Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower

I was so happy to visit the Bromo-Seltzer Clocktower! I bought a Groupon that was for two people, and I was solo, so I gave my extra ticket to one of the ladies that showed up to the tour. I got to the tower at 11 AM on a Saturday and was really happy to not only ride the Otis elevator, but to visit inside the clock tower and see the relay system for the elevator along with the weighted mechanism that runs the clock. The museum was also fascinating ! This clock tower is bigger than big Ben! The folks working inside this historical attraction were very informative and kind. My only wish is that there were some posters to buy or postcards or T-shirts that features the clock tower. I would’ve been happy to buy some souvenirs! I would definitely return here again and it was a wonderful experience to walk down the 15 flight of stairs and see all the artwork lining the walls. The entrance fee was very affordable, and it is a great lesson in history! This tower used to be topped with a stainless steel 51 foot blue bromo-seltzer bottle that rotated - with a crown on top - it was lit up at night. I wish I could’ve been alive prior to the 1930s and gotten to see such a sight -before it was taken down! I am a person with a disability, to see the clocktower was doable - if you can do two short flights of steep stairs. There are handrails on the stairs.

At the Bromo-Seltzer tower, you can hear the echoes of the past ringing loud and clear. Of the many artworks on display in the building, one artist brings visuals of bright jazz music to mingle with those echoes of clinking cobalt and heavy machinery. Although some notable aspects of the museum (honestly, the whole building is a museum in a way) were out of commission this visit due to inspections and repairs, I can imagine how incredible this attraction would be in full swing - bold sculptures in the lobby, the clock ticking away, the hand elevator working with an operator at the ready dressed in period garb, drinks in the clock tower at night, ringing in the New Year, secret tours to the extra levels above the clock. Okay, so they don't do the last few in the list according to the docents, but wouldn't it be cool? A girl can dream! Still, it was fun to see the art, clock and machinery and to learn about the history of the factory from the friendly docents. This is a place to come back to over and over again.

One of Baltimore's underrated landmarks! This tower defines helps everyone within a distance from it, answer,z "What time is it?" They do offer tours in the tower for $8. The building is only open to the public for 2 days a week. It is notnly a museum, but, home for a handful of local creators. Ad, this is a house of studios for artist to create! On the way down the stairwell, their works are up on the walls. This makes thie Bromo Seltzer Arts Towrr a great place to inspire other local creators!

The Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower has been a Baltimore landmark since its construction in 1911 as the tallest building in the city. The tower was built by Capt. Isaac Emerson, the inventor of the headache remedy Bromo-Seltzer, and designed by Joseph Evans Sperry (also designer of the Brewers Exchange). It once adjoined Emerson's Bromo-Seltzer factory, but the factory is no longer standing. The most interesting feature is the still-functioning tower clock, the face of which displays the word BROMO-SELTZER instead of numbers. Modeled on the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, the tower was topped by a 51-foot revolving replica of the blue Bromo-Seltzer bottle. The bottle was illuminated with 596 lights and could be seen 20 miles away. Unfortunately, the bottle was removed in 1936 due to structural concerns. To the chagrin of many locals (including several Baltimore Sun editorial writers), it has not yet been replaced.

This visit was very worthwhile. According to the sign on the street, the clock tower ‘tour’ runs from 11 am to 4pm on Saturday only. It was minimally priced. As a senior I paid only $6. The charm of the building starts with the elevator floor dial. It’s one of those arched dials with a pointer that move to show you what’s floor the elevator is at. The clock tower is just above the 15th floor, and the Bromo Seltzer museum on that floor is very interesting. The star of the show is the clock tower room. What I first noticed was the clacking of the relays that control the elevators. In this digital electronics age, it was a blast to see an old fashioned relay panel (at least it was to me). There are also the old Otis motors running the elevators. The clock mechanism is pretty amazing. Driven by weights and regulated by a pendulum, the intricate drive turns the hands on four dials simultaneously. The guide said that the clock advances two seconds for every swing of the pendulum. The frosted glass dials are held in by massive clamps, which look like they can be removed to do maintenance on the clock hands. You also see the led floods that back illuminate the dials at night. And finally, you can walk down the stairway to see informal exhibits of the resident artists’ works. All in all, a worthwhile hour-and-a-half on a Saturday morning.

My wedding couple wanted a unique place to take their engagement photos so I recommended the Seltzer Tower, it did not disappoint! This was the first time that I had photographed here and it was a lot of fun being in such an interesting space. The staff was super nice and did a great job explaining everything. Two things to keep in mind if you are thinking about choosing this for photography. There is no AC so I would reconsider summer months and it is LOUD. So if you have any hearing impairment it could be difficult to communicate properly in this space. This is a location you need to reserve ahead of time.

Waiting for the start of a nasty-weather game at M&T Bank Stadium, we decided to explore the clock tower and art galleries. It was fun. The clock, which is over 100 y.o. with faces in four directions, is fascinating to see. The cost was $8 per person. There were only two artists (that we saw, at least) but they both took time to describe their work and techniques. Nice!

The self-guided tour of the tower with both art galleries and the clockworks is a definite hidden gem in downtown Baltimore. A 3 room exhibit on the top floor houses a museum of Emerson Drug company history, advertising, and the iconic blue bottles. Views of the downtown area are nice from the 15th floor. The one thing this site lacks is a gift shop, but the stairwell art exhibits and guides in both the museum rooms and clockwork room make up for it. A nice hour or so worth of nostalgia with a uniquely Baltimore twist. Take the elevator or make the 15 floor climb to the top, but note that the clockworks room is accessed only by a ship's ladder style staircase, so there is no handicapped access to the clockworks room.