about

The American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) is the official national museum, education center, and repository for intuitive, self-taught artistry.

What is Visionary Art?

Like love, you know it when you see it. But here's the longer definition, straight out of our Mission Statement:

"Visionary art as defined for the purposes of the American Visionary Art Museum refers to art produced by self-taught individuals, usually without formal training, whose works arise from an innate personal vision that revels foremost in the creative act itself."

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In short, visionary art begins by listening to the inner voices of the soul, and often may not even be thought of as 'art' by its creator.

Museum history

1984

Museum founder Rebecca Alban Hoffberger has the idea for a unique new museum and education center that would emphasize intuitive creative invention and grassroots genius while she is employed as the Development Director of People Encouraging People, Inc.—a program of the Department of Psychiatry at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

American Visionary Art Museum

800 Key Highway

Baltimore, MD 21230

phone: (410) 244-1900

fax: (410) 244-5858