The Peale

The Peale is the oldest purpose-built museum in the Americas. Built in 1814, the museum once served as a space for innovation, discovery, and creativity.

The building itself has had many lives, and presently functions as The Peale, Baltimore’s Community Museum. We strive to be a mirror—not a lens—reflecting the cultural narrative of now, not curating a limited version of what it means to be a Baltimorean.

We serve as facilitators and advocates, not gatekeepers of knowledge or assigners of cultural value. We’re not just a physical space; we’re a community resource. We provide a place and platform for creative experimentation and serve as a co-creator for exhibits and cultural programming driven by local creators and storytellers.