I do love a free museum and I love beautiful artworks, so stopping at the Montgomery Museum of Fine…read moreArts felt like an easy yes as we were passing through Alabama, especially since the museum offers free entry and free parking and keeps generous hours most days of the week . The building sits inside the Blount Cultural Park, and once you step inside you realize how much there is to see here, from American paintings to regional art to a wide range of decorative works drawn from a collection of more than 4,000 pieces. We ended up spending about two hours wandering through the galleries, which felt just right for a relaxed visit before getting back on the road. The museum's layout makes it easy to move from one gallery to the next without feeling rushed, and the mix of sculptures, paintings, and glasswork keeps things interesting, especially when you turn a corner and find something completely different in tone or scale. The Caddell Sculpture Garden adds another dimension to the experience, offering an outdoor space designed for reflection and seasonal change. Accessibility is clearly a priority here, with elevators to all floors, seating throughout the galleries, accessible restrooms, and even EnChroma glasses available for color‑blind visitors upon request . Free Wi‑Fi is available indoors and outdoors, and the museum shop has been recently renovated to highlight work by regional artists, which makes it a pleasant final stop before heading out again though they were only accepting cash today as the credit card machine was broken. All in all, it's the kind of museum that rewards both a quick visit and a longer stay, and it's absolutely worth the stop if you're anywhere near Montgomery. [Review 306 of 2026 - 287 in Alabama - 25494 overall]

The grounds are wonderfully beautiful. the art collection is diverse. it has a lake and outside…read moresculpture gardens. the people are friendly and there are lots of benches to rest your weary bones. when we were entering the car park we got stopped by a flock of geese and a couple ducks. the grass here looks like a soft bed. looks like you stepped into an old masters painting on the grounds. to me this is so much easier to get to than the high museum in GA.

If you're a Fitzgerald fan, this museum is a must-visit when in Montgomery. Visiting the area on a…read moreweekend, it's also one of the only places in the city open on Sundays. Admission is $5 and no need to reserve online. Walk in and the woman who leads the house museum gives an overview of Scott and Zelda and the house. The house itself has a few rooms with lots of artifacts from the authors. There also an art room of Zelda's work and one dedicated to Scottie, their only daughter. The top floor has two Airbnb rooms- one called Zelda and one Scott.

Really cool museum and historical location. I came here to do a paranormal investigation with…read moreSouthern Ghost Girls on 6 June 25. It was a fantastic event. We got a lot of time to explore the museum and had some cool things happen that make me believe the location is in fact haunted. You can rent the bedroom suites on the second floor as air bnb. I think that's pretty cool too!

We visited Troy University's Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, AL on Jan 7, 2026 as part of Road…read moreScholar's "The Civil Rights Movement - Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham" program. As the name indicates, this museum is entirely about the titular civil rights icon. Tickets were covered by our program. We spent less than an hour here, in part because we got two other sites to visit in our day's itinerary. Our tour guide informed us that photography was not allowed inside the exhibition rooms. (Judging by the content on this business listing, that didn't stop other visitors from taking photos.) In the first room, we saw a short film that summarizes the segregation in Montgomery prior to Parks' historic act. After that, we went another room and were standing in front of a bus modeled after the one that Parks boarded and refused to give up her seat. The bus's windows serves as screens for another short film that re-enacted the historic moment. The dialogue is boosted by surround sound all over the room so that visitors could feel what it was like at that moment. After that, we went into the third and final room of exhibits showing what happened after Parks' arrest and its impact on the Civil Rights Movement. I recalled life-size figures, a model of a 1950s car and dimmed lighting. (Many thanks to Lulu Wang and her article "Rosa Parks Museum: Take You Back to 1955, Montgomery, AL" in medium.com for helping with my recollections.) The museum is clearly focused on Rosa Parks the civil rights icon, but not Rosa Parks the person, family member and human being. To my recollection, there was little mention about her life before and after the bus boycott (and the larger Civil Rights Movement). Nor was there a mention of the asteroid named after her: 284996 Rosaparks. I learnt about that from a "Doctor Who" episode (series 11, episode 3, titled "Rosa"). I don't recall if the exhibits mention of Parks' prior encounter with the bus driver James Blake 12 years earlier. After paying her fare at the front entrance, she tried to enter through the back entrance. But Blake drove off without her. Some accounts claimed that she refused to board. It'd be nice to know what's the museum's take on that incident. Of the three Montgomery mini-sites about the Civil Rights movement - the other two being the Civil Rights Memorial Center and the Freedom Rides Museum - the Rosa Parks museum is the smallest in space and content, and the only one that does not allow photography. I was the least happy with it. It's certainly worth the visit if done in conjunction with the Civil Rights Memorial Center and the Freedom Rides Museum, both of which are within walking distance. In addition to that, go see the Rosa Parks statue at the Rosa Parks Bus Stop on Court Square, which is also within walking distance.

