Last updated: January 2, 2025
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Peale Museum (Baltimore, Maryland)
African American Civil Rights Network
Peale Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, is the oldest museum building in the United States and Baltimore’s community museum. In the late 1800s, the building housed a primary school, grammar school, and high school for African Americans.
In 1814, Rembrandt Peale opened the “Museum and Gallery of the Fine Arts” to the public. The museum included art, natural history exhibits, and other collections. Following several years as a museum, in 1830 the city of Baltimore purchased the property and converted it into the city’s first dedicated city hall. It remained the seat of city government for approximately forty years.
Between 1878 and the early 1890s, the former Peale Museum building housed African American schools in the city’s public school system. It initially served as a primary school and grammar school, making it one of the first grammar schools for African Americans in Baltimore. As a result of community demand, four years after the school opened, two additional grades were added to the school making it the first high school for African Americans in Baltimore, and the state of Maryland. In 1889, the high school graduated its first class of students. All of the students went on to be educators and education leaders for African Americans. Overcrowding and other conditions in the building led the last classes to relocate by the early 1890s.
After the schools relocated, the building hosted several shops and manufacturers. In 1930, the city transformed the building into a municipal museum, known as the Peale Museum. The Peale Museum remained opened until 1997. The building remained vacant for approximately two decades before it was renovated and reopened in 2022.
Peale Museum became a part of the African American Civil Rights Network in 2024.
The African American Civil Rights Network recognizes the African American Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the sacrifices made by those who fought against discrimination and segregation. Created by the African American Civil Rights Act of 2017, and coordinated by the National Park Service, the Network tells the stories of the people, places, and events of the U.S. African American Civil Rights Movement through a collection of public and private resources to include properties, facilities, and programs.
Peale Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, is the oldest museum building in the United States and Baltimore’s community museum. In the late 1800s, the building housed a primary school, grammar school, and high school for African Americans.
In 1814, Rembrandt Peale opened the “Museum and Gallery of the Fine Arts” to the public. The museum included art, natural history exhibits, and other collections. Following several years as a museum, in 1830 the city of Baltimore purchased the property and converted it into the city’s first dedicated city hall. It remained the seat of city government for approximately forty years.
Between 1878 and the early 1890s, the former Peale Museum building housed African American schools in the city’s public school system. It initially served as a primary school and grammar school, making it one of the first grammar schools for African Americans in Baltimore. As a result of community demand, four years after the school opened, two additional grades were added to the school making it the first high school for African Americans in Baltimore, and the state of Maryland. In 1889, the high school graduated its first class of students. All of the students went on to be educators and education leaders for African Americans. Overcrowding and other conditions in the building led the last classes to relocate by the early 1890s.
After the schools relocated, the building hosted several shops and manufacturers. In 1930, the city transformed the building into a municipal museum, known as the Peale Museum. The Peale Museum remained opened until 1997. The building remained vacant for approximately two decades before it was renovated and reopened in 2022.
Peale Museum became a part of the African American Civil Rights Network in 2024.
The African American Civil Rights Network recognizes the African American Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the sacrifices made by those who fought against discrimination and segregation. Created by the African American Civil Rights Act of 2017, and coordinated by the National Park Service, the Network tells the stories of the people, places, and events of the U.S. African American Civil Rights Movement through a collection of public and private resources to include properties, facilities, and programs.