If you’re curious why a visit to MICA is so beneficial, we’ve collected lots of great information and resources below to help inform you. Whether you're considering a visit, or have already decided to come, we hope to see you on campus soon!
Why Visit MICA
Meet Our People
At MICA, you’ll discover a highly supportive community shaped by talented, diverse individuals. And while everyone—from peers to faculty to staff—comes from vastly different backgrounds and hold an array of perspectives, they are united in celebrating you as a creative maker, as well as the creative process. They are here to support you. Collaborate with you. Inspire and motivate you. Offer encouragement and help guide you—whether it’s across campus or onto a career path as you become the artist, designer, or creative changemaker you were meant to be.
Following are some of the faces who make us who we are. Whether you meet them on your initial tour of campus or first year as a student, these members of the MICA community exemplify the many personalities who make up our unique and creative ecosystem.
Emilia Duno
Admission Counselor and Coordinator of Baltimore City Diversity Initiatives
Sammy Hoi
MICA President
Officer Lawrence Green
Campus Safety
Kerri Litz
MICA Store Manager
Jason Morgan
Executive Director, Undergraduate Admissions
Jane Yoon
Admission Counselor
Gilles Stromberg
Admission Counselor
Matthew Smith
Associate Director
See Our Spaces
MICA’s urban campus, located in Baltimore’s historic Bolton Hill neighborhood, has been thoughtfully designed to support your need to experiment, create, and seek change. Located at the heart of the city’s cultural district, MICA encompasses over one million square feet of academic, residential, and exhibition spaces—all supported by multi-use performance theaters, cafes, green sanctuaries, independent studios, and every kind of maker space imaginable. A mix of both award-winning new construction and repurposed historic buildings, these spaces ultimately form a connected, holistic creative environment that will empower you as an artist or designer.
MICA’s academic spaces embody our commitment to accommodate the needs of artists and designers. Take a look below at just a few of our academic buildings.
Main Building
The Main Building includes expansive studio classrooms, a student-run gallery, and darkrooms for photography processing.
EXPLORE MAIN BUILDING
Brown Center
Built specifically for design and time-based media programs, the Brown Center houses classroom and studio space for Animation and both graduate & undergraduate Graphic Design programs.
EXPLORE BROWN CENTER
Dolphin Design Center
The Dolphin Design Center houses state-of-the-art fabrication labs, classrooms and collaborative areas for programs in Architectural Design, Game Design, Interactive Arts, Product Design, and Sound Art.
EXPLORE DOLPHIN DESIGN CENTER
Fox Building
The Charles James Fox Building is home to two large exhibition spaces, Decker Gallery and Meyerhoff Gallery, and Café Doris, as well as the undergraduate and graduate Illustration departments as well as the Ceramics department.
EXPLORE FOX BUILDING
Bunting Center
Housing Decker Library, Pinkard Gallery, and Java Corner, the Bunting Center also includes classrooms and a full student service center with offices for Student Affairs, Student Accounts, Enrollment & Advising and International Affairs.
EXPLORE BUNTING CENTER
15/15 Building
The 15/15 Building, which is located between the Gateway residence hall and the MICA Store and Health and Wellness Center, is home to the Printmaking department and the Globe Collection and Press.
EXPLORE 15/15
Mount Royal Station
Originally a B&O passenger train station, Mount Royal Station is home to the Interdisciplinary Sculpture and Fiber departments. It also includes the Middendorf Gallery and fabrication facilities and metalworking foundry.
EXPLORE MOUNT ROYAL STATION
JHU-MICA Film Center
Film and Video BFA students work alongside students from MICA’s MFA in Filmmaking and JHU’s Film and Media Studies programs in the Film Centre, which is located inside the historic Centre Theatre in the Station North Arts & Entertainment District adjacent to MICA’s main campus.
EXPLORE THE FILM CENTER
Fred Lazarus IV Center
Undergraduate seniors in GFA, Painting, and Drawing receive dedicated studio space in the Lazarus Center, which is also located in Station North. The facility is home to three exhibition spaces, the café Nancy, photo and computer labs, a fabrication works
EXPLORE LAZARUS CENTER
Ever wonder what the inside of MICA’s dorms look like? Curious to know just what the spaces hold, and how best to decorate? We’ve got you covered. Check out these different dorm tours to help you get a better idea of what to expect from your future living space.