This is the best museum we have seen on our civil rights tour so far. Lots of movie clips…read moreintegrated with the exhibits so sitting alternates with standing and listening and watching alternates with reading. Take the Time machine ride in the children's wing first if you possibly can. And watch for references to all the women leading the movement that we often don't hear about.

Montgomery Civil Rights Walk of Freedom Self-Guided (GPS) Walking Tour…read more As a retired 20-year veteran who grew up during the Watts Riots, I've seen a lot in this country--but I can honestly say this experience gave me something I didn't know I was missing. Taking this walk through Montgomery alongside my younger brother made it even more meaningful. We lost our mother early in life, so moments like this--where we can learn, reflect, and grow together--carry a different kind of weight. This wasn't just a tour for us; it was a chance to connect with each other and with a history that wasn't fully taught to us growing up. Hearing the stories of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks while standing where it all happened brought a level of understanding I never got in school. It filled in gaps and gave voice to experiences that shaped not only the country, but generations like ours. The self-guided format allowed us to take our time, have conversations, and really absorb what we were learning. There was no rush--just space to reflect, remember, and appreciate how far we've come and how much more there is to understand. For me, this was more than history--it was personal, it was healing, and it was something I'm grateful I got to share with my brother Mark.

We visited the Legacy Museum on Jan 8, 2026 as part of Road Scholar's "The Civil Rights Movement -…read moreAtlanta, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham" program. It is one of the three Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Legacy sites in Montgomery, AL, and one of the two where photography is not allowed. The latter was emphasized at the security checkpoint, of which there was only one line. I surrendered my foldable (smartphone) tripod to the staff, and would later do it two more times at the other two sites. Within the exhibition halls, staff members are positioned every 100 feet (give or take) to ensure visitors are on their best behaviors, i.e. no photography, no vandalism, etc. The transatlantic slave trade is the subject of the first two halls, with the first focusing on the transits of the captured from Africa. Sets of pictorial, written and video content fill every wall. There is no particular order of viewing. The next hall continues with the arrival, transactions and transits from ports to new colonies in the New World. Life-sized models of slaves naked and in chains act as passageway that visitors pass to move on. Despite being previously informed, I did not understand the sheer volume of the museum's content. I stopped to read every content in detail because of the no-photography policy. By the time I was done perusing the transatlantic slave trade, more than 30 minutes had passed. One section consists of small rooms designed to look like prison cells, each showing a brief holographic projection of a moment in the life of a slave. These projections are triggered by motion sensors. Another hall focuses on federal and state court decisions - most of them ruling against African-Americans - as well as numerous hate crimes and other (violent) racial injustices, all of which that had occurred since Reconstruction. Past that is a larger hall that displays copies of newspaper ads of slaves for sale on one side, and life during Reconstruction on the other. I had started to peruse the latter when I realized that I was approaching two hours in time spent in the museum. Deciding to head on to the other two sites, I was surprised to discover many more sections - including an art gallery - and the volume of content in each that I would miss. The Legacy Museum requires up to a day to truly appreciate its treasure. It is certainly worth visiting given its low admission price ($5 as of Jan 2026). However, I do not give this 5 stars because of the unnecessary security checkpoint to do the boat ride from Boat Launch at 101 Morris Street to Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, and vice versa. See attached image for further details At 12:56pm, after visiting the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (NMPJ), I showed up at Boat Launch. There was a security checkpoint. I was told to turn over my tripod before getting on the boat. The big, burly bespectacled guy in the suit claimed that tripods could be used to vandalize the sculptures, and I could take the boat back and to this pier to get it back. He gave no explanation as to how a tripod would be a hazardous or dangerous object on a boat ride itself. The Sculpture Park has its own security checkpoint where I would turn over the tripod, and I wasn't planning on coming back to this pier just to pick up my tripod. It would be a waste of time. So I waited for the shuttle to take me back to the Legacy Museum after stopping over at NMPJ. When I finally arrived at Sculpture Park, 45 minutes of my time was wasted. This limited the time spent there. There was no necessity to have security checkpoint at Boat Launch when Sculpture Park has its own security checkpoint. Until EJI Legacy updates their policy to one that makes sense, this EJI site gets no more than three stars.

