BNHA Pennsylvania Station
Affiliations
Baltimore City Landmark
National Register of Historic Places
Interpretive Framework
Shaping a Monumental City: The City’s Growth in the 20th Century
Star Attractions
Charles Street Byway
Cultural Walk
Resource Type
Points of Interest
University of Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Penn Station is Baltimore’s primary railroad station. The building, designed by Kenneth Murchison in the Beaux Arts style, was constructed in 1911 for the Pennsylvania Railroad. At that time, competing rail lines operated at least five other stations in Baltimore (others included Calvert Station, Camden Station, Mount Royal Station, Hillen Station, and President Street Station). With the consolidation and merger of the rail lines, Penn Station became the main terminal for the city. Penn Station is served by Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and commuter trains to Washington, D.C.
The 51-foot brushed aluminum sculpture by Jonathan Borofsky, titled “Male/Female,” stands in the station’s front plaza. A gift from the Municipal Arts Society, it features a pulsating LED where the two figures intersect. Every 60 seconds, the LED emits light in “spiritual energy” colors ranging from cobalt blue to bright pink.