Doors Open Baltimore

motor-houseHave you been wanting to visit the Duchess of Windsor Museum on Biddle Street? Do you know what amazing things are going on at Motor House on North Avenue? Want to learn more about Baltimore’s arabbers and see their stables?

These sites and many more will be open for you to explore on Saturday, October 22 from 10 am to 4 pm during Doors Open Baltimore.

In this year’s event, the Baltimore Architecture Foundation, in partnership with AIA Baltimore, has arranged for over 60 special sites to be open and FREE to all attendees. Doors Open Baltimore gives city residents and visitors to the city alike a chance to see inside buildings that are not always open to the public and learn more about Baltimore’s history.

In addition to opening the doors to over 60 buildings around the city, Doors Open Baltimore is sponsoring dozens of special events throughout the day. Walking tours, architect-guided building tours, and behind-the-scenes tours are just a few of the special events scheduled.

doors-open-baltimoreYou can participate in this self-guided event on foot or bicycle, use public transit, or drive a car.  Everything including the special events are free, but some require advance registration. Check out the Doors Open Baltimore website for information on the sites that will be open and to register for special events. You can also find Doors Open Baltimore on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

You can also participate by volunteering for part of the day. Volunteers are posted at all the sites and you do not need to know a thing about Baltimore history or architecture to help out. Just be excited to show off some wonderful Baltimore buildings.

Sign up for a morning or afternoon shift, and then use the other half of your day to go off on your own. A good time is guaranteed for one and all.

Visit their volunteer site to sign up.

ADDITION: The Bulletin Editors asked neighbor and Baltimore Heritage Director Johns Hopkins for his picks to help us focus our time this Saturday. Here’s his response:

“There are, literally, more fantastic historic places open on this year’s Door Open Baltimore tour than you could possibly visit in a day. So with the impossible task of picking just a few, if you want a few surprises, you might try to get to a couple of the following. That is, in addition to the bus tour that Baltimore Heritage is sponsoring with the Baltimore Architecture Foundation and the American Institute of Architects!

10 Light Street – Arguably Baltimore’s greatest Art Deco building and seeing the grand banking hall will be worth it.

Arabber Preservation Society – A glimpse into the stables and tradition of this Baltimore institution.

Baltimore Immigration Museum – Newly opened and showcasing Locust Point, one of the busiest ports of entry for immigrants in 19th century America, many of us have family who came through here.

Baltimore Society of Model Engineers – The granddaddy of model train sets for generations tucked into a second floor space on Saratoga Street.

Clifton Mansion – If you haven’t been to the summer home of Johns Hopkins the philanthropist in a while, it’s a whole new place.

Davidge Hall – The oldest building in continuous medical use in the country, Davidge Hall’s not one, but two lecture halls in the round are fantastic and perhaps a little creepy.”