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The Walters Art Museum is located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Maryland. The museum is a privately formed collection of art made public for viewing.
The Walters Art Museum was initially started as an art gallery. It was set up to satisfy public interest in art by William T. Walters and his son Henry Walters. During the 19th and early 20th centuries the father-son duo gathered together a wide range of artwork from various places across the world and set up an art gallery. After Henry Walters’ death in 1931, Baltimore’s mayor set up a board of trustees who supervised the management of the museum along with a committee of museum personnel and scholars. A research staff of five curators, a conservator and a chemist was appointed within a year. By that time the installations by the Walters had become outdated. In 1934, the gallery was briefly opened to the public. It was then closed for renovations. Over the next few months, the curators cataloged the collections, prepared handbooks and organized pioneering shows. However, the efforts of the curators were restricted by inadequate space.
In 1974 the art gallery acquired an extension. A new wing was designed for greater display space and also led to the growth of collections. In the 1990’s the building showed sign of needing upgrades. Renovation work began in 1998 and at the end of three years the Walters Art Gallery had 39 refurbished galleries a new entryway. As part of the new look, the name of the gallery was changed from Walters Art Gallery to Walters Art Museum.
Collections at Walters Art Museum:
The collection at Walters Art Museum is renowned not only for their quality but also for their range and variety. Among the many priceless pieces are included Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Islamic, Medieval, Renaissance, and European and American 18th- 19th century art works. Egyptian sculptures, Roman sarcophagi, Greek sculptures, medieval ivories, illuminated manuscripts, Renaissance bronzes as well as Chinese bronzes and ceramics with art deco jewelry all form part of the collection at Walters Art Museum.
Admission to the Walters Art Museum is free. The mission of Walters Art Museum is to bring art and people together for enjoyment, discovery and education. The museum aims to establish a place where people from all backgrounds can be influenced by art. The Walters Art Museum strengthens and sustains the community by holding exhibitions and programs.
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