Star-Spangled Banner Flag House & Museum

Star-Spangled Banner Flag House & Museum - Birthplace of the Most Famous Flag to Ever Fly

Want to join us in preserving the story of the most famous flag to ever fly? The Flag House Association is raising money to benefit the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House and Museum, a National Historic Landmark in Baltimore and the birthplace of the flag that inspired the National Anthem.

The Flag House has been a public museum for more than 92 years and we need your help to continue to preserve and connect more people with the story of the Star-Spangled Banner. At the Flag House every donation, member, and supporter can make an impact, please consider contributing today. Your generosity will sustain and support the growth of the museum’s educational programs, outreach initiatives, and preservation of the more than 200-year-old house as we tell the extraordinary story of the Star-Spangled Banner to thousands of visitors each year and remind us all of what unites us as Americans. 

With your help the Flag House will be able to:

- Continue outreach and provide valuable educational experiences to thousands of Maryland students.

- Complete preservation repairs to the historic house.

- Increase accessibility to underserved communities.

In 1813, in the modest three-story house at the corner of Pratt and Albemarle Streets, in downtown Baltimore, Mary Young Pickersgill, a widowed flag maker, and her team of women and girls, worked day and night for six weeks to craft the 30’ x 42’ flag, whose “broad stripes and bright stars,” have become our nation's most iconic symbol. Since 1927, the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Association has maintained the historic Flag House and museum collection to preserve the history of the making of the Star-Spangled Banner flag, promote the legacy of craftswoman Mary Young Pickersgill, and inspire personal connections to Baltimore and American history. In 1970, the Flag House was named a National Historic Landmark, and it functions today as a premier historic site in Baltimore. In 2019, the Flag House became an American Alliance of Museums accredited museum. Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, 1,070 are currently accredited, and we are 1 of only 4 accredited museums in Baltimore. The museum operates on a modest budget and is not funded by state or federal dollars. Individuals, like you, keep the story of the most famous flag to ever fly alive for generations.  

If you're interested in learning more about the Flag House’s programs and initiatives visit us at flaghouse.org.

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