Must-see attractions in Baltimore

Housing a jaw-dropping collection of self-taught (or 'outsider' art), American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) is a celebration of unbridled creativity…

Well worth the 7-mile drive north from the Inner Harbor, this grand 19th-century mansion provides a fascinating glimpse into upper-class Baltimore life of…

Standing seven stories high and capped by a glass pyramid, this is widely considered to be America's best aquarium, with almost 20,000 creatures from more…

Horror writer and poet, Edgar Allan Poe was buried (twice) on the grounds of Westminster Hall. His body was first deposited in an unmarked grave behind…

On September 13 and 14, 1814, this star-shaped fort successfully repelled a British navy attack during the Battle of Baltimore. After a long night of…

The magnificent Chamber of Art & Wonders re-creates the library of an imagined 17th-century scholar, one with a taste for the exotic. The abutting Hall of…

This simple but thought-provoking African American history museum has exhibits spotlighting Frederick Douglass, Jackie Robinson, Dr Martin Luther King Jr…

With more than 350,000 objects and seven million books and documents, this is among the world's largest collections of Americana. Highlights include one…

For the best views of Baltimore, climb the 227 marble steps of the 178ft-tall Doric column dedicated to America's founding father, George Washington. The…

Ship lovers can tour four historic ships: a coast guard cutter that saw action in Pearl Harbor, a 1930 lightship, a submarine active in WWII and the USS…

Maryland has traditionally been home to one of the largest, most active Jewish communities in the country, and this is a fine place to explore their…

Also known as America's First Cathedral, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (much more commonly known as the…

Works by Van Gogh, Renoir, Degas, Georgia O'Keeffe and Andy Warhol fill the galleries, and the museum hosts thought-provoking temporary exhibits with a…

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was (arguably) the first passenger train in America, and this museum is a loving testament to both that line and American…

Two blocks north of the harbor, Port Discovery is a converted fish market that now wows younger kids with an urban tree house, an Egyptian adventure, a…

This historic home, built in 1793, is where Mary Pickersgill sewed the gigantic flag that inspired America's national anthem. Costumed interpreters and…

This awesome center features a three-story atrium and tons of interactive exhibits on dinosaurs, outer space and the human body. It also spotlights the…

For a walk on the wild side, pay a visit to the Maryland Zoo's resident giraffes, penguins and chimpanzees. Zookeeper chats, giraffe feedings and goat…

For a bird's-eye view of Baltimore, head to the observation deck on the 27th floor of the World Trade Center.

Celebrates the Baltimore native son who happens to be the greatest baseball player in history.