Exploring The Walter Museum and The Peabody Library

 Baltimore, MD

Donna exploring some old creepy stairway in The Walter Museum Building.

The Peabody Library 

The Peabody Library is one of those buildings you just have to visit.  One of the websites that lists things to do in Baltimore lists it as, "The closest you can get to visiting Hogwarts" and I would agree. 

The Painted Screen exhibit we saw yesterday has me looking at screens and doors as we walk.  I loved this stained glass above the door.

This is a bar not a painted screen.

This is The Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower. The tower has provided artists, writers, jewelers, architects, and more a space within to create, exhibit, interact with, and sell to the public. Gallery spaces showcase local and regional artists through free exhibitions, receptions and other events such as music and spoken word performances.  

We found a staircase as we walked that went down to a garden area.

They buy and sell Harmonicas.  

The Washington Monument in Mt. Vernon, Mt. Vernon Baltimore.

The entrance to The Peabody that we are allowed to use.

How much more panoramic can this get?  Nun more panoramic!

I think these are temporary tattoos or maybe not.

These are old books for sure.

Book Amulets made and sold to pilgrims

This is an opened Book Amulet.  It use to ward off evil and misfortune but the seal was broken and it was opened so all of the magic fell out according to some. 

A contact relic.  Something that may or may not have come into contact with a Saint that may or may not have preformed a miracle at one point or another during their life.  These were sold to help fund the church.  Snape - "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic."

The inside of the library is incredible and really hard to capture.

The floating candles had already burned out by the time we got there.  The sorting hat had already been put away too.

The Walter Art Museum

After The Peabody we walked across the street to The Walter Art Museum.  It's another free museum in Baltimore.  

Karl Saar Armor Fish (A.K.A. Sir Galashad)

We started in the cafe with some lunch snack

Then we moved on to 19th century art.  Edward Berge Muse Finding the head of Orpheus

We came for this piece.  This is Tom.  No really, Tom, the Algerian Greyhound Antoine-Louis Barye

This was our Tom.  He was our first dog.  He was great!  He liked sitting in the sun even on a bag of wood chips.

Bust of Jamie Hyneman Sans Barret

Bust of Mark Zuckerberg with False Nose

Lightsaber Accident

Egyptian Cocktail Shakers

A Falcon Mummy and a Cat Mummy

Where's My Chapstick?

Messed Up Elvis

I see many statues with noses broken off.  I often wonder how this happens.  Do they fall on their faces? 

And then I wonder how this nose didn't break off.

We learned all about vases at The Nelson in KC.  I wasn't able to recall any of it.

Donna found a cool "Secret" staircase that led to the gift shop.

An actual Faberge Egg!

Orchid Comb Rene Lalique.  It was hard to capture the beauty.

These are Rock Crystal Bottles in the shape of a ladies' leg and a ladies' arm.  These were Erotic for their time, meant to raise blushes.  

On a serious note, the piece below is an Anti-Slave Trade Cameo.  You can read more about them here on the museum's web site.  The imagery is offensive but it is actually a piece made to help abolish slavery.  Wedgewood (The one you are familiar with) made hundreds of these and donated them to help raise awareness.  

The image on the Cameo "went viral" and appeared on many different things and was very popular amongst abolitionists.  If you really want to learn more about this you can read this white paper.   

Does this Outfit Make My Butt Look Big?

Hello Ladies!

The museum had 2 awesome "Chamber of Wonders" rooms that had all kinds of cool artifacts, swords, art, and taxidermy type things.  I could imagine being rich and drinking whiskey in one of these rooms.  That reminds me, I should get a flask.

Animal Crossing taught me about many of these butterflies and moths.

An example of a Memento Mori, Reminder of Death!  It's German and from 1530-1630.

A statue of Bacchus, The Roman God of Wine

Awesome old keys and locks.  I always look for these in video games

Knight - "Are you sure I am going to look like a badass when I put this helm on?"

Knight to Blacksmith - "Make me a helm that is Out of this World!"

This is all wrong!  They didn't cover themselves in shame until after the fruit was eaten.

The Walters was showing one modern piece of art that evoked the art it was with in each collection.  It's a cool way of showing the progression of art.

Bro Baby Jesus didn't miss Leg Day and has some abs!

Finger Guns!

This image reminded me of a photo I took at the Missouri State Fair

Someone's jealous of Baby Jesus

Mary tells the angle Gabriel to talk to the hand

If your dying and you know it clap your hands!

Yes you work out, but...

The last area we visited had Asian Art.

Another erotic piece, this one is Indian

After the museum we walked back and stopped by The B and O Railroad Museum's Farmers Market.  It was less of a farmers market and more of a small food festival with people selling prepared food.  It worked out for us because we were looking for dinner.  Donna got some Southern Sweet Potatoes with Berry Cobbler for dessert and I got Korean Baked BBQ Chicken and Greens.  Both meals were very good.  

That was our adventure today.  If you missed yesterday's post you can find it here.