MuseumsThe museums in Alabama vary from historical institutions that help modern generations reconnect with the areas rich past to locations that help foster appreciation for the local environment and the natural resources it produces. Birmingham Civil Rights InstituteThe Birmingham Civil Rights Institute was created to document and present to the public the long history of the black community's struggle for equality in Birmingham and throughout the South. BCRI's permanent exhibitions allow visitors to take a self-guided journey through the story of blacks and whites in Birmingham. From the period of segregation following WWI through integration in the 50's and on to the landmark the civil rights movement of the 1960's, these exhibits give the public a chance to understand Birmingham's significance in Civil Rights history. The Institute's Education Department facilitates Outreach Presentations for schools and community organizations throughout the greater Birmingham metropolitan area. Anniston Museum of Natural History - (Pell City/Anniston)The seven exhibit halls of the Anniston Museum of Natural History vary from a representation of the African wilderness to artifacts from ancient Egypt to a full-scale replica of an Alabama cave. The museum also features one of the nation's oldest ornithological collections, with more than 400 mounted specimens of North American birds (including some that are now endangered and extinct). The hands-on learning continues with nature trails, a children's discovery room, and art exhibits. Rosa Parks MuseumBy all standards just an ordinary woman before the morning of December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks's refusal to give her bus seat to a white man became one of the most recognizable and unifying images of the Civil Rights Movement. The Rosa Parks Library and Museum on Troy University's Montgomery campus details the history of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Civil Rights Movement as a whole. The museum also honors the courage of the stand that Rosa Parks took against inequality. Mann Wildlife Learning MuseumA great educational resource for children, the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum gives visitors a unique chance to get up close to a wide variety of preserved North American wildlife. Feel the soft fur of a massive grizzly bear, the soft belt of a fox's back or the rigid antlers of the mighty moose. Each of the animals is shown in recreations of their natural habitat to enhance the experience. Gulf Coast Exploreum Science CenterLocated in downtown Mobile, the Gulf Cost Exploreum is a regional science center designed to educate and entertain children and adults alike. Interactive exhibits teach children many about many core scientific areas such as chemistry, simple mechanics and biology. In addition to the exhibits, the Exploreum also features an amazing IMAX theatre. The Rosenbaum House MuseumAn architectural treasure by the master of modern design, Frank Lloyd Wright, the house was originally built for newlyweds Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum in 1939. Wright even designed an addition to the home in 1948 when the family grew to include four sons. The house is the only structure in the entire state of Alabama designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is one of the best examples of Wrights Usonian Style, and is the only Wright-designed house in the southeast that is open to the public. |