We visited the Freedom Rides Museum in Montgomery, AL on Jan 7, 2026 as part of Road Scholar's "The…read moreCivil Rights Movement - Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham" program. As the name indicates, this museum is entirely about the numerous Freedom Rides from May to December of 1961. Its contents include maps, background information and related events. Tickets were covered by our program. We spent less than an hour here, in part because we got two other sites to visit in our day's itinerary. Gracing the entrance to the museum is the floor mural of people grouped between "FREE" and "DOM", and shaped in the form of a bus. Once inside the museum, "Mapping the 1961 Freedom Rides" - to my left - shows all the rides mapped out from point A to point B. Past that is "Separate and Unequal" that briefly describes what life was like "Traveling While Black". Opposite from that is "From Bus Station to Museum". It traces the timeline from the Freedom Rides to the founding of the museum, and includes different editions of the Green Book. The next section delves into the Freedom Rides themselves. "Movement Making" (organizing and planning), "You Don't Have To Ride Jim Crow" (boycotts and civil disobediences), "Faces of the Movement" (numerous individuals that participated in the Rides, "The Rides Continue" (despite violent oppositions). Footages of the exhibits are in the video "Day 4: Freedom Riders" on my YouTube channel, in playlist "2026-1: The Civil Rights Movement - Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham". Of the three Montgomery mini-sites about the Civil Rights movement - the other two being the Civil Rights Memorial Center and the Rosa Parks Museum - I was most impressed with the Freedom Rides Museum. We had barely enough time to see almost everything. I learnt a lot more than what I had thought. (I thought the Freedom Rides were a mere few and not many!) Due to lack of time, I did not visit the gift shop. I definitely recommend this museum if done in conjunction with the Rosa Parks Museum and the Civil Rights Memorial Center, both of which are within walking distance.

They stood up so that we could sit down…read more Another stable to stop at while visiting Alabama. The Freedom Riders Museum has a lot of information on the Freedom riders. They tell the story through the words of the freedom riders during the civil rights movements. You learn about the routes they took and all the obstacles they had to put up with. The museum also has a lot of good books on sale and My friend And I purchased some. The only thing I wished was the museum was bigger and had more things to view. Until next review Kisses

We visited the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, AL on Jan 7, 2026 as part of Road…read moreScholar's "The Civil Rights Movement - Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham" program. As the name indicates, it's a memorial and not a true museum. Tickets were covered by our program. We spent less than an hour here, in part because we got two other similarly small museums to visit in our day's itinerary. At the entrance of the Center is a security screening. We were directed to line up in rows. The security guard was friendly. He nicknamed me "Big T" since my name started with "T". I replied, "I wish I was big." To which he went, "Me too," and we both laughed. Row by row, we went up to the counter to surrender our personal items prior to the screening. The guard allowed me to keep my belt on even though the buckle is metal. Then each of us went through the screening. No issues encountered. We were then joined by a museum guide. The first section is the Martyr Room, dedicated to the 40 that were killed during the Civil Rights Movement. Collage of photos and individual profiles positioned at eye level filled every wall. There is a console in the middle of the room for visitors to learn more. A short while later, we were led to the Orientation Theater where we watched a short film called "Apathy is not an Option". It started with a highlight reel of the Movement and connects it to contemporary events of social justice. After that, we continued on to "The March Continues", a hallway of murals depicting contemporary social justice. The end of the hallway leads the "Wall of Justice" room. On one wall is a large, wide screen with names of people involved in civil rights through the ages, set to a photo of - presumably - the Selma March. By the opposite wall are inscribed quotations from historical figures, including one from Robert Kennedy (Sr.) during a trip in Cape Town, South Africa in 1966. The best was saved for last. We arrived at the Memorial table to see water literally flowing down onto its surface where the names of the 40 are etched. The artwork is indeed magnificent. Footage is in the video "Day 4 & Day 5: Civil Rights Memorial Center, Legacy Plaza, Legacy Museum" on my YouTube channel, in playlist "2026-1: The Civil Rights Movement - Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham". If it was up to me, I'd spend a few minutes more in the Martyr Room. It has the most content of all the sections. Overall, the Civil Rights Memorial Center is a good, albeit modest-sized center. It is worth the visit if done in conjunction with the Rosa Parks Museum and the Freedom Rides Museum, both of which are within walking distance.

