TOURISM AWARDS
WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER VISIONARY TOURISM AWARD
Like its namesake , this award is reserved for a select group of visionaries whose leadership and commitment to growing Baltimore has lifted us all up and made strong Visit Baltimore ’ s ability to promote our city as a distinctive destination .
Kris Hoellen , Executive Director , B & O Railroad Museum
Kris Hoellen , Executive Director of the B & O Railroad Museum , has built a career at the intersection of tourism , transportation , sustainability , community engagement , economic development and storytelling . When Kris joined the B & O team in 2018 , she recognized the creative , entrepreneurial and community-based nature of the Board of Directors and put plans in place to strengthen the museum ’ s presence and impact in its West Baltimore neighborhood .
Under Kris ’ s visionary leadership , the B & O Railroad Museum has worked to offer the museum ’ s resources to the community through special events and cutting-edge educational programming , like a multi-track locomotive educational partnership with Baltimore City Community College , serving as the home to the Baltimore Police Department ’ s equine unit , and offering space to local organization b360 to help Baltimore youth study STEM through dirt bike riding .
Kris and her team at the B & O have adopted the mantra of “ while not a community center , we are striving to be the center of the community ” as a guiding principle for the Museum .
As the team at the B & O gears up for the 200th anniversary of the American Railroad in 2027 , the future of the museum has never looked brighter . A long-term master plan will be unveiled in the coming months which will re-orient the entrance of the building to face Southwest Baltimore and turn previously unused space into an outdoor amphitheater and garden that will host community events .
There is no shortage of history to be told about the American Railroad system , and Kris and her team learn something new each day , both through the B & O ’ s archives and through passionate guests who come into the museum and share their own knowledge . This continuous quest to seek and share previously untold stories of the railroad has led to the creation of impactful exhibits like “ The Underground Railroad : Freedom Seekers on the B & O ,” which recounts the journeys of 27 individuals who sought freedom from slavery along the B & O .
Through her commitment to uplifting the railroad ’ s role in our history and by promoting sustainability , connectivity and lifelong learning , Kris has made the B & O Railroad Museum a space that serves as a community connector as well as a powerful draw for visitors to Baltimore .
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