Alabama Smaller Museums Can Tell Stories The Bigger Ones Can't

The list of Alabama Smaller Museums is quite extensive, but there are 20 that really stand out.

Since gaining statehood in the year 1819, this state has had several major events that have helped to define it, including the Civil War and its internal fight for Civil rights.

While this rich history and culture is defined in the much larger museums in the state, there is a ton of history that is defined in the smaller ones as well.

If you are a resident or a visitor to this beautiful State, these smaller institutes of history are well worth your time to visit.

In fact, they make excellent day trips for you and your family to see more history and culture, that otherwise you may have never known about.

Here is the first list.

The First Five of the Alabama Smaller Museums

The Alabama Midland Railroad Depot Museum is Ashford Alabama

The Alabama Department of Archives and History
The Alabama Midland Railroad Depot and Museum
The Alabama Museum of Natural History
The Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame
The Ancient Africa Enslavement and Civil War Museum

The Alabama Department of Archives and History

First on the list of the Alabama smaller museums is the Alabama Department of Archives and History, which is located in the state capital of Montgomery.

Founded in the year 1901, it has the distinction of being the first publicly funded and independent archives in the nation.

While it is not nearly as well-known as some of the other history related institutions in the Capital City, it is one of the most important.

Also known as the ADAH, it has held the core belief for over a decade in advocating and preserving the states very rich historical resources.

It has on display numerous collections from the Native Americans that first inhabited this land, as well as numerous Civil War relics including several Civil War flags.

The Alabama Midland Railroad Depot and Museum

Next on the list of Alabama smaller museums is the Alabama Midland Railroad Depot and Museum, which is located is Ashford, in Houston County.

Operated by the Ashford Area Heritage Foundation, it is a fully restored Victoria-era structure that has numerous exhibits as well as the Museum.

It was constructed in the year 1888 and served a very important function for the state in its formative years.

It served as a way station between Bainbridge Georgia and Montgomery.

Its exhibits focus on the “golden age” of the railroad's years, it this is what makes it really stand out to most visitors.

These exhibits include artifacts set up in Station maters office such as telegraph keys, carbon microphone telephones, as well as several historical pictures.

The Alabama Museum of Natural History

The Alabama Museum of Natural History, located on the University of Alabama campus, is a very unique attraction.

It is considered to be the state’s main resources and repositories for fossils, human artifacts, as well as biological specimens.

It also has two other major distinctions that make it a very unique attraction for you and your family to visit.

It is the oldest museum in the state, and it is home to the Hodges meteorite, which is believed to be the only known space object ever to strike a human being.

Plaques From The Alabama Women's Hall of Fame

The Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame

Next on the list of Alabama smaller museums is the Alabama Women of Hall of Fame, which is located at Judson College, in Marion Alabama.

It includes women from the state that have made major contributions, as well as several that have been overlooked by history.

Some of the notable members that are in the Women’s Hall of Fame include Helen Keller, Rosa Parks, as well as actress Tallulah Bankhead.

If you are a fan of women’s history, this is a must-see day trip for you.

The Ancient Africa Enslavement and Civil War Museum

The final of the first five of the Alabama smaller museums is the Ancient African Enslavement and Civil War Museum, located in Selma.

Established in the year 1998, it focuses on the very early years of slave trade in not only the nation, but in the world.

It features interactive displays that show the conditions that the enslaved suffered through and has several disturbing features.

They include slave cabins, holding cells, as well as an action block where slaves were bought and sold.

The Second List of Alabama Smaller Museums

The Berman Museum of World History In Anniston Alabama

The Anniston Museum of Natural History
The Berman Museum of World History
The Fayette County Depot Museum
The Foley Railroad Museum
The Museum of East Alabama

The Anniston Museum of Natural History

The Anniston Museum of Natural History is next of the list of Alabama smaller museums, and is located as the name implies, in Anniston.

It has a wide range of displays that include an Egyptian mummy, several dinosaur bones, as well as a large collection of mounted birds.

It features over 1,800 specimens of bird taxidermy that were collected by naturalist William H. Werner, who donated them to the city of Anniston.

The Berman Museum of World History

Next is the Berman Museum of World History, which is also located in Anniston, and has a massive collection of art, antiquities, arms, and armor.

It has been opened since 1996 and is made of from the collections of Farley and Germaine Berman and is meant to showcase history though these objects.

It covers two very large floors with exhibits that include oil paintings, jade sculptures, as well as numerous ancient as well as modern weapons.

The Fayette County Depot Museum

Next is the Fayette County Depot Museum, located in Fayette.

It is a beautifully restored train station that is part of the Fayette County Courthouse District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Built in the year 1887, it was spared from a fire that destroyed several Fayette building s in 1911.

The Foley Railroad Museum

The Foley Railroad Museum is next of the Alabama smaller museums, which is located in the town of Foley, in Baldwin County.

It is made up of three main sections that include the museum itself, a model train exhibit, as well as the city archives.

In the museum there are several artifacts, photographs, as well as railroad memorabilia that tell this towns long railroad history.

The Museum of East Alabama

The museum of East Alabama is located in the Opelika historic district and has an estimated 5,000 different artifacts on display.

These numerous artifacts help tell the story of the rural, business, as well as the architectural heritage in five different central Alabama counties.

These counties include Chambers, Lee, Macon, Tallapoosa, as well as Russell County.

There other 10 Alabama smaller museums include the Fort Henderson Historic Site, The Fort Payne Deposit Museum, the Greenville Railroad Depot, and the Guntersville Museum and Cultural Center.

It also includes the Huntsville Depot and Museum, the Nauvoo Depot Museum, and the Orange Beach Indian and Sea Museum.

The Pioneer Museum of Alabama, the Stevenson Railroad Depot Museum, and the USA Archaeology Museum are the final three of these lists of 20.

All of these Alabama smaller museums will help to make you and your family more familiar with this states rich and diverse history.

References

http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/

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