What to do and see in Montgomery, Alabama (AL): The Best History Museums

Built in 1851, the capitol building served as the first capitol for the Confederate States of America.

This historic house honors novelist F. Scott, best known for "The Great Gatsby," and his wife, Zelda, artist and author. The museum operates out of the last surviving home they lived in during their lives together. The structure was saved from demolition in 1986. It is the location where Scott worked on "Tender is the Night", and Zelda on "Save Me the Waltz". You can now stay in the house in either Scott or Zelda Suite. Please see the museum website for Airbnb details and availability.

This tribute to the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement" honors Rosa Parks, the African-American woman who, in 1955, sparked the civil rights movement by refusing to give her bus seat to a white man. The museum helps visitors relive this tumultuous era with a video, artifacts, historical documents, a lifesize statue of Rosa Parks and a replica of the bus in which she sat that day.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH) has been the home of Alabama history for more than a century. It is the nation's oldest state-funded, independent archival and historical agency. Located in downtown Montgomery across the street from the capitol, the ADAH is the official government records repository for the state, a private collections library and research facility, and also home to the Museum of Alabama, the state's history museum. The Museum of Alabama is the only destination where you can explore Alabama's past from prehistory to the present. Permanent exhibitions at the Museum of Alabama include The Land of Alabama, introducing the geology and natural resources that helped shape the state's history, and The First Alabamians, featuring artifacts, murals, and a diorama that tell the inspiring story of fourteen thousand years of Native American culture. An entirely new centerpiece exhibition called Alabama Voices opened in February 2014. This exhibition covers the dramatic unfolding of Alabama history from the dawn of the 1700s to the beginning of the 21st century. More than 800 artifacts, hundreds of images and documents, and twenty-two audiovisual programs tell the story of struggles over the land, the rise of a cotton economy, the Civil War, industrialization, world wars, civil rights, the race to the moon, and more. Voices taken from diaries, letters, speeches, songs, and other sources convey the experiences of Alabamians who lived through and shaped the history of these periods. The Museum of Alabama provides interactive educational resources for children and families in the Hands-On-Gallery and Grandma's Attic. Here, families and children can dress in period costumes, play with toys from bygone eras, make their own crafts, listen to stories, and much more. The Museum of Alabama is open Monday-Saturday, 8:30-4:30 and admission is always FREE! Visit our Research Room, open Tuesday-Friday and the second Saturday of each month from 8:30-4:30, to learn more about your family's contribution to Alabama's history. Get expert guidance from our staff, work with original records and online resources, and start building your family tree. Come find your story!

The Civil Rights Memorial Center is sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center in downtown Montgomery. It includes a great deal of educational information about the Civil Rights Movement, an original 20 minute film about the Movement, and the Civil Rights Memorial. $2.00 admission charged for adults, under 18 FREE.

This small but powerful museum tells the story of the 1961 Freedom Rides that ended racial segregation in public transportation. It is located in Montgomery's former Greyhound Bus Station where student protesters faced a segregationist mob. Exterior exhibits trace the history of the rides and the pivotal events that happened in Montgomery. Interior exhibits include art, architecture, oral histories, and a video kiosk where Freedom Riders and others have told their story. Exterior exhibits and a cell phone tour are available 24/7 and are free. Small admission charged for interior exhibits during opening hours. Discount admission fees for groups of 10 or more booked in advance.

Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery, AL is a favorite destination for music fans. He is a treasure to the City of Montgomery and the State of Alabama, and we are paying tribute to the life and accomplishments of this magnificent legend whose name survives in a way that is unique in the history of Music. It is amazing after so many years that there are still things to be said...song to be sung. Year by year since Hank's death in 1953, the real impact his songs made on American Music becomes more evident. His lifelong fans continue, and new admirers are added with each generation. Hank Williams crowded a lot of living into twenty-nine years. It is safe to say, perhaps Hank Williams said all he had to say. We are proud to say that all of the artifacts are authentic. Exhibits include the 1952 Cadillac in which he died, 17 stage suits including Nudie , custom made boots, cowboy hats, tie collection, furniture, portraits, records, horse saddle, piano,awards, rare photos, family history and personal film footage. Experience the history of the first country music superstar and see how Hank Williams transformed country music and sowed the seeds of what was to become American Music, blues, rockabilly and even rock and roll.