By Camille Harrison, Herman Fogus and Andrew Cephas

There are cracks in the stairs from years of foot-traffic and the museum’s family center has seen better days but on November 4, voters will have a chance to change all that.

On the ballot, Question E, is a $400,000 bond issue for the Walters Art Museum which is asking for the money to help fund renovations and improvement. The Walter’s joins three other cultural institutions, The Baltimore Museum of Art, The Aquarium and The Discovery Center in requesting funds this year.

All four organizations intend to use the money for various building-improvements that will maximize the visitor’s experience.

The Walters Art Museum has received $2.4 million in appropriations from Baltimore City bond bills since 2005 for capital improvements.

“We are grateful to the City of Baltimore and its voters for investing in the Walters,” said museum spokeswoman Mona M. Rock, describing a new interactive exhibit that is being installed and some upgrades the museum is making to the Hackerman House, the first in over 20 years.

In 2013, 165,000 visitors came to the Walters.

“This is a fantastic art museum with a wonderful, richly diverse collection,” said David Espenlaud, a Ukrainian, who was visiting the Walters last week. “A real treasure and it’s all free.”