Location: Birmingham
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10 Museums in Birmingham That You Shouldn't Miss
It has been said that Birmingham is the last major Southern city in America, where a friendly "How y'all doin'," a hearty meal of country-fried steak with butter beans and a true taste of Southern hospitality await visitors. Whether you're into the history of the Civil Rights movement, a fan of jazz music or just looking for culture and a few fun activities for the family, Sweet Birmingham is the place for you. Spend the morning at the Birmingham Museum of Art, then have lunch at a traditional Southern tea room. Outdoor enthusiasts can tee off at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail or pack a lunch and spend the day hiking and enjoying the vistas at Ruffner Mountain. A world-class zoo, the innovative McWane Center and VisionLand, Alabama's first amusement park, are sure to keep families entertained and on the go. In the evening, listen to a blues show at an outdoor cafe and then spend the night at a small cozy inn or splurge for an elegant hotel.
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1. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,251 reviews
This historic museum traces the journey of the civil rights advocates of the 1950s and 60s, who changed the course of American history. The struggle for equality for Black Americans is chronicled here, from the Jim Crow laws in the 1800s to the freedom rides, sit-ins and demonstrations of the 1960s.
Reviewed By vault101_overseer - Newark, United States
The museum had interesting content. The target market seemed to be families with young children or people with less understanding of Jim Crow or the Civil Rights era. It was worthwhile though and the highlight was touching the bars of the jail cell MLK Jr was in and seeing the effects that were donated by Denise McNair's family.
2. Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,251 reviews
A motorcyclist's dream, this museum has 750 vintage and modern motorcycles displayed on walls, two-tiered platforms and just about everywhere you look. The bikes are displayed randomly, rather than by date and year, adding an element of unpredictability to the viewer's experience.
Reviewed By jwtraveller2015
If you have a love of motorcycles do not miss this. 900 on display. Wonderful day. Norton’s! Vincent’s! Broughams! Ariels! And a plethora of the usual suspects. Several mint Goldstars and some awesome sidecar setups. Plus “The Porsche Experience “.
3. Alabama Historical Radio Society Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
4. Southern Museum of Flight
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 170 reviews
An aircraft hangar museum with exhibits of authentic old airplanes.
Reviewed By catherinen191 - Philadelphia, United States
A bit out of the way, but full of so many planes, helicopters..and stories. The staff is extremely engaged and willing to explain everything. They make you feel their enthusiasm. An incredible history unfolds over two large rooms. Don’t miss the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and the ghostly U2 spy plane!
5. Birmingham Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 538 reviews
This three-story museum houses an eclectic selection of art, including Wedgewood pottery, the largest collection of Asian art in the Southeast, Native American and African art, impressionism, contemporary art and American landscapes.
Reviewed By C_Athnos - Birmingham, United States
Very nice inside and provides a pretty large collection for viewing. Admission is free and it makes for a nice visit.
6. Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 54 reviews
7. McWane Science Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 945 reviews
Fun and learning never end at McWane Science Center, a nonprofit, hands-on museum and IMAX(R) Dome Theater. Four floors of interactive exhibits celebrate science and wonder - from an amazing collection of dinosaurs to innovative environmental showcases, imaginative early childhood playgrounds, and an awe-inspiring aquarium. The energy and excitement of discovery spring to life through an extensive lineup of science demonstrations performed daily by talented educators. The adventure intensifies in the IMAX(R) Dome Theater, where wide-eyed visitors experience the sights and sounds of breathtaking films on a 5-story-tall screen surrounded by 3 tons of high-intensity speakers.
Reviewed By M8784FQannah - Canton, United States
On a little walk sightseeing around Birm, my family happened upon the science museum and got curious, so we stepped inside and inquired if it would be entertaining to our family (2 adults, our 20 year daughter and our 17 year old son) or was it geared more for children. We got kind of a mixed answer but from how it was described inside and the little we could see from the ticket purchase area, we decided to give it a shot. It was so entertaining, WE STAYED FOR ALMOST 3 HOURS! I guess I should say I have kids that love science. As parents, we found it just as cool as our kids because it had been a while since we had channeled our inner science child. There were 3 or 4 floors to the enormous building. One floor was basically an aquarium including a ray and shark petting tank. It also had a snack/vending area with tables. Another floor was full of fun science based activities, and the top floor included fun stuff about trains, outer space, and dinosaurs/fossils. There was a working train that gave train rides to the smaller kids, a fun little zip line, and a big slide. Every area was educational AND fun! Since it was right before Christmas, there were also Christmas related activities going on all around the building. When we finally left we laughed because we were so surprised at how entertaining it was for us, and we couldn't believe we were there for so long. Definitely an unexpected interactive, educational, and fun experience for our whole family!
8. Negro Southern League Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 46 reviews
Reviewed By alexisrachelletx - Nashville, United States
This little museum was a highlight of our visit to Birmingham this weekend! We'd been to several of Birmingham's other museums before, but wanted to try something new. The Negro Southern League Museum presents the history of African American baseball, which is something I didn't know anything about. The museum's collection was presented well and the museum labels were interesting and well laid out. I felt like I learned a lot in this museum even though it isn't very large! I was impressed by the work that had gone into creating the museum and its collection (including interviewing many former players about their experiences)! The museum is free to visit but does accept/encourage donations. We happily made a donation because we so enjoyed our visit to the museum. Whether you're big fans of baseball or not, I think a lot of people would find this museum interesting and worthwhile! Check it out if you haven't already!
9. Vulcan Park and Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,362 reviews
The largest cast-iron statue in the world created for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair placed on top of Red Mountain with a beautiful view of downtown Birmingham. Also, inside Vulcan Center, is an interactive museum that contains the historical timeline of the city of Birmingham.
Reviewed By interceptpubs - Columbus, United States
Built for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair to promote Birmingham's iron and steel industry, Vulcan is the largest cast iron statue in the world - weighing in at 100,000 pounds (120,000 pounds if his accoutrements - anvil, sledge, etc. - are included) and standing some 56 feet tall to the tip of the spear point in his outstretched arm. He moved to his present home atop Red Mountain in the late 1930s, being set atop a 126 foot tall pedestal built by the WPA. Several renovations to the statue and the surrounding park have been made over the years, including the addition of the observation deck, museum, and most recently a two-mile foot and bike trail. The museum is quite interesting, covering not only the history of the statue and park, but also Birmingham itself from its origins just after the Civil War through the civil rights movement. For $6 (plus tax), visitors can tour the museum and either climb the 100+ steps or ride an elevator up to the observation deck to get some great views of the city and the surrounding forest covered hills. We visited on a sunny Saturday afternoon and enjoyed both the museum and great views. There's even a nice little gift shop with souvenirs, history books, etc.
10. Christenberry Planetarium
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
The Christenberry Planetarium offers public presentations about a variety of astronomical topics to the public that are family friendly, live, and interactive presentations on an as scheduled basis. These are generally free admission and first come, first served seating unless otherwise stated. Our schedule is linked from our website. Contact us to schedule a private presentation. We charge a $150 for up to 50 people for an hour long presentation and $3 per person for every individual after 50, up until 94 total participants. Get excited.
