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Sloss Furnaces

4.6 (100 reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sloss Furnaces Photos

Recommended Reviews - Sloss Furnaces

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Sarah P.

Took my mom to the annual dia de los muertos celebration put on by Bare Hands on November 2, 2024 at Sloss Furnaces. The last time I was at Sloss was about 10 years ago when they still put on a huge haunted house. Crazy to see the same location with a completely different atmosphere. Nov 2 is my mom's birthday and the anniversary of my dad's death, so the festival was the perfect was to honor both in a respectful way. The ofrendas were all so beautiful, it makes me want to put one in my home. Some people went all out on the makeup and costumes, and the parade and performances were really fun to watch. The food was delicious! Authentic Mexican food isn't easy to find in Alabama, but the tacos we had were as authentic as I've ever had (lived in El Paso,TX for several years)

Ashley S.

My coworkers and I were treated to a team building exercise at Sloss Furnace. I didn't know that they offered tours of the site and we were allowed to participate in a metal art class. They offer other unique classes too like bowl making. You can check out their events page for more information. For the metal art class, they give you a block of really hard sand and then you basically draw and then trace your design. They also give you instruments to help you create your art. Once done, you get to see them pouring the hot iron into your "sand box," which was pretty cool to witness. Now you do have to wait a couple of hours (I think approximately 2) for your design to fully set. During this time, we took the guided tour. I learned so much about Sloss and the workers and how some chose to stay on onsite with their families. I can't imagine that especially with all of the fumes and hot temperatures. The Sloss Furnace has some very interesting facts and our tour guide was so patient with us and very educated about its history. He was awesome and super nice (sorry can't remember his name). Definitely you could bring your family and/or a nice date... they even have concerts and festivals. Definitely check them out and visit soon.

Wind fan
Jasmine T.

Sloss is a great event space, especially during the Springtime. I came for the Magic City Mimosa festival and the weather was perfect, making it a great day to walk around and mingle. There's a pond in the middle with a pretty big fountain that sprayed water on ya if you sat too close to the shore. There's also a stage for concerts or a dj and there were tables setup for eating and drinks. I found a cozy spot in the shade to settle down and sip. The grounds were well maintained so I didn't have trouble making my way through the grass or dealing with bugs. There were plenty of food trucks and vendors along the back fence, which gave guests a variety of options. I'd like to come back and see the space during a nighttime

Kate C.

This is such a cool historical site. There is a lot about the history of Birmingham and how coal and steel revitalized the industry after the revolutionary war. The site is very well preserved and you can explore most of the complex.

Hero donuts
Staci J.

Here for the Food+Fire event. There is a good number of local businesses here and some out of state showcasing samples of their food. You will get full! I tried ribs from Dreamland and Helen, corn from Aww shucks, pork tenderloin from Socu and beer from Ferus. There were many other options to try food from. This is the first year of the event and I am sure it will grow in years to come.

Hunter S.

For explorers and photographers, this is a great spot. I took a lot of cool photos and probably should have spent more time there. I did take the tour (which I arranged by email on the website). Tyler helped me coordinate the tour and was extremely helpful. Tours are 10 dollars. That being said, I'm not sure the tour was totally worth it. It was extremely technical. I think there might be an audio tour available, and the guided tour didn't offer much that you can't get from that, or reading the plaques, or some brief online reading. Still worth a stop. There is a visitors center and gift shop on site. The site itself is free to visit.

Suzanne S.

Stopped by this awesome historic park this weekend while visiting Birmingham. I've always heard the place was haunted, so it was on my to do list. Unfortunately, we were unable to walk around and explore due to the park being over capacity. The nice lady who worked the gates allowed us to go in and take a few photos if we promised to come right back out. Such a kind thing so I didn't have to leave without seeing it! They have festivals, music, parties and lots of history. Don't miss this massive site!

Pouring 2000 degree iron into the cast
Paul C.

