One of Baltimore's oldest museums, the Flag House & Star-Spangled Banner Museum was opened in 1927 as a tribute to Mary Young Pickersgill, the woman who made the enormous American flag that flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 and that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star-Spangled Banner. Guided tours give visitors an intimate look at the Pickersgill history and the 1793 house where Mary sewed the famous flag.
Beautifully preserved, the home contains Federal-period antiques and original furnishings from the family. Visitors should stop to admire the Great Flag Window, an exact replica in glass of Mary's flag, and take a stroll in the gardens where they'll find a large footstone map of the United States. The Museum hosts numerous public events and programs, including open hearth cooking demonstrations, hands-on history programs, quilting workshops, lectures, and family fun days.
