City leaders made it official on Monday: The Top of the World Observation Level is staying open on the 27th floor of the Baltimore World Trade Center “for years to come,” despite a warning earlier this year that the building’s landlord wanted to terminate its lease.
Robyn Murphy, CEO of Create Baltimore, made the announcement at a press conference attended by Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore City Councilman Zachary Blanchard and representatives from the Maryland Port Administration, which manages the building for its owner, the state of Maryland.
“We have reached an agreement in principle with the state of Maryland to continue to operate this space,” Murphy said, referring to the Top of the World venue, where the announcement was made. “As former city Director of Real Estate Andy Frank said…the Top of the World belongs to everyone, and we are thrilled to ensure that it will remain open to the public for years to come.”
Scott said the attraction is one of his favorite spaces in Baltimore because it offers views of the city in all directions.
“I think I should work out of here a couple of days a week, so I could know what’s going on,” he said. “I could see it.”
Scott and Murphy thanked Gov. Wes Moore and others for their work to keep the observation level on the 27th floor and open to the public.
“This space is a valuable resource to the city of Baltimore as a source of nostalgia for many, including me, who traveled here on field trips to spend a day at the harbor,” Scott said. “It also serves as our memorial to 9/11…This is exactly the kind of space that Create Baltimore is meant to support, a place where folks can learn, gather and reflect on everything that Charm City has to offer.”
The announcement about the Top of the World was made during a press conference where Murphy provided details about the independent organization she heads, formerly known as the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA), and its name change to Create Baltimore.
City officials were notified of the name change in June, when the Board of Estimates approved a one-year contract for BOPA to serve as the “City Arts agency” and provide certain services to Baltimore’s “creative community” from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
A June 18 memo to the spending board from the Mayor’s Office stated that the agency would be doing business as ‘Create Baltimore.’ The announcement on Monday made it official and included a new logo for the agency. Representatives said the old BOPA website, www.Promotionandarts.org, is still in effect and that a new website, www.createbaltimore.org, will go live soon.
“This new name better embodies our mission, our momentum and our unwavering belief that creativity fuels a thriving city and a more connected world,” Murphy said on Monday. “It reflects how we’ve evolved into a more community-driven organization, one that is deeply connected to the artists and audiences that we serve.
“Art is not a luxury; it is a lifeline,” she continued. “Creative expression strengthens communities, fosters empathy and helps us imagine what is possible. By reintroducing ourselves as Create Baltimore, we are reaffirming our role in ensuring that all Baltimoreans — artists, audiences and neighborhoods — have access to the inspiration and opportunity that creativity provides.”
Over the past year, Murphy said, Create Baltimore has focused on bolstering fiscal stability, elevating program delivery and developing the framework for Baltimore’s first-ever Arts Council Plan, a blueprint for equitable and sustainable support of the arts. The organization also launched Artscape 365, a year-round initiative extending the spirit and impact of Artscape into neighborhoods across the city.
“The name Create Baltimore demonstrates action, collaboration and conviction — that when Baltimore’s creatives thrive, we all rise,” Murphy said. “We don’t just promote art, we help make it happen. Together with our city and funders and creative communities, we are building a stronger, more vibrant Baltimore — one where every mural, every performance and every idea helps define our city as a destination for creativity and culture nationwide.”
The City of Baltimore has leased the 27th floor of the World Trade Center from the state since the building was completed in 1977, and BOPA and its predecessors have operated the Top of the World for the city. It has served as the venue for numerous exhibitions, receptions, artist and author talks, and other events. As the mayor attested, it also has hosted school groups, summer camps and other visitors from around the world.
There is a persistent urban legend that former Mayor William Donald Schaefer got state officials to agree to lease the floor to the city in perpetuity in return for the city selling the land to the state so it could build the World Trade Center, but city officials have been unable to find any documentation to support that, only periodic leases.
In January, Murphy told BOPA’s board that state officials notified the city that they wanted the space back and would not renew the city’s lease when it expired at the end of May. In June, city officials reached agreement with the state to keep it open until Nov. 30 under an amended lease between the city and the MPA. Since then, city officials have had talks about keeping it open even longer, and that led to Monday’s announcement.
Murphy didn’t say exactly how long a lease the city will have after Nov. 30, but she indicated it won’t be another short-term extension and she used the words “for years to come.” She said the lease will be presented to the city’s Board of Estimates for its approval, as past leases have been.
Richard Scher, Director of Communications for the MPA, said the lease is still being finalized. “Our current agreement with the city runs through the end of November. We will be meeting with them in two weeks to discuss the terms and conditions of the new agreement,” he said in an email message.
Murphy said that Create Baltimore will be working in collaboration with the Living Classrooms Foundation to operate the Top of the World venue. Founded in 1985, the Living Classrooms Foundation operates a number of harbor attractions, including the USS Constellation; the USS Torsk; the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park and the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse. The Living Classrooms Foundation’s Historic Ships in Baltimore division is a lead producer of the SAIL250 Maryland and Airshow Baltimore activities planned for June 24 to July 1, 2026, part of a global gathering of international tall ships, military ships and aircraft celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
Now that the Top of the World is staying longer, Murphy said, Create Baltimore plans to launch a fundraising campaign that will enable operators to update exhibits, digitize kiosks and expand educational programming. Brenna O’Grady, Senior Director of Fundraising for Create Baltimore, is leading the campaign.
“Living Classrooms Foundation and our Historic Ships team are honored to join forces with Robyn and the Create Baltimore team to bring new energy to the Top of the World, advancing education, workforce development and heritage tourism for the greater good of our community, city and state,” said foundation President and CEO James Piper Bond.
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