Baltimore's Museum Of Outsider Art Is A Visionary Dream With Bold Creativity & Unusual Exhibits

A century ago, many works of groundbreaking modern art were considered so distasteful by the art establishment that curators refused them to be displayed. One of the most famous examples is Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain," an inverted urinal simply signed "R. Mutt," which he argued elevated the otherwise prosaic object into a "readymade" sculpture. The work was rejected by the Society of Independent Artists in New York, who refused to show it at their exhibition.

But not all art institutions strive to cultivate a sense of reverence around their works. The American Visionary Art Museum, for example, prides itself on foregrounding the humor and playfulness that underpins the artistic vision of many artworks. It also promotes inclusivity by displaying the works of artists who thrive outside of the art world's strict commercial boundaries. Located in the Federal Hill area of Baltimore, Maryland, right on the banks of the Patapsco River, the AVAM has been voted the city's best museum by Baltimore Magazine, and is much loved by both locals and art enthusiasts across America. Like the teamLab Planets museum in Tokyo that's best entered barefoot and Randyland, a free open-air museum in Pennsylvania, the AVAM is truly unique. 

The origins of the museum, the brainchild of Baltimore-born Rebecca Alban Hoffberger, are suitably avant-garde. Hoffberger's love of visionary art began in her teens, a period of her life dominated by her immersion in the world of mime. At 16, Hoffberger became the apprentice of legendary French mime artist Marcel Marceau, and traveled with him to France, where she soaked up the local culture scene while founding a ballet school. She eventually returned to Baltimore to raise a family. It was in 1984 that she had the idea for a new cultural center to showcase and educate the public about the art she had grown to love.

After researching the idea at museums as far flung as the Art Brut (Raw Art) Museum Collection in Lausanne, a hilly city that's often called the San Francisco of Switzerland, and the Museum of the Unconscious in Brazil, Hoffberger and her supporters gradually raised enough funds to open their own museum in 1995. The design is astounding, with surrealistic staircases and features that are works of art in themselves, many designed and built by visionary artists. Meanwhile, the art of the Permanent Collection, which includes a glittering sculpture of Icarus falling through the air around the spiral stairs and a human-sized egg covered in a reflective mosaic, permeates the space to give the museum the feel of a fairground. Entry also gives access to several ever-changing exhibitions typically centered on an uplifting theme, such as "Good Sports: The Wisdom & Fun of Fair Play" or a particular visionary artist.

The American Visionary Art Museum is a hive of cultural activity, and making the time to check what's coming up before your visit is recommended. The museum holds public events, including free outdoor movie screenings, yoga sessions, and artistic workshops, such as "Sock Creature Saturday." There is also a regular arts and crafts fair. Tickets to the museum gain you access to all of the current exhibits, including the Permanent Collection. Opening hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Arguably, the best time to visit the AVAM is in the spring, when it hosts the famous Kinetic Sculpture Race: a freewheeling competition in which strange contraptions designed by artists and members of the public compete to traverse land and water. Founded by artist Hobart Brown, the principle of the race is, according to an official statement by Brown on the AVAM website, "Adults are obligated to have fun, so kids will want to grow older."