elevator, are accessible, all gender and have baby changing tables. There are two on the first floor, one on the second and one on the third.
Wayfinding
Get detailed descriptions that guide visitors through the physical spaces at the Peale and enhance their understanding and experience of the environment. Please see our wayfinding guide.
- Live human generated captioning (CART)
- American Sign Language interpretation will be provided for all of our events
- Transcripts available in an accessible format after the event.
- Access to events via a number of platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, the Peale’s website and through a phone line.
- Archived videos and transcripts will be posted to the specific event pages for viewing after the event unless otherwise noted.
- The opportunity to ask questions ahead of time or after the event by reaching out to online@thepealecenter.org.
- At this time we can’t guarantee that all our events will be visually described. We do have visually described tours about The Peale’s history that can be requested by emailing us at access@thepealecenter.org. A We are working to make more of our programs, exhibitions and offerings visually accessible.
All video and media with language is captioned.
At this time, we can’t guarantee that all our events will be visually described. We do have visually described tours about The Peale’s history that can be requested by emailing us at access@thepealecenter.org. We are working to make more of our programs, exhibitions and offerings visually accessible.
