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Museum · Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Museum and research center about the civil rights movement, facing Kelly Ingram Park, with galleries covering segregation through the 1963 marches and the door of the cell where Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a famous letter.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute opened in 1992 in the heart of the civil rights district, facing Kelly Ingram Park and the 16th Street Baptist Church. It tells the story of racial segregation in Birmingham and the movement that confronted it.
The route begins with a film and continues through galleries that recreate life under segregation laws: separate schools, buses, drinking fountains and waiting rooms. Next come the years of confrontation, with the boycott, arrests and the 1963 marches, when children and young people faced police fire hoses and dogs.
One of the most remembered artifacts is the jail cell door from the Birmingham jail where Martin Luther King Jr. was imprisoned in 1963 and wrote the “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The exhibition ends with the struggle for human rights in other countries.
The institute is part of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, managed in partnership with the National Park Service.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From one and a half to two hours.
Best time
In the morning, on days when it is open. The institute usually closes on Sundays and Mondays; check before you go.
How to get there
It’s on 16th Street North, in the civil rights district, about 1 km from downtown Birmingham, walking or by car.
Tip
Combine it with the 16th Street Church and Kelly Ingram Park across the street. Allow time for the entrance film.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
What to see at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute?
The galleries on segregation and the 1963 marches, Martin Luther King Jr.’s jail cell door and the exhibition on human rights around the world.
How long does a visit to the institute take?
Between one and a half and two hours, including the opening film.
On which days is the institute open?
It usually opens Tuesday through Saturday. Check the website for hours and any closures before you go.