The Gateway
Watch while MICA student Jazz walks you through a typical apartment-style residence in MICA’s Gateway.
Founders Green
Watch while MICA student Laura shares information, and video, about both an ADA dorm and a standard dorm in Spear Hall in Founder's Green, where first-year students often live
Meyerhoff House: Kitchen & Bath
Watch while MICA students Belle and Abi give a tour of a dorm in Meyerhoff House, sharing information about what comes in the kitchen and bathroom spaces, as well as what to expect with beds and closet organization.
Meyerhoff House: Bedroom & Beds
Watch while a MICA student shares what a dorm in Meyerhoff House looks like, including the different types of bedroom furniture including both murphy beds and loft beds.
In an age where the fundamentals—wood, canvas, paper, film, and metal—are being met with 3D printing, laser cutting, augmented reality, and more, artists require a wider array of tools than ever before. From wood shops to its digital fabrication studio to biolab to sound stage, MICA provides you with the room and tools you need to design and make whatever you can imagine.
Digital Fabrication Lab (DFab)
See MICA's digital fabrication lab (DFab) and the awesome projects our students make there.
Fiber
From woven cotton to carbon fiber and everything in between, MICA's fiber labs give students the opportunity to research and reimagine fiber-based products.
Interdisciplinary Sculpture
At the intersection of craft, tradition, and modern technology, MICA’s interdisciplinary sculpture maker spaces provide an environment to nurture all three.
Film & Video
Combing the talent of MICA and Johns Hopkins, our Film and Video studios give students access to state-of-the-art equipment and unparalleled instruction.
Located throughout campus, green spaces from Cohen Plaza to Rett’s Courtyard provide you with opportunities to hang out with friends or sit in quiet reflection—so that you can refresh and recharge in ways that best fit your personality as a student and artist.
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Discover Our City
When you come to MICA, you come to Baltimore. With the charm, sophistication, and amenities of a major city, Baltimore has the neighborly feel of a town. A city in the heart of the United States’ east coast art corridor, MICA’s location in Baltimore offers a thriving art scene with underground and nationally renowned galleries.
Baltimore has the charm, sophistication, and amenities of a major city, but the neighborly feel of a town. A city in the heart of the United States’ east coast art corridor, MICA’s location in Baltimore offers a thriving art scene with underground and nationally renowned galleries.
There are all-night diners, avant-garde theatres, independent film festivals, ethnic restaurants, family-friendly open-air concerts and movies, gritty clubs, quirky coffeehouses, and John Waters. In 30 minutes, you can drive from the urban bustle of Baltimore’s Greek-town or Little Italy to Maryland’s vineyard and horse country. Plus, the location offers easy access to the collections of the finest museums and galleries in the country, with easy access to Washington, D.C. (About 40 miles/under 90 mins), New York City (just under 200 miles, between 2.5-3 hours), and Philadelphia (around 100 miles, a bit over 2 hours).
Baltimore is also probably the last urban place in America where high-ceilinged, well-lit studio space is still available and affordable for artists. The city’s neighborhoods each have their own distinctive culture, architecture, and charm.
Part North, part South, part Rust Belt—and all heart—Baltimore provides abundant resources and opportunities for creative makers of all disciplines and interests. Below you’ll find just a few facts about our city to help you get to know us before your visit.
Known as ‘Charm City’, Baltimore has a culture all its own. It has thriving arts, music, and food scenes, distinct neighborhoods, and a rich history—and whatever your interests or budget, you’ll find something uniquely you to experience while you’re here. With that in mind, we’ve put together some advice and itineraries that can help you get to know our city.
Baltimore on a Budget
Looking for a way to explore Baltimore without breaking the bank? From some of the city’s best wings to neighborhood dive bars to historic treks that give you views of downtown or the city skyline, we’ve got you covered.
