Most people would not want to be known for bringing rats INTO a neighborhood, but Meg Murray is not most people, and her rats are not typical, either.
Murray is the creator of Rat Shack, a public art installation she built out of a medicine cabinet and talent for needle-felting adorable tiny rats. There is even now chalk art pointing the way to the shack attached to the railing of her steps at the corner of William and Ostend streets.
“I started needle-felting rats this year to keep from doomscrolling on my phone,” Murray told Baltimore Fishbowl. “What’s more ‘Baltimore’ than a rat? Soon, I had more rats than I knew what to do with. Because of all the doom.”
She found the old medicine cabinet at Second Chance, a huge salvage store in South Baltimore, and figured it would be cute to put the rats out for neighbors to enjoy. She decorated it with three “floors” making it look like a typical hip Fells Point rowhome or cool club interior with exposed brick, graffiti, plants, and funky art.
Murray sees the project as a way to give back to her community, and the rats are, indeed, a gift. She wants people to keep them, love them, gift them to others, whatever they like. (She does caution they are made with small parts that are a choking hazard for babies or small toddlers, so make sure your recipient is old enough to care for their rat friend safely and responsibly.)
“I love, love, love the South Baltimore community and Rat Shack is a small way to bring a little fun to a place I love so much, that’s given so much to my family,” Murray said. “I hope people come out to see Rat Shack and adopt a rat — whether they’re already neighbors or visiting South Baltimore for the first time.”
When Murray is not felting rats, she is a senior content strategist at Fearless, a local tech company. She also volunteers as the board president for Federal Hill Main Street, which focuses on projects that support the economic vitality of the Federal Hill business district. In her capacity as board president, she put in a plug for the second annual Federal Hill Rat Race.
“We held our first this year in April and it was a huge hit!” Murray said.
Her vision for the Rat Shack extends beyond the momentary whimsical delight of happening upon the mini rathskeller. Murray hopes it brings residents out of their houses and into the neighborhood, and people from outside the neighborhood in.
“I hope people come out to see Rat Shack and adopt a rat — whether they’re already neighbors or visiting South Baltimore for the first time,” Murray said. “I hope they take a walk, connect with a friend, visit a coffee shop or grab a bubble tea. There are so many great options right around the corner — BobaPop Tea Bar, Ceremony Coffee, Sam’s Bagels, and Morning Mugs.”
Ultimately, Murray hopes Rat Shack makes people smile, and perhaps even encourages them to make something creative and cool in their own communities to connect with their own neighbors.
“We need each other and our humanity now more than ever,” Murray said.
Murray promises to announce the new rat droppings on the Rat Shack’s Instagram account before they go live, like below. As for the doomscrolling, she reports her new felting habit has done the trick, and she spends much less time on her phone.
With the Rat Shack, Murray has accomplished something to which many only aspire – channeling a negative habit into a positive, not just for her, but for her entire neighborhood.