"Sips and Strokes on steroids". This is one of the coolest things I've done in Birmingham. Did you know there are artists at Sloss who are dedicated to making and supporting the metal arts community? These artists have a passion for preserving and cultivating the original iron making processes. They use time tested techniques to transform our natural resources into pig iron. The group is organized as a non-profit named Sloss Metal Arts (www.slossmetalarts.com). Sloss Metal Arts offers workshops where anyone can come and design their own iron creation. It is a hands on experience where you start with a basic cast. I made a bowl. The artist explained how you take your vision and transfer it to the cast. Using their tools you carve your design into the cast. Next, you get to see the blast furnaces in action. The walking tour is fine, but this is an amazing demonstration of the casting and iron making process. I did the workshop as a work team-building activity, but it would be great for individuals or any group. It was a fascinating learning experience. We should never take our natural resources for granted. For me, seeing the working furnace made me appreciate how critical this region was to the Industrial Revolution. Go to the Sloss Metal Arts website for dates and cost of the workshops. I think this is definitely a BHM bucket list item.

Jennifer K.

I HIGHLY recommend taking the tour with Tyler! Sloss was awesome and worth visiting! Tyler did a fabulous job explaining the history and relevance of Sloss. He was very knowledgeable, nice, and patient. The tour was only $10 a person and is a great value.

Taco Fest at Sloss
Lucy T.

There's always great events here at Sloss Furnaces! From Sloss Fest, to Sloss Fright Fest, to Taco Fest. It's a great outdoor area to host events. Parking can be little scarce here so be prepared for a bit of a walk.

Sloss Furnaces  (12/27/2022)
Gwen W.

Awesome dose of history! Besides the many nooks and crannies to take pictures, I thought the accompany pamphlet given to us when we checked in at the visitors center was great. The numbered areas on the self-guided map gave a brief but detailed description of each major part of this pig iron plant. I'm a history and architecture buff, so I found the working process fascinating all the way from the giant buckets of mined rock that escalated from the train cars in the giant buckets dumbed into the huge furnaces that melted the rocks, separating the sediment and iron, to the liquid iron being poured into the big casts that resembled a pig's nipples - thus the nickname pig iron was started. I highly suggest you make a stop at this national historic landmark if you like learning about life in Birmingham in the late 1800s through the 20th century.

Old steam shovel parked near Sloss furnace.
Michael P.

This is a pretty cool landmark in Birmingham and I can't believe it took me this long to visit. I know they are open during the day and for special events, but they also have guided tour events for which you can purchase tickets. My wife got us some tickets for the "Ghost Tour" at night during a full moon. The docent who guided us is a historian and expert on the history of the furnaces, as well as some of the industrial accidents that lead to Sloss Furnance being "haunted". Whether or not you believe in ghosts, the tour was fun, informative, and the furnace at night under a full moon has as industrial beauty that had many people on the tour taking photos. I think we will be getting tickets for some more tours.

Sloss
Karla W.

Fun place to walk around for kids and adults. Rich in history and beautiful back grounds for photos.

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A must visit while in Birmingham. Self guided tour is great and was not crowded. I loved all the history and related plaques around museum.

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They had trains so my son lost his mind. We didn't explore the whole thing, but it was cool.

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Ask the Community - Sloss Furnaces

Review Highlights - Sloss Furnaces

Seeing the nuts and bolts up close of how the iron industry in the city used to work is pretty cool.

