Decorative Arts

The BMA’s Decorative Arts collection proves that beauty and utility have always gone hand in hand. More than 7,000 objects—created for sitting, wearing, eating, storing, and daily living—transform materials such as wood, metal, clay, glass, and plastic into works of artistic invention.

The collection spans centuries and geographies, with strengths in European ceramics and silver, Maryland-made furniture, Tiffany glass, modern design, and contemporary craft. Whether handmade or industrially produced, these works reveal innovation, labor, trade, and evolving ideas about taste and identity.

Decorative arts invite visitors to see skillfulness in the objects that shape everyday experience. By elevating design and craft, the collection celebrates artists who redefine how we live with art.