Extra! Extra! We’re thrilled to announce that the Peale has received a Green Grant from BGE to add gardens and greenery to Watchhouse Alley, the areas between the Peale and its neighbors on Holliday Street. The additional green spaces will not only help nature by encouraging pollinators to visit but will also help beautify the community! We’re super grateful to BGE for this opportunity! Read more about the BGE Grant.
The project will create:
- An engaging space, connecting to the streets beyond. The Peale Center is improving and extending an existing garden by bringing in new plants and trees. It will also add seating to the area. Between a coffee shop planned for the museum and the nearby Ida B’s Table, a highly praised restaurant, Proctor expects the alley to be a destination itself, as well as a gateway to the museum and other neighborhood businesses.
- An invitation to birds and butterflies. A group of artists first revived the long-neglected garden as part of a 2017 exhibition about the effects of light pollution on birds, supported by a BGE Green Grant. Today, the goal is to extend the pollinator plantings to attract beautiful flying creatures to the neighborhood.
- A place for stories and exploration. The garden area will be the perfect place to tell stories about Baltimore culture and natural history; about where birds go when they migrate and how we can help bees and butterflies; and about the vibrant community that is Baltimore today. It also will be a place for hands-on learning and workshops.
- A place for experimentation. Initially, many of the plants and trees will remain in pots. Staff and volunteers will be able to move them around to determine the best permanent locations. They also will monitor which creatures – human and otherwise – visit and enjoy the plantings.
- A safer place. Vintage-style gates to be locked during the museum’s off-hours will help prevent the accumulation of garbage and vandalism and protect against fires.