“Esther and the Dream of One Loving Human Family” exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum (Photo: Dan Meyers)
Quilting and embroidery are deeply personal crafts that weave individual stories, emotions, and memories into every stitch. Often imbued with heartfelt intentions and symbolism, each work reflects the artist’s unique journey. Led by textile historian Alden O’Brien, visit two exhibitions that showcase the power of local artistry.
The intricate beauty of crazy quilts, contemporary works by the African American Quilters of Baltimore, and the antique collection are on display at the Maryland Center for History and Culture. A focal point of the visit, “Material & Memories: Elizabeth Talford Scott and the Crazy Quilt Tradition,” was crafted from scraps of family clothing and decorative fabric. These quilts serve as intimate “landscapes of memory” with intricate narratives embedded in each piece, the museum says. Curators discuss the exhibition and have other textile objects on display from the archives.
At the American Visionary Art Museum, the exhibition “Esther and the Dream of One Loving Human Family” presents 36 embroideries by Holocaust survivor Esther Nisenthal Krinitz. These intricate needlework and fabric collages poignantly recount how 15-year-old Esther and her sister survived the Nazi invasion of Poland, posing as Polish Catholic farm girls after separating from their observant Jewish family on their harrowing journey. A guided tour offers a deeper understanding of Krinitz’s story of resilience and the creation of her remarkable panels, which she began while working in Frederick, Maryland, as a designer and seamstress.
Baltimore's Lexington Market—one of the oldest public markets in the United States—has been bringing fresh food and delicious flavors to the community since 1782. Explore the market vendors while grabbing a bite to eat for lunch on your own.
Know Before You Go
- The tour departs by motorcoach from downtown Washington, DC with a designated secondary pick-up outside the city. Content delivered by the study leader on the way to the destination, after the secondary pick-up, is an integral part of the study tour experience. Meeting the group once the tour is en route is discouraged.
- Tour participants meet at and leave by bus from the Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C St., SW, with a stop at the I-495 Exit 27 carpool lot at 9:25 a.m.
General Information
- Registration for this tour will end by 2 p.m. ET on Friday, March 7, 2025.
- Smithsonian Associates is a mask-friendly environment. Please feel free to bring and wear a mask at any time during a tour, both for your safety or the safety of others.
- As we aim to move away from single use water bottles, guests are strongly encouraged to get in the habit of bringing their own reusable water bottle on tour.
- For additional tour information:
