Exploring Harford County: Where Art, Architecture, and History Meet in Motion
From historic homes to public murals, Bel Air’s self-guided tours offer an authentic look at Harford County’s cultural heritage and creative spirit
Harford County, Maryland, offers more than just small-town charm—it’s a place where art, architecture, and history are best experienced on foot. The Town of Bel Air, the county seat, has become a model for communities blending preservation and public engagement through two immersive self-guided tours that turn its streets into open-air museums.
A Walk Through Time
The Historic Walking Tour of Bel Air is a gateway to understanding how the town’s identity has evolved over generations. The tour spans either a 45-minute (1.8-mile) or 60-minute (2.3-mile) route, leading participants past meticulously preserved buildings and homes that reflect architectural movements and community milestones. Each stop reveals another layer of Bel Air’s past—from early settlement and civic development to the stories of residents who shaped its present.
The experience is flexible and accessible. Visitors can follow along on a smartphone via the Historic Walking Tour website or pick up a printed map from the Bel Air Visitors Center, located at 37 North Main Street, inside the Harford Artists Gallery at Armory Marketplace. The tour doesn’t just highlight individual landmarks—it places them in the larger context of Harford County’s social and cultural growth. For locals, it’s a reminder of what endures; for newcomers, it’s an open invitation to understand where the community began.
An Open-Air Gallery
Just a few blocks away, Bel Air’s Public Art Tour offers a contemporary counterpoint to its historical narrative. Designed by the town’s Arts & Entertainment District, this tour showcases more than 40 public art installations—murals, sculptures, and creative works that add texture and identity to the streetscape. The tour is divided into two parts: a two-mile walking loop through the historic downtown area, and a short drive to reach pieces located farther afield.
Each artwork is more than decorative—it’s part of a growing movement to use public art as a tool for community well-being, placemaking, and creative engagement. The Bel Air Arts & Entertainment District describes the initiative as a way to “create a unique community” where residents and visitors can interact with art as part of their daily lives. Like the Historic Walking Tour, the Public Art Tour is also mobile-enabled, with maps available online or at the Visitors Center.
Where Past and Present Converge
Together, these two tours—one historical, one artistic—offer a comprehensive look at how Harford County embraces both preservation and progress. They speak to a local philosophy that values connection: between old and new, between residents and visitors, and between place and story.
For those seeking to explore beyond the surface, these walks serve as an evolving portrait of Bel Air—a living archive of Maryland’s cultural continuity and community pride.
