History & Culture

Museums

Whether you're looking to hear the whistle of an old steam engine racing down the tracks or want to visit a reconstructed Native American village, you'll find it all in Alabama. Our diverse museums chronicle natural history, the struggle for civil rights, art from across the centuries and many other topics that could keep history buffs busy for years.

No visit to Alabama is complete without stopping by one or more of the state's many civil rights museums and sites, which provide a perspective on U.S. history that can't be found anywhere else. Equally fascinating are the state's amazing collections of regional art and artifacts, such as the Birmingham Museum of Art, Auburn's Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts.

For a different spin on history, visit Calera's Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, which preserves, restores and operates railway equipment significant to the history of not just Alabama, but the entire nation. Or visit the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery to research government archives, private historical records and family genealogy. The oldest state-funded archives in the United States, the department's museum boasts historical artifacts, rotating exhibits and hands-on galleries for kids.

Explore Alabama's rich Native American history at the Indian Mound & Museum in Florence. The largest domiciliary mound in the Tennessee Valley, it houses a large collection of Native American relics found in the area, with chronological displays and explanations of artifacts.

In Fort Mitchell, check out the Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Center. Journey to Moulton for the Oakville Indian Mounds Education Center or to Moundville Archaeological Park near Tuscaloosa. Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, located near Dadeville, is where General Andrew Jackson defeated Chief Menawa and the Upper or Red Stick Creeks in 1814.

Historic Homes

From sprawling plantation houses to humble cabins where legends were born, Alabama's historic homes also have much to share. In the luxurious estates that predate the Civil War, voices from years past echo among the gleaming hardwood floors, stately Corinthian columns and ornate furnishings. In the Gulf Coast region, discover Mobile's well-preserved homes, from the Italianate style of the Richards-DAR House to the Creole cottage-style farmhouse of the Carlen House Museum. Head to Clayton in the River Heritage region and visit the Octagon House, the only antebellum example of octagon-style architecture remaining in the state.

In Tuskegee, pay tribute to Booker T. Washington and Tuskegee University at The Oaks. The 1899 home was built by students and faculty with bricks made by the students. Or walk in the steps of courage at Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, where Helen Keller was born. Built in 1820, the site hosts a performance of The Miracle Worker each summer to retell her remarkable story.

Civil War Sites

From the telegram ordering the first shots at Fort Sumter to the last major battle of that bitter conflict, Alabama played pivotal roles in America's Civil War saga. After Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States, delegates from Southern states that had seceded met in the Alabama State Capitol in February 1861. Within a few days, they had written a constitution to create the Confederate States of America and elected Jefferson Davis of Mississippi its president. You can stand on the spot where Davis received the oath of office and tour the restored Capitol, as well as the First White House of the Confederacy across the street.

The most significant naval action of the war occurred in Mobile Bay, the only Southern port still open in 1864. Tour Fort Morgan near Gulf Shores and Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island, where Union Admiral Farragut gave his famous "Damn the torpedoes" order that led his fleet to victory.

East of Clanton, the 103-acre Confederate Memorial Park began as the only home for Confederate veterans. Today, you can see uniforms, weapons and graves, and learn about the old soldiers who spent their lives there. Some 18 re-enactments take place annually across the state.

The "Alabama Civil War Trail" brochure, available at any Alabama Welcome Center, has listings for dozens of museums, cemeteries and battlefield sites.