Parking here can be tricky. I was able to find some free street parking. There is metered street…read moreparking available as well within a reasonable walking distance. Outside you will find a waterfall running down a wall that has a quote from Martin Luther King. There is also a large circular black granite water table that has the names of 41 people killed (Martyrs) in the name of the civil rights struggle. It was designed by Maya Lin in 1989. In order to enter here you must have a must, submit to a temperature check and go through security screening. This is one of the few museum in the area that allows photos inside. The Center is very small. The first room that you come to is the The Martyr Room and features 74 people, that are known as "The Forgotten", and the 41 "Civil Rights Martyrs" that are listed on the memorial outside. Sadly, it is an extensive list and has Emmet Till, Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, and other less notable names. The main section of the Center is the Apathy is Not an Option: Orientation Theater. It seats about 75 or so and is very nice. The movie that they play here is on a schedule and the timer is located in the previous room. It tells you when the next showing is. The movie is amazing and is a must see. It is well put together. I really loved it and am glad that I waited for it. The rest of the Center has pictures of people on the walls with phrases and/or personal stories on them It is titled The March Continues: Today's Activist. The Center's last area is the Wall of Justice: A Space of Reflection, a video wall with names falling down. You can put your name on the wall, by agreeing to a pledge. It does not stay there, so if you are going to get a picture of it then you better do it fast. You end you tour in the small gift shop that sells key chains, t-shirt, and pencils/pens, and pictures. It does not take long to make it through the center. I spent about 45 minutes here and that included watching the movie. There is not much to the Center, but is is still worth a visit if you are in the area and have time.

A fantastic collection of outsider and folk art. Mrs. Webber is a fount of knowledge and kindness…read morewho is adept at making you feel at home in her gallery. Pay her a visit, learn a thing or two, and take home to precious cargo :)

My original post: While Marcia Weber offers a very well-selected gallery of artists, I felt taken…read moreadvantage of on a $600 painting I bought (not a fortune, but a committment just the same). I was told when I purchased it I could sit with it a while to decide if it was for me. I did not expect to need to return anything so I didn't think much of it. However, when I got the painting in the room it just didn't work. I tried a lot of design adjustments because the piece really spoke to me and I wanted it to work, and in honesty, I did take several months to go to lengths to make interior changes, and try it in other rooms as well, but it just really didn't do the rooms or the piece justice the way they juxtaposed. But when I emailed a bit later to ask if I could return it for a credit because it just didn't work, Marcia never responded. I emailed again, again asking not for the promised refund, but a credit, and still no reply. It was clear that she was not interested in my business after she'd taken my money. As much as I like the artists she represents, I do not anticipate buying from her again based on how she treated me, and the hollow promises of satisfaction or a return option. I hope she treats the artists better than she did me, and I hope Matilda Pennic got a fair percentage of that $600. 2014 Update: In response to my honest review posted two years ago, I just received the below message, through Yelp messages, from Marcia. (I still have the emails I sent you Marcia, which were from the same email account I used to purchase the item. It was months after purchase, not years.) I'm sorry that Ms. Weber doesn't like getting a review that holds her accountable for how she treats her customers, but this is reality. My experience is exactly as stated in my review. Would Ms. Weber like to do something to resolve the issue, or bully me for speaking honestly about my experience? ----------------------------------- Hi L, Marcia W. sent you a message on Yelp: Subject: Your Review "I never received an email OR a simple phonecall from you about this situation. I would have answered you and resolved it if so. I'm surprised by your unreasonable expectations. Grow up and get over it. Namaste, Marcia" ---------------------------------- Marcia is basically using Yelp messages as a proxy for harassment. This has been reported to Yelp, and I have saved this page as a pdf for my records should harassment persist. I was treated poorly and was refused a promised return, and now I am being harassed? Ridiculous. Marcia, art doesn't expire or go stale, so why not offer to resolve the issue here and now? Why not make right if you ever had an intention of doing so? A decent business owner would say nothing and accept responsibility for her actions, and even learn from it. Or, perhaps offer to do something to remedy the situation. I think Marcia's defensive, deflective attitude (notice there is no apology or kindness) speaks volumes about her real attitude toward her "refund" policy, and her nastiness is quite telling that she did deliberately dodge my attempts at contact and resolution in the first place. Telling someone "Grow up and get over it" after you swindled them, is like mean-girl psychotic. I don't think I am the one who needs to grow up.

