FOUNDATIONAL NARRATIVE
Expand History
In Baltimore , we don ’ t just celebrate history , we live in it . We have some of the most impressive examples of adaptive reuse and preservation in the country . Our history is diverse and layered , and we are home to cultural institutions pushing new ideas . The Baltimore Museum of Art ’ s divestment of works of art ( including Warhols ) and reinvestment in work by female-identifying artists and artists of color is just one example of how we are honoring history by telling a more inclusive story .
INSIGHTS FROM THE BRAND RESEARCH :
• “ People that enjoy history come a lot ; they are usually my age or older . They are empty nesters and want something different and unique and usually stay for about two days . We get a lot of roadtrippers .” — Jason Curtis , Hotel General Manager
• Of those surveyed , 78.6 % say Historic Attractions are “ Important ” or “ Very Important ” for destination decisions , and 74.3 % say it ’ s “ Good ” or “ Very Good ” in Baltimore . ( 2022 Destination Analysis Survey )
• “ Like our neighbors , Philly and D . C ., Baltimore has rich history , but it often surprises visitors when they experience that we have that rich history and so much more .” — Greg Bader , Orioles
KEY MESSAGES :
• We are a city of firsts : It doesn ’ t get more American than Mary Pickersgill sewing the stripes on the flag on the floor of a brewery that would eventually inspire Francis Scott Key to pen The Star-Spangled Banner during the Battle of Baltimore in 1814 . The nation ’ s first railroad , the Baltimore & Ohio , began operations here in 1827 . And , created in 1916 , the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra was the country ’ s first publicly supported symphony orchestra . Plus so much more !
• Baltimore is leading the conversation on diversity , equity and inclusion in meaningful and powerful ways : New York Times contributor Jada Yuen referred to Baltimore as , “ A place where it feels like Black History Month every day .” We are a city that confronts difficult truths and invites artists and activists to have a seat at the table . Visitors can explore the depths of the African American experience at the Reginald F . Lewis Museum and then travel through centuries of history at the Walters Art Museum .
• We ’ re more than just history : Sure in Philadelphia and D . C . you can go to museums and see the history , but in Baltimore you can actually experience it . Chow down on steamed buns in a more than 240-year-old market ( Lexington Market ), sleep in a top-rated hotel on a more than 110-year-old Recreation Pier ( Sagamore Pendry ), or watch the O ’ s slide into Camden Yard ’ s home plate just blocks from Babe Ruth ’ s childhood home ( The Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum ).
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