Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
Goldfarb Gymnasium
University Parkway
Baltimore MD 21218
Year Opened: 1965
Capacity: 1,100
Gold for the Blue Jays
Johns Hopkins University is often known for its successful lacrosse programs but it has many sports teams that are very successful.
The university was named after its first benefactor, the American entrepreneur, abolitionist, and philanthropist Johns Hopkins. And yes, his name was “Johns”, not “John.” Don’t look like an outsider by pronouncing it wrong.
The university is one of the most recognized colleges in America. Thirty-six Nobel Laureates have been affiliated with Johns Hopkins over the years. Famous departments in the university include the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the Peabody Institute, the Applied Physics Laboratory, and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. There are also, of course, world-famous affiliated medical hospital campuses as well.
The Johns Hopkins University’s sports teams are called the Blue Jays. Except for lacrosse, their teams are Division III and are members of the Centennial Conference.
Goldfarb Gymnasium opened in 1965 and is home to the Blue Jay men's and women's basketball, volleyball, wrestling, and men's and women's fencing teams.
Food & Beverage 1
There are no permanent food stands inside of Goldfarb Gymnasium. You should be able to find a vending machine for a quick drink or snack, but you should plan ahead for anything more.
Atmosphere 4
Goldfarb Gymnasium is part of the Newton H. White building. There is a nice videoboard, as well as a couple of other scoreboards.
The gym is very small, smaller than many high school gyms. You will walk into the venue between the student seating sections.
Because of its small size, the gym can get very loud. The student section is loud and boisterous.
Neighborhood 4
The University is located in the Charles Village and Homewood neighborhoods of Baltimore.
There are numerous bars and restaurants in the Charles Village area where Hopkins is located, such as THB Bagels, Gertrude’s at the BMA, and One World Café.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, or BMA, is located right next door to campus. Try and stop by and see some of the great masters of the art. It is a real treasure of a museum. And it makes quite a unique pre-game ritual.
Baltimore is a great metropolitan city, with many fun and exciting places to spend time both before and after a game.
Relatively close to the university is the Mt. Washington neighborhood that straddles I-83 South (known as the Jones Falls Expressway, or the JFX, by locals). The Mt. Washington Tavern is an excellent restaurant with both a fine food and bar food type of menu. The place is large, and there always seems to be room for more. Parking is the biggest problem here, so it would be worth paying the nominal valet charges.
There is a Doubletree Hotel located across the street from the university.
Right down the street is Miss Shirley’s Café on West Cold Spring Lane. Their fried green tomatoes are quite tasty. They are also quite well known for their breakfast offerings. Also close to Johns Hopkins is the Hampden neighborhood, with its variety of quirky shops and restaurants.
Fans 4
The venue is small but you cannot underestimate the fans and the atmosphere they bring to the game.
Access 3
The university is not far from the Jones Falls Expressway (I-83). Take the Coldspring Lane exit east and go south on Roland Avenue and it is a short drive to the university. There is paid parking around the campus.
Return on Investment 4
There is no charge to attend regular-season games at Goldfarb Gymnasium. The biggest cost of attendance will be parking, which will vary greatly depending on the day or time.
Extras 3
The JHU Hall of Fame in the lobby will show the storied history of the lacrosse program, as well as other teams on campus.
The Baltimore Museum of Art is a great place. The highlight of the museum is the Cone Collection. That collection includes works by artists including Matisse, Picasso, Cézanne, Manet, Degas, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Renoir.
Check out the hallway behind the gym and you will see even more history and successes of past Blue Jay teams, not just the ones in the Hall of Fame section.
Final Thoughts
Goldfarb Gymnasium is a small venue, but with the recent success of the basketball teams, as well as the low cost, you might want to stop in while in the Baltimore area.