It's a great starting point for tourists visiting Montgomery for the first time. It's the Museum of…read moreAlabama that was the highlight for me. Do not pass this up thinking it's just a building housing the state archives. It's much more than that. Also, it's free to the public. They have free (but limited) parking in a lot behind the building on Adams Avenue, and next to the MOOseum. We visited later in the afternoon on a weekday (and towards the end of my trip). I wish I had spent more time in this building. We were automatically greeted to warm & friendly faces when entering the building. The gentlemen at the visitor area gave us a map and went over all the key areas to visit starting with the first floor. We started in the Statuary Hall which has a life sized "Hiker" statue. This one is commemorating Alabamian foot soldiers in the Spanish-American War. There are bronze busts of historical figures. The most recent additions are two equal voting rights activists, Pattie Ruffner Jacobs and Amelia Boynton Robinson. The second floor exhibits were all very informative. There's a hands on gallery for kids in Grandma's Attic. The "Land of Alabama" has displays and a short film of the state's geography and resources. I found the "Alabamians in the Great War" exhibit very interesting. There were a little over 85,000 Alabamians who fought in the war. About 2,500 died fighting in France. There's a unique display of trench art. There were some very skillful & decorative displays of a helmet, and some personal items made by servicemen to pass the time in between combat. Some items even showcased metalworking skills. These were much more elaborate than just a doodle on a piece of paper. A very cool part of the collection. The best exhibit by far was "Alabama Voices". It's a Smithsonian quality exhibit that needs a revisit. I didn't get to go through every single voice, but I will next time. You start your journey by entering left into this exhibit. It was a much larger exhibit than anticipated. It starts you off in the 1700s and goes through the events that shaped Alabama. There were about 21 or 22 audiovisual areas that start a narration (The Voices) via motion detection. There are artifacts and documents throughout. They did a great job putting together this exhibit. It's definitely worth a visit!

This museum showcased the history of Alabama from the earliest time and on to present day. This…read moremuseum was so well done with history from various time periods. It showcased the early statehood and cotton plantations. The civil war and depression and the war periods. This was such a nice visit and so informative. I would recommend all families coming through Montgomery to bring their families here for a well done history of this area and Alabama.

Wonderful experience and history lesson that everyone should experience if given the opportunity.read more

archa Lucy Betsey were enslaved women that were experimented on by Dr. J. Marian Sims in the 1840s,…read moreall in the name of science. Each iron sculpture is distinctly different and is adorned with the tools that replicate what were used during the surgeries as well as pieces of beauty like the variations of sculpted flowers. As you walk around the More Up Campus you will see panels explaining the healthcare practices for women of color and how it was predominantly performed by black midwives and was quickly dismantled by white men with influence who believed that science and invasive tools were the best way to care for women's bodies. It is with much gratitude and appreciation that I thank these Mothers of Gynecology.

We love Hanks music. My hubby plays it all the time. We sing it riding in the car When I was…read morelittle my daddy would sing us hey good looking. Just wonderful to get to go there.

If you like good ole country music stop in Montgomery and see Hank Williams museum. Currently the…read moreprice is $15 for anyone 18 and up. They have a wonderful collection of his history there. You cannot take your own photos but someone there will take a photo of you in front of his car with your phone or camera. There is a gift shop full of novelties, T-shirts, record and more. Great little stop.