Explore Alabama's Scientific Side
September 2022
The State of Alabama has played a profound role in the history, discovery and experimentation in science, medicine, and research and development. Did you know that some of the world’s most prolific discoveries have come from Alabama? Come experience the history and hidden gems like Tuskegee University, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and the Alabama Aquarium and discover how Alabama has played a significant role in shaping science and history in the United States.
The Legacy Museum at Tuskegee University
Tuskegee
The Legacy Museum at Tuskegee University includes three museums that honor the African-American men who played a compelling role in shaping American history: The Dr. George Washington Carver Museum, The Booker T. Washington Home - The Oaks and the Tuskegee Airmen Museum. This museum houses an art collection and interprets, additionally, public health, science and medicine exhibits. The three museums housed under The Legacy Museum umbrella tell the story of how Tuskegee University has played a major role in medicine and scientific discoveries.
Dr. George Washington Carver Museum
Tuskegee
This museum showcases the work of Dr. George Washington Carver. Dr. Carver was best known for inventing more than 100 industrial product substitutes from peanuts. The museum was first established in the early 1940s and houses collections related to the early life, education, art, teaching career, research, and legacy of Carver, and it also serves as a repository and exhibition hall for other Tuskegee University artifacts and art collections.
Booker T. Washington’s Home
The Oaks, Tuskegee
Booker T. Washington founded Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School, which is now known as Tuskegee University. On July 4, 1881, he opened the school without any land and designated $2000 for faculty salaries. His first class was made up of 30 students who learned to grow their own food and make bricks to build the buildings on campus. Washington stressed to them the importance of becoming self-reliant and taught them to view labor as a practical way to make a living. He focused on training African Americans as teachers for classrooms as well as developing techniques for improving farming for the area’s farmers. One of his most famous hires was Dr. George Washington Carver who introduced the concept of crop rotation to cotton farmers whose soil was depleted and who had found many industrial uses for peanuts and sweet potatoes.
Tuskegee Airmen Museum
Tuskegee
This museum chronicles the story and timeline of the brave African American men of the 332nd Fighter Group of the U.S. Army Corps known as the “Red Tails.” These brave men flew in WWII and fought the Nazis overseas while fighting segregation at home. The airmen’s flying adventures began at Moton Field airport from 1940-1942 where they trained under the legendary Charles ‘Chief’ Anderson, an instructor for the military at the flight program at Tuskegee. Learn how these men overcame many obstacles to prove they had the right stuff to serve our country during WWII. The museum is operated by the National Park Service and has photographs of this time in history along with the training airplanes Chief Anderson used to train the airmen. In addition, see the plane that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt rode in when she took her historic flight with Chief Anderson.
Another place where you can explore Alabama’s role in research and development and science is the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, home to Space Camp and the Intuitive Planetarium.
U.S. Space and Rocket Center
Huntsville
Whether you want to escape to another world or learn about NASA, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville has activities for the whole family to participate in. While there, you can see the National Historic Landmark, Saturn V Moon Rocket (one of only three in the world), participate in interactive activities and see a show at the Intuitive Planetarium (The Southeast’s only 8K Digital Planetarium and Digital Dome) while you learn about the Space Shuttle and Space Station programs.
For a look at more natural science, travel down to the Gulf Coast where you will find Dauphin Island, the Alabama Aquarium.
Alabama Aquarium/The Estuarium at Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Dauphin Island
The Alabama Aquarium has educational programming for the whole family featuring the four key habitats of Mobile's estuary: the Mobile Tensaw River Delta, Mobile Bay, the Barrier Islands, and the Northern Gulf of Mexico.. Visual displays and interactive exhibits promise engaging educational experiences. There also is a 10,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall, a 700-gallon Stingray Touch Pool and a Living Marsh Boardwalk.
In addition, it is notable to point out that the University of Alabama’s system has three research institutions, The University of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama at Huntsville. In addition, Auburn University is ranked in the top 11 percent of U.S. research institutions.
