Peales Baltimore Museum – North Holiday Street, Baltimore City

A National Historic Landmark, Peale's Baltimore Museum was created in 1814 as the Municipal City Museum under the direction of painter Rembrandt Peale, and later of his brother, Rubens. This structure is believed to be the first purpose-built museum building in America. By 1830, the building had been repurposed to house the Baltimore City Hall, and then in 1875 converted to a public school as the number one colored primary school. By 1931, the building was in need of significant repairs and was reconstructed by restoration specialist and architect John H. Scarfe, then returned to service as a museum until 1997. The currently proposed renovations will restore the building as the Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture, a destination for the study of Baltimore and its buildings and a key orientation site and major stop on the Baltimore National Heritage Area's Heritage Walk. The building will also house materials and artifacts relating to Baltimore's architecture and history. Owned by the City of Baltimore, the Peale Center holds a long-term lease. Other well-aligned non-profits such as the Baltimore City Historical Society, the American Institute of Architects, and the Baltimore Architecture Foundation are prospective tenants. A cafe and garden will attract visitors and serve as a rental venue. $660,000 in Heritage Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credits will leverage $3.3 million in total cost for this project. The Peale's rehabilitation will create an estimated 48 jobs and generate around $5.6 million in economic output. In addition to this tax credit, the project is benefiting from a $50,000 grant from the Maryland Heritage Area's Authority and a $400,000 line item grant included in Governor Hogan's 2017 capital budget.