Rita Rossi Colwell Center - Baltimore

The Rita Rossi Colwell Center is a distinctive waterfront building on Baltimore's Inner Harbor at 701 East Pratt Street. Originally known as the Columbus Center, it was developed in the early 1990s as a showcase for marine science, biotechnology, education, and economic development related to the Chesapeake Bay and coastal research.

Architecturally, the building is notable for its dramatic tensile-fabric roof and large glass exhibition spaces facing the harbor. The structure contains approximately 250,000 square feet of space and serves as a mix of research, education, office, conference, and event facilities.

In 1998, the University System of Maryland acquired the facility. Today it houses the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), a collaborative research institute involving the University System of Maryland's environmental, biomedical, and marine-science programs. It also hosts startup incubators, laboratories, offices, and public events.

The building was renamed the Rita Rossi Colwell Center in 2022–2023 to honor Rita Rossi Colwell, the internationally renowned microbiologist who served as the first female director of the National Science Foundation from 1998 to 2004. Colwell was instrumental in creating the original Columbus Center and advancing marine biotechnology research in Maryland.