A famous lady has taken up residence here. Lady Baltimore, an imposing sculpture that had stood atop Baltimore's Battle Monument since 1822, now looks out on visitors to the museum here from her new perch in a glass-walled second-floor gallery. She may be the newest reason to stop at this museum, but history buffs will be satisfied whether they like delicate Baltimore-painted furniture or artifacts as varied as Francis Scott Key's manuscript of the "Star Spangled Banner," Tench Tilghman's Continental Army uniform, Eubie Blake's baton, or Cal Ripken's bat. Exhibits focus on the major events of national history as they affected Maryland, as well as strictly Maryland artifacts, such as Baltimore album quilts and other folk art, Maryland silver, and plenty of Charles Wilson Peale paintings. The furniture gallery, squeezed into a long hall on the third floor, is worth finding for the variety of beautifully crafted clocks, chairs, armoires, and secretaries. The fragile original manuscript of the "Star Spangled Banner" goes on display every hour on the hour during opening hours. The museum runs temporary exhibitions from its vast collection, and does a dynamite job of mounting truly compelling shows, such as those about Betsy Patterson Bonaparte and local participation in the Civil War and War of 1812. At first glance the museum may seem out of the way, but it's only a few blocks to the Walters Art Museum, the Washington Monument, and the shops and restaurants of Charles Street.