Evergreen Museum and Library is located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It houses an amazing collection of Tiffany glass, one of the largest in the US. Along with the Homewood Museum, they make up the John Hopkins University Museums. Inside it is a fine collection of art, manuscripts, and unique books collected over two generations by the Garrett family. A lot of contemporary artists derive their inspiration from this magnificent venue.
The mansion dates back to the mid-19th century, when it was built and later sold to John Garrett who was the then president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The rail industry in those days was a key industry in the US and this led to the wealth and fame of the Garrett family. In 1952, it was donated to the university and later listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The house, sited on a 26-acre parcel of land, is a perfect example of Gilded age architecture. The house is a representation of their style and luxury with 48 rooms, bathrooms plated with 23-karat gold, and a staggering 30,000 book library. The rooms are filled with over 50,000 belongings of the Garrett family.
There is an art gallery, both fine and decorative art, a theatre painted by Leon Bakst, a famous Russian artist, and the Carriage House. These collections give a perspective of the evolving American from the post-Civil war to the modern age. The Museum and Library’s changing exhibitions and permanent collections can only be seen by guided tours at specific days and hours of the week.
They hold annual programs with notable speakers in the fields of decorative arts, architecture, and illustrated talks. Aside from that, they have an artist-in-residency program where they host artists and provides them with the opportunity to experience their visual and cultural setting. The collections and architecture are able to inspire them which in turn helps the public to see and understand the place through the artists’ work.