FOOD & DRINK ON A BUDGET
THINGS TO DO ON A BUDGET
Baltimore for a bit more
For a slight bump in budget, check out these Baltimore favorites. From taking in a game at Orioles Park at Camden Yards, to a trip to the zoo, to trying your hand at a Baltimore-born bowling game with a twist, to meals that show you some of Baltimore’s best cuisine and some of the city and country’s most historic marketplaces, you’re sure to find something to love about Charm City.
FOOD & DRINK FOR A BIT MORE
THINGS TO DO FOR A BIT MORE
Baltimore on a Splurge
For a night of fun, whether it be a fancy restaurant, a theater performance or a chance to root on Baltimore’s football team, we’ve compiled a list of places to check out when you’re able to spend a chunk of change.
FOOD & DRINK ON A SPLURGE
THINGS TO DO ON A SPLURGE
Maryland Center for History and Culture (MCHC)
MCHC serves as a leading center of Maryland history education for people of all ages.
DISCOVER THE MCHC
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture
Located two blocks from Inner Harbor in Downtown Baltimore, this Smithsonian affiliate documents, interprets, and preserves the complex experiences, contributions, and culture of Black people.
DISCOVER THE LEWIS MUSEUM
American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM)
AVAM specializes in original thematic exhibitions that seamlessly combine art, science, philosophy, humor and especially social justice and betterment.
DISCOVER THE AVAM
The Walters Art Museum
The Walters is among America’s most distinctive museums, forging connections between people and art from cultures around the world and spanning seven millennia.
DISCOVER THE WALTERS
Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA)
Bold, brave, and essential, it is the unwavering vision of the BMA to be the most relevant publicly engaged museum in the United States.
DISCOVER THE BMA
Jewish Museum of Maryland (JMM)
The JMM connect people to Jewish experiences and Maryland’s Jewish community to its roots.They inspire everyone to explore history, take action, and imagine a better future.
DISCOVER THE JMM
The Contemporary
The Contemporary is a nomadic, non-collecting art museum in Baltimore, Maryland. Their mission expands the idea of a museum as an incubator that commissions site-specific and subject-oriented projects.
DISCOVER THE CONTEMPORARY
Motor House
Motor House is a creative crossroads rooted in the culture of Baltimore. A non-profit arts hub, gallery, and performance space that encourages new visions, bold experiments, and emerging voices to celebrate the artistry of the city.
DISCOVER MOTOR HOUSE
Poe Baltimore
Poe Baltimore was created to fund, maintain and interpret The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, and to celebrate the legacy of one of Baltimore’s most famous residents.
DISCOVER POE BALTIMORE
Area 405
A catalyst for creative collaboration, AREA 405's mission is to produce, present, and promote arts and cultural programming by offering a space for experimentation and collaboration.
DISCOVER AREA 405
Baltimore Clayworks
Baltimore Clayworks is a community-centered ceramics institution in the Mt. Washington neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland.
DISCOVER BALTIMORE CLAYWORKS
C. Grimaldis Gallery
Established in 1977, the gallery specializes in post-WWII American & European art with an emphasis on contemporary sculpture.
DISCOVER C. GRIMALDIS
Creative Alliance at the Patterson
Creative Alliance supports area artists, promotes Baltimore as a center for creative production, acts as a positive force in our community, and advocates for cultural expression rooted in a sense of place.
DISCOVER CREATIVE ALLIANCE
Goya Contemporary
Over the past 25 years, Goya Contemporary Gallery and Goya-Girl Press has built a progressive reputation on lifelong commitments to representing & protecting artists and artistic practice.
DISCOVER GOYA CONTEMPORARY
Maryland Art Place (MAP)
Maryland Art Place (MAP) inspires, supports, and encourages artistic expression through innovative programming, exhibitions, and educational opportunities while recognizing the powerful impact art can have on our community.
DISCOVER MAP
School 33 Art Center
For 40 years, School 33 Art Center has been the bridge between contemporary artists and the viewing public.
DISCOVER SCHOOL 33
If you’d like to dig deep into planning your visit to Baltimore, we highly recommend exploring visitbaltimore.org. You’ll find an array of resources there—from travel guides to event calendars—as you plan your time in Baltimore.
EXPLORE VISIT BALTIMORE
