The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum — Attraction in Baltimore

I will write about the bitter and the sweet of this museum because I was just as disgusted with it as I was delighted by it. So here is the sweet, there was a lot of information to absorb in this museum from the ancient Egyptian rulers all the way up to today’s leaders such as Kweisi Mfume. I learned about some of the inventions of people of color like the ironing board. I was so impressed by their inventions because every single one is still being used in our lives today. It’s as if they saw a need and met it with imagination, purpose, and diligence! Sadly, many of their inventions were not credited to the person of color that created it but was stolen from his master or other white thieves (or perhaps for softer terms, I can say ‘plagiarizers’). I enjoyed most, learning about Hannibal the “Military Genius” whose tactics are still being used in military training facilities worldwide. I too, loved the part of the museum that provided information about Egypt, Ethiopia, the Gods and Goddesses, and my absolute favorite was the big poster on the wall with “The 42 Principles of MA’AT.” I think those principles are good for every human being to follow to live peacefully with one another. Here is the bitter, March 5, 2022, was my first time visiting The Great Blacks in Wax Museum. To be completely frank, I was not in love with it, and I had such high expectations concerning it as these reviews are great, and I’ve heard so much about it throughout my life. Unfortunately, not every display was in wax, some were in hard plastic or possibly wood, the wax ones were the most realistic. The place looked completely filthy to me, and the bathrooms were horrible. There was no soap (and the man was annoyed that I asked for some), the paper towels were so thin that they fell apart, it smelt rancid, the decorum was subpar, and the sink was broken. One of the long-time employees boasted that this museum owns the entire block however, the block is trashy and looks a lot like the abandoned homes that our inner-city children have to see while walking to their under-performing schools. Those babies don’t deserve this, our ancestors deserve better, and their legacy deserves better. I am inclined to believe that the amount of money that this museum makes, they absolutely can serve up better. I am disgusted that they charge $15.00 for general admission (they do have some discounts for groups {the best deal is rated at $10.50 per person for ten or more if the reservation is made online [$11.50 if they walk in on a random day]} students, senior citizens, AARP members, educators, military personnel, and government employees) but they don’t have clean floors, and not keeping up well with their displays, and some of the wax figures have been tampered with but haven’t been repaired or restored. Some of the words were missing from displays that were clearly not up-kept. Not only that, the experience of Africans in the slave trade, was absolutely not brought to the forefront in this museum, it does not represent the true gruesome nature of what happened on those boats. Especially the display of the white man with the three women… Things went down much worse than that display could actually convey. Ultimately, I am thankful that this exists for several reasons. However, I am very disappointed because to me, it goes right back to the very root of the problem that people of color always face, that is, we do NOT have equality and what we must charge excessive prices while we must compete with successful brick-and-mortar businesses that are seemingly always sponsored and supported! I was disappointed that The Great Blacks in Wax Museum doesn’t have their space up to par and are charging $15.00 per person but don’t have soap in the bathrooms (amongst other things). The free Smithsonian would never, but that’s because the elite of the world cares more about the Smithsonian than they ever would about a this black history museum. This truly is a multi-faceted issue that I could talk about all day but...

So let me start by saying this is not my first visit but just my first visit in more than a decade. To say I was very disappointed would be the least of my emotions towards my experience for today. We booked online for what seemed like a very easy process and they responded expediousily to my request. Day of I arrived for fast parking in what almost seemed to be a desererted neighborhood in which from my memory had thrived once before. There in the parking lot were two ladies that had just finished the museum tour I asked how it was she politely said not to waste my time or money that they were very disappointed.Mind you I'm from VA so this four hour journey to show my daughter this museum and other parts of the city just had to be done. So as we entered the building that was once full of music love and prodness. I WAS MEET BY WHAT HAD TO BE THE RUDEST EMPLOYEE EVER!!! THERE WAS NO HELLO HOW ARE YOU OR EVEN A WELCOME TO OUR ESABLISHMENT. As I approached the window where the gentleman sat prices were discussed, then I asked hey was you the gentleman I spoke to I made a reservation...He looked at me with such hate and said DIDN'T I ASK YOU DID YOU HAVE A RESERVATION THEN SMACKED THE RESERVATION PAPER ON THE WINDOW. I STATED TO HIM I didn't hear you ask me anything and not offer a simple hello either YOU ARE VERY RUDE AND NASTY I ASKED HIS NAME AND WHO WAS THE MANGER AS I DID SO THE MANGER WALKED IN AS I EXPLAINED TO HIM THE SERVITY OF THE SITUATION HE APPOLIGZED. THE MANGER TRIED HIS BEST TO CORRECT HIS EMPLOYEE WITHOUT EMBARRASSING HIM IN FRONT OF US. With hesitation we proceed with the tour. As we entered the once lively/vibrant exhibition we were meet by dust dirt and disrepair.... The information is vital, educational and very interesting. But the detiration and state of the building alone with the horrible customer service made me NEVER WANNA VISIT AGAIN!!!!! NOTHING HAS BEEN CLEANED PAINTED IT WAS A MESS!!!!! I was approached by the manger who again APPOLIGZED and offered two free passes for another visit. SO if your looking for a educational experience great but other than that...

The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum is a wax museum in Baltimore, Marylandfeaturing prominent African-Americanhistorical figures. It was established in 1983, in a downtown storefront on Saratoga Street.

The museum is currently located on 1601 East North Avenue in a renovated firehouse, a Victorian Mansion, and two former apartment dwellings that provide nearly 30,000 square feet (3,000 m2) of exhibit and office space. The exhibits feature over 100 wax figures and scenes, a full model slave ship exhibit which portrays the 400-year history of the Atlantic Slave Trade, an exhibit on the role of youth in making history, and a Maryland room highlighting the contributions to African American history by notable Marylanders.

HistoryEdit

The National Great Blacks in Wax museum is Baltimore's first wax museum and the first wax museum of African American history in the nation. The museum was started as a grassroots operation by Dr. Elmer Martin and his wife Dr. Joanna Martin.

The idea of Blacks in Wax started with a few wax figures that were taken around to various schools, community centers, and malls. The museum was originally sponsored exclusively by Dr. Elmer Martin, his wife Dr. Joanna Martin, and donations from the community. In the early days, Dr. Elmer Martin was forced to ask his wife to sell her wedding ring to keep the moving exhibit going. However, it received national recognition in 1983 when the founding members were allotted grants, loans, and endowments to open a permanent exhibition. In 1988, Blacks in Wax received its permanent home on the 1600 block of North Avenue in the neighborhood of Oliver.

The site was originally home to a firehousethat was converted into a showhouse. In 2004, The Blacks in Wax Museum was recognized by the U.S. Congress and became The National Blacks in Wax Museum.

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