Mentioned in 3 reviews

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City of Birmingham - Sloss Furnace

City of Birmingham

4.4(17 reviews)
1.3 mi

Birmingham is a great city to live! It has that big city feel with a small town charm. Over the…read moreyears, Birmingham has emerged as a slept-on foodie city. Many new restaurants have popped up over the last ten years. New businesses bring more revenue and more revenue brings bigger acts to the city. From Chris Brown to Garth Brooks to Janet Jackson, many big names have graced our city with concerts at our new venues, Protective Stadium and the Coca Cola Amphitheater. There is so much to do in the city. From taking a walk in Avondale Park to watching a movie at Sidewalk Theater, to checking out the latest exhibits in the Museum of Art, to shopping at the Summit, Birmingham has something for everyone. Pro Tip: Follow your favorite businesses on social media to find out about different events that may be taking place. I believe that the current politicians have the city's residents best interests at heart. Mayor Woodfin combines youth and wit and for Birmingham, it works. I appreciate how his administration has helped minorities and women gain ground in the business sector by the offering of grants through non-profits such as Rev Birmingham. The school system, while still having room for improvement, has shown tremendous growth since the pandemic that has made national headlines. Is Birmingham a perfect city? No. But has it come a long way from its tumultuous past during the Civil Rights era, yes. There's so much more I could speak on, but don't just take my word. Come for a visit and let the city speak for itself.

I like Birmingham! I give a huge thanks to Birmingham for existing over the years because its music…read morescene was always so much better than Huntsville's especially in the 80s and 90s! Following a two-hour drive from Huntsville, we could be at the BJCC enjoying acts like Judas Priest, Alanis Morrisette, the Who, Kid Rock, and Van Halen (as an add on to their Huntsville shows), many of whom wouldn't bother booking a show in Huntsville's smaller VBCC. My tennis buddies graduated and played college tennis for Samford; my stepdaughter works as a PharmD at UAB; my best friend lived in and returned to the Highlands area (thank goodness); and honorary nieces have gone to college there. I was featured in a commercial in the 90s that was filmed on Red Mountain promoting "Dances With Wolves" and Kevin Costner. It's not that I was special in any way, it was part of a contest that I won. That was a fun day! I can't count the Do Dah Day events I've attended over the years, and the Do Day Nights they used to have on the Friday before the big day! I've enjoyed The Club with my best friend and have celebrated various birthdays there always completely impressed by the view! We hosted my stepdaughter's baby shower there and were so grateful to have the fabulous venue! Thank you, Birmingham for leading the way for culinary excellence! Places that come to mind are Hot and Hot Fish Club, Ocean, El Barrio, and Bottega. Five Points South and Highlands are my favorite areas of the 'Ham! Thank you "Magic City!" You have indeed brough the magic to this girl!

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City of Birmingham - City Council

City Council

City of Birmingham
City of Birmingham

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Historic Five Points South

Historic Five Points South

5.0(1 review)
1.5 mi

When I think of Five Points South, I always think of the famous Frank Fleming sculpture fountain!…read moreIt was installed in 1992 and is entitled "The Storyteller." It honors the life of pre-Columbian art dealer and anthropologist Malcolm McRae and was commissioned by his Mother, Jane. Jane had proposed dedicating a public garden in front of their church, Highlands Methodist Church at Five Points Circle, in his memory. With the encouragement of Cecil Roberts and Mayor Richard Arrington (and his assistant Ann Adams), her idea blossomed into a public commission for a sculptural fountain. The sculpture's Ram represents McRae. This area was incorporated as the Town of Highland in 1887, and today is lauded as a vibrant, retail, entertainment district, and a premier neighborhood and culinary destination. It is known for its annual St. Patrick's parade. I always thought 5 Points South was just the intersection of five streets at the sculptural fountain; however, it is more expansive than I knew! 5 Points' restaurants include Highlands Bar and Grill, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Bottega, Galley & Garden, and Ocean. I've enjoyed dining at Bottega, Hot and Hot, and Ocean. Zydeco is a fun 3-level concert venue and bar I've frequented over the years. In town for a special occasion, I got my hair blown out and styled in Five Points. There is a Historic Five Points Walking Tour that focuses on the historical and architectural nature of the area's temples, churches, apartment buildings, and more. It truly is a walkable part of Birmingham! You can download the brochure at https://fivepointsbham.com/wpcontent/uploads/2018/10/walking-tour.pdf

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Historic Five Points South
Historic Five Points South
Historic Five Points South

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Sloss Furnaces - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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