If Homewood’s Walls Could Talk: A History of an American House

If Homewood’s Walls Could Talk: A History of an American House is a house-wide exhibition tracing Homewood’s history from its construction in 1801 for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and an enslaver, through its 1902 acquisition by Johns Hopkins University and its restoration in the 1980s as a historic house museum. The exhibition places the house’s story within larger histories of the university and the United States.

Through archival photographs, textiles, student diaries, historic documents, furniture, oral histories, and other materials, the exhibition highlights the people who lived, worked, and learned at Homewood. It also considers how individual experiences and changing uses of the house contribute to its broader historical meaning. The exhibition is presented in connection with the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 150th anniversary of Johns Hopkins University.

When: October 21, 2025–January 10, 2027

Venue: Homewood Museum, JHU Museums

Tickets: Free–$12 with regular admission

Exhibition focus: Homewood’s 224-year history, including its construction for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, its acquisition by Johns Hopkins University, its restoration, and its development as a historic house museum

Materials featured: Archival photography, textiles, student diaries, historic documents, furniture, oral histories, and other objects and records

Related context: The exhibition is accompanied by programming connected to the anniversaries of the United States and Johns Hopkins University, including discussions of the exhibition’s research, Homewood’s history, and the stories of people associated with the house

Support: Presented in part through the Johns Hopkins University Sesquicentennial Celebration, with additional support from John Guess, Hopkins Retrospective, and the Program in Museums & Society at the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences.