Join the BMI educators for a virtual tour of the museum and accompanying hands-on activities on December 9th.
These sessions are great for small homeschool groups and individual families looking to learn more about Baltimore's industrial heritage. Students will have the opportunity to see our exhibits, view objects and videos of our working machinery, and interact directly with BMI staff.
Honor the legacies of the men and women who worked at Bethlehem Steel by purchasing an engraved brick to be placed in the Baltimore Museum of Industry’s Bethlehem Steel Legacy Brick Garden.
The Brick Garden will be located in a prominent location on our campus near the Bethlehem shipyard crane that marks the museum entrance.
To learn more about our Buy-A-Brick program, click here.
For Immigrants, About Immigrants
Immigrants have long played an integral role in Baltimore's industrial history. The BMI has just launched a way to connect this past with present— and future—Baltimore residents. With support from the Nestico Foundation, the BMI last year began reaching out to local organizations that serve immigrant communities, to learn how the museum could best support their work. The result is a partnership with Baltimore City Community College, which offers free citizenship preparation classes.
With the guidance of BCCC staff, the BMI Education Department designed a brand new virtual program for English-language learners, which began this fall. These one-hour Zoom meetings give participants a brief introduction to Baltimore's industrial history--and the role that immigrants played in building our city into an industrial powerhouse— and include several opportunities for practicing spoken and written English. The BMI offered four sessions to students enrolled in BCCC's Citizenship Preparation and English Language Instruction programs in November. Feedback gained through these experiences will be used to fine-tune the program and begin offering this virtual tour to additional groups in 2021.
Bethlehem Steel Legacy Project Includes Exhibitions and Podcast
The Bethlehem Steel Legacy Project, a partnership between Tradepoint Atlantic and the Baltimore Museum of Industry, is a multi-year community engagement initiative that explores the legacy of the Bethlehem Steel story. There are plenty of ways to participate in the project—even during a time of social distancing.
Women of Steel exhibition: In October, the Baltimore Museum of Industry opened Women of Steel, an exhibition that tells the powerful stories of women who worked at Bethlehem Steel’s Sparrows Point mill, and the challenges they faced regarding discrimination, harassement, equal pay, and childcare. Mounted entirely outdoors on the fence that encloses the BMI parking lot, the exhibit is highly visible, accessible free-of-charge, and will be open through spring 2021.
Addie Smith (on left) is one of the women featured in the BMI's newest exhibit, Women of Steel. Previously a crane operator for Bethlehem Steel, her story encapsulates the resiliency of working women and mothers in a male dominated industry.
Archives and 2021 Exhibition: The BMI’s collection of Bethlehem Steel archival materials, objects, and photographs continues to grow, thanks to the community members who have shared materials with us. Many of these images and objects will be featured in a long-term exhibition about Bethlehem Steel that will be installed at the Baltimore Museum of Industry in fall 2021. Explore the museum’s online database or to set up a research appointmenthere.
Nicolette Szymanski stopped by the BMI to see the Women of Steel exhibit and donate her mom's hard hat to the museum. Her mom, Edie Papadakis, worked at Bethlehem Steel for more than 30 years while raising three children.
NEW— Sparrows Point Podcast: The BMI is pleased to partner with WYPR radio on an original, limited edition podcast series debuting in January 2021. Produced by Aaron Henkin, and featuring interviews with former steelworkers, union organizers, community members, and historians, Sparrows Point: an American Steel Story will bring the Bethlehem Steel story to life. Through first person recollections, the series explores the connections between the experiences of those who worked at Bethlehem Steel and the struggles that so many workers are facing today. BMI members receive exclusive access to the podcast with a private preview on Thursday, December 3! Not yet a member? Join today!
Explore the industrial roots that shaped South Baltimore through this free walking (or virtual) tour developed by the BMI and Baltimore Heritage. Using artifacts and historic images from the BMI’s collections, this tour honors the workers who built Baltimore into a maritime powerhouse and examines the legacy that manufacturing, shipbuilding, and other heavy industries have left on the peninsula. This self-guided walking tour can be enjoyed on foot, by car (parking in the BMI’s lot is free to tour participants), or from the comfort of your home. Click here to get started.
Five of these South Baltimore landmarks will be explored even further through a free video series, made possible by PNC Bank. New videos are posted each Wednesday.
We are able to offer many of our programs for free thanks to the generous support of our members and donors. Please consider making a donation or joining the BMI so we can continue doing so.
