This neoclassical building was the first in the country designed specifically for use as a museum. It was undertaken under the direction of Rembrandt Peale, the son of renowned painter and naturalist Charles Willson Peale and an accomplished artist in his own right. Peale intended the building to serve as both museum and art gallery, containing such curiosities as a mastodon skeleton, stuffed birds, and Egyptian mummies, as well as Peale family paintings. It was part of Baltimore’s post-War of 1812 era rise as a city of arts and culture that included noted works of architecture, monuments, and cultural and scientific institutions.
With no prior design models, Long adopted a traditional five-bay Georgian house scheme. The central bay was expanded to create a monumental stone section laid against the Flemish-bond brick facade, encompassing a recessed entrance, tall round-arched windows lighting the primary exhibition gallery, and pediment with sculptural relief. The building included such innovations as a heating system designed by Robert Mills.
The museum closed in 1829, and following a renovation by William F. Small, reopened as the Baltimore City Hall. From 1878 to 1889, it became part of Baltimore’s Colored School system; known as Male and Female Colored School Number 1, it housed one of the city’s first grammar schools and the first Black high school in the state. By 1906 the building was abandoned and threatened with demolition. However, public outcry led to its eventual restoration in 1930–1931 under the direction of John Scarff. The building recently was returned to use as a museum, known as the Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture.