The guides are fantastic. Tons of information on the history of Decatur. The model train set is…read morereally something to see. Tour is free. Seriously go see the model train setup. The models of the local houses are incredible.

Now restored!! Drive by and check it out. The City of…read moreDecatur has bought this historic depot, and completed a $2.5 million major restoration. The south part of the depot will be a museum. It will house a theater, and there will be a large model train layout of the city of Decatur. The museum should be complete about Spring of 2017. I hope to update my review then, and add another star or two! The north part of the building will be used as office space by the Decatur civilian police department.

So neat! Lots of great information, awesome Collections of items! I absolutely loved this museum!read more

Information on the musicians inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Lots of names we didn't…read moreknow were connected to the state. Reasonable admission price for the experience.

Have stayed there many times when Mr Wise was living. An absolutely amazing experience. Have stayed…read morein the cabin many times. It is well worth the trip!

There are ghosts there...went with a friend and her paranormal group and was very excited at the…read morethings seen and heard. Being actual Civil War items doesn't hurt this ghost hunting team. Was excited at the prospect of seeing and/or hearing anything paranormal and was fortunate to both see and hear several things. The museum itself is amazing for any history buff and you won't be disappointed in searching out this 'little hole in the wall' museum. The owner can tell you about EVERYTHING there. All items are authentic, no replicas!

Really like this place. This is my second or third time here, although our kids come more often…read morewith mom. What they REALLY need is a coffee bar for warm drinks and treats. Come with an extra coat or sweater, this place can get chilly.

Nice quaint place with a lot of activities to keep the young minds engaged. Loved the talking tree…read moreand the Tinker lab science lesson.

Easy to find and full of local heritage. My wife and I dropped in at 1p on a Sunday, and were…read morequickly greeted by the curator. After some discussion, we were given a pretty-much private tour of the museum. It was a very unique experience to have someone guide me around and explain the history of each piece and the mindset of the artist. We look forward to retuning, as the exhibits are switched out every 6 weeks. Pro Tip: don't miss the nonchalant room that holds the local prehistoric glyphs.

From the owner: The Tennessee Valley Museum of Art offers a variety of multi-disciplined exhibitions annually. The…read morepermanent exhibition of the Martin Petroglyph is on display in a replicated bluff shelter setting.

I have visited here twice on field trips with my students. I love this museum! There's so much to…read morelearn and if you're into science like me, this is definitely your place. There are self-guided tours, guided tours for groups and hands-on classroom experiences. You can meet an actual NASA scientist, learn about our solar system in the planetarium, and enjoy the various rides that are included with admission. There are other fun things to do but I believe those events/rides cost extra. You can even enjoy lunch under the trees or in the food court area inside. Pro Tip: Plan to visit at least two days to take it all in! It's definitely an out of this world experience!

If you have even the slightest interest in space, this place is a must-see!…read more The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville is the largest space museum in the world -- and it shows. From the moment you walk in, you're immersed in the story of humanity's journey beyond Earth. The exhibits walk you through our humble beginnings in rocketry, the intensity of the Space Race against the Soviets, the tragedy of Apollo 1, and the evolution of technology that eventually put humans on the Moon. You'll see command modules, landers, rovers, military applications, the role animals played in early testing, quarantine procedures after splashdown, and in-depth looks at International Space Station and Skylab. And then there's the jaw-dropping moment when you enter the massive building housing the fully displayed Saturn V rocket. It's hard to put into words how enormous and impressive it is stretched out above you. Seeing it in its entirety is worth the visit alone. We easily spent five hours here -- arriving shortly after opening and leaving about an hour before closing -- and still felt like we could have spent more time reading and exploring. There are over 1,500 artifacts on display. Every corner has something fascinating. One of my favorite parts? Actual rocket scientists were onsite at the Saturn V exhibit, ready and excited to answer questions. Talking to people who genuinely worked in the field adds a depth you just can't replicate with signage alone. I also highly recommend catching a show in the planetarium. We saw the presentation on the James Webb Space Telescope, and it was incredible. Pro tip: get there about 20 minutes early and line up. The shows are popular, and early arrival means better seats. Bonus -- you can bring in popcorn, candy, soda, or Icees if you're feeling snacky. Parking is huge and well organized. While they cap attendance each day at several hundred visitors, we had no issue getting tickets. The onsite cafeteria looked large with several food options. I noticed vegetarian choices but didn't confirm vegan availability. If I had one small critique, it would be that I wish there were even more actual flown-in-space artifacts. There are some, but many displays are trainers and simulators. That said, I understand that many space-flown items aren't recoverable, so replicas and trainers make sense. I also appreciated that the museum doesn't stop in the past. It brings the story into the present, covering modern space ventures like Blue Origin and SpaceX. Bottom line: this place is absolutely worth the trip. Plan for at least four hours -- five if you really want to dive in. There is so much to read, see, and experience. Space nerd or not, you'll leave inspired.

I couldn't quite figure out what to place this under so I chose Landmarks & Historical buildings…read morebecause it is housed in the old Tenn.Valley Bank, built in 1927 and has a little museum upstairs on the 3rd floor. But this is the Morgan County Archives which houses huge tomes of records, genealogical papers and a most interesting display (with original documents/photos) of the Scottsboro trial. I initially went in to ask about the Garth cemetery which lies untended in the thickets behind Rose Lawn Cemetery and had a fascinating conversation with John Allison, their archivist who gave me a more detailed study of the families buried there. One of the more interesting things displayed on the first floor was original documents, court papers and photos of the Scottsboro trial where eight young African American men were put on trial for raping two white women (One later recanted her story). I have seen a documentary on this farce of a trial and it was intriguing reading excerpts from the actual trial. Upstairs on the third floor is a conference room/museum that Mr. Allison is working on. It has a confederate soldiers complete uniform, WWII uniforms and military items donated, household utensils, several weaving looms, old cameras and office machines. This is definitely a hidden gem in the Old Decatur section and worth stopping by. They normally open around 8 a.m. but are closed on holidays.