Birmingham (Alabama) Sights

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Birmingham seen from Vulcan Park.

• Alabama Men's Hall of Fame, 800 Lakeshore Drive (Samford University), ☎ +1 205-726-2362 (fax: +1 205-726-4164), www.samford.edu/groups/amhf. M-Th 7:30AM-Midnight, F 7:30AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 2PM-Midnight. Free.

• Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, 1631 Fourth Avenue North, ☎ +1 205-254-2731 (tours@jazzhall.com, fax: +1 205-254-2785), www.jazzhall.com. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM (Guided tours M-W F 10AM-1:30PM). $3/2 (Guided/Self-guided).

• Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, 2150 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N, ☎ +1 205-323-6665 (info@ashof.org, fax: +1 205-252-2212), www.ashof.org. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. $5/4/3 (Adults/Seniors 60+/Students).

• Arlington Antebellum Home and Gardens, 331 Cotton Ave SW, ☎ +1 205-780-5656. The home is a perfectly-preserved emblem of Southern heritage. Staff are well-versed in how the home, which is older than the city itself, has been involved in many pivotal points of Birmingham's development. It's an interesting and inexpensive way to learn of the city's heritage, the civil rights struggle, and more. Be advised the home, on Birmingham's West End, is in a somewhat blighted neighborhood. However, visiting during daylight hours carries very little risk. And the home is accessible through main artery roads off of Interstate 65 at the Green Springs Avenue exit. Homeowners on the street adjacent to Arlington have well-manicured properties, symbolic of efforts by West End leaders to strengthen this historic part of town.

• Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Motorsports Park, 6030 Barber Motorsports Pkwy, ☎ +1 205-699-7275 (bvmm@barbermuseum.org), www.barbermuseum.org. April 1 - September 30: M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su Noon-6PM; October 1 - March 31: M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su Noon-5PM. $10/6/Free (Adults/Children 4-12/Children under 4). The park is only five years old and is meticulously well-kept. Formula One and Superbike racing will thrill any visitor. This is truly world-class racing in a park that one would expect to see only in Europe or in a much larger city. The park is about a mile off of Interstate 20, near the town of Leeds..

• Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, ☎ +1 205-414-3900, www.bbgardens.org. Daily sunrise to sunset. The Gardens are worth visiting for anyone with a horticultural flair. Displays are not limited to Southern offerings; instead, they also pay tribute to other parts of the world. Also, take a drive, or a stroll, through one of the nearby "villages" of Mountain Brook. This tony town next to Birmingham is divided into three separate, walkable villages that offer locally-owned shops, boutiques, and restaurants.

• Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, 520 16th Street North, ☎ +1 205-328-9696 or 1-866-328-9696 (bcri@bcri.org, fax: +1 205-251-6104), www.bcri.org. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM. $9/5/4/Free (Adults/Seniors 65+/College students/Children under 18). Free admission on Sunday..

• Birmingham Museum of Art, 2000 8th Avenue North, ☎ +1 205-254-2566 (fax: +1 205-254-2714), www.artsbma.org. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su Noon-5PM. Free.

• Birmingham Public Library Murals, www.bplonline.org/murals/Murals2.asp.

• Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, 20 32nd Street North, ☎ +1 205-324-1911 (info@slossfurnaces.com), www.slossfurnaces.com. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su Noon-4PM. Free.

• Southern Museum of Flight, 4343 73rd St N, ☎ +1 205-833-8226 (fax: +1 205-836-2439), www.southernmuseumofflight.org. Tu-Sa 9:30AM-4:30PM. $5/4/Free (Adults/Seniors & Students/Children under 4 and active military members.

• Vulcan Statue and Museum, 1701 Valley View Drive, ☎ +1 205-933-1409 (info@vulcanpark.org, fax: +1 205-933-1776), www.vulcanpark.org. Park: M-Su 7AM-10PM; Museum: M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1PM-6PM; Observation Balcony: M-Sa 10AM-10PM, Su 1PM-10PM. Enjoy sweeping views of the city from one of the highest points around. The recently renovated museum offers a history of Birmingham that would be interesting even to those who are just passing through town..