Vulcan Park and Museum
Vulcan Park and Museum things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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The Vulcan statue is the largest cast iron statue in the world, and is the city symbol of Birmingham, Alabama, United States, reflecting its roots in the iron and steel industry. The 56-foot tall statue depicts the Roman god Vulcan, god of the fire and forge, with ironworking equipment.
attractions: Milky Way Brownie Bar, Birmingham Public Library Southside Branch, Red Mountain, restaurants: Surin West, IKKO Japanese Ramen and Sushi, Dreamland BBQ, Mellow Mushroom Birmingham, Chez Fonfon, The Original Pancake House, Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q, Highlands Bar & Grill, Pop's Neighborhood Grill, FILTER-Coffee Parlor
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Description
The Vulcan statue is the largest cast iron statue in the world, and is the city symbol of Birmingham, Alabama, United States, reflecting its roots in the iron and steel industry. The 56-foot tall statue depicts the Roman god Vulcan, god of the fire and forge, with ironworking equipment.
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NOTE: if you have serious acrophobia (fear of heights) do NOT go up to the top of the statue. The railing and metal mesh flooring will seem insubstantial. You can stare at the ground between and below your feet through the flooring material. If the elevator is out of service as it was on our visit, the climb up can be a challenge for those with mobility issues or if you’re out of shape. I had to stop a few times and there are no seats along the way. The climb down is easy. The railing is higher than the average 7 year old’s head. The small windows along the exterior of the statue pedestal are open and some could be problematic for active younger visitors prone to dangerous curiosity. Ok with that out of the way. You really should visit this gem of a park in the middle of Birmingham. It’s just a short drive from the interstate and you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the city. The walk around the statue balcony is amazing and exhilarating. It is not for the faint of heart. The small museum included with the price of access to the statue is worth your time. It covers the history of Birmingham, lots of info about the statue’s design and construction, and even touches on the region’s tough history of racial issues. The restrooms are clean and the staff are friendly and helpful. You should give yourself at least an hour or two to thoroughly enjoy the statue view, the museum, and grounds. But if you’re short on time you could do it in 30-45 min. Tickets are about $6 or so per person for the statue and museum. Visiting just the grounds, gift shop, and restrooms are free. They give kids a free visual scavenger hunt to encourage engagement. Again there are many wonderful viewing areas of the city surrounding the park. But the best views by far are to be found atop the statue. We will return.
R SR S
00
A Cheeky Adventure with a View" If you're venturing into Birmingham and fancy a look at the city from new heights, a visit to Vulcan Park is an absolute must. Just be prepared, because the towering statue of the Roman god Vulcan offers a view that's quite... rear-lit. Sure, most folks come here to soak up the panoramic views of Birmingham's sprawling beauty. And let me tell you, the city looks dazzling from up here. But let’s not skirt around the main attraction that caught my eye and that of a giggling gaggle of elementary school kids: Vulcan's impressively chiseled 'buns of steel'. I haven't seen a wedgie that defined since my high school gym class nightmares. There I was, enjoying the urban vista, when I turned around and—bam!—there it was. Vulcan's posterior, defying the bounds of bronze craftsmanship. It was so meticulously sculpted that I found myself doing a subconscious comfort check on my own posterior. Okay, so I didn't have to turn around - it's the first thing you notice when you park. Now, we didn’t venture up the monument or dive into the historical depths of the museum. Instead, we stayed grounded, chuckling along with the kids on a field trip who summarized the experience better than any brochure could: “Look at that wedgie!” In conclusion, Vulcan Park is a fantastic spot not only for its educational value (honestly, it does explain how Birmingham came into its own thanks to local resources) and breathtaking views but also for its unexpected dose of humor courtesy of a Roman deity’s tight squeeze. Whether you’re a history buff, a fan of great landscapes, or just in the market for a good laugh, Vulcan Park delivers from all angles. So go on, enjoy the view—just be ready for the cheeky bonus.
Kermit JonesKermit Jones
00
I love that this was a fun and easy hike up to from 5 points! I didn't get to go exploring the trails, just the museum and statue, but still enjoyed it quite a lot. One $6 ticket allows you into the museum and a ride up the elevator to the feet of the statue (or you also have the option to walk the staircase *inside* the pillar, which is absolutely what I did!). The museum is nicely done, approximately 7-8 rooms with the history of the town, culture, community, and struggles. It also gives a history of why this spot was so important to Birmingham. I would have loved to see more of the cave aspect, but I can only imagine it's not as safe or stable... You get a great overview of the city from even the base of the statue! There are binoculars to use, and a little drink and snack cart (with adult beverages!) to treat yourself after that hike. I loved that they had this really neat bicycle tuning tool near the parking lot! I've never seen anything like it! It had everything you could need to fix anything with your bike. How thoughtful!
Megan MorrisMegan Morris
60
Vulcan is a great place to learn a little bit about the history of the steel and iron industry in Birmingham and have a nice walk. There is a small exhibit that gives information on some workers and on some of the work they used to do back then. I did not take pictures of all of it as it is nicer when you stroll through it and read some of the info. They also have a screen running and advertisement of how manufacturing increased during wartime. In case you want to take a walk after seeing the Vulcan statue, seeing the sights from a high place, or are done with the exhibit, there is also a trail that extends for quite a bit. You can take your pets on the trail and ride a bike if you want to, but be mindful of others who are walking on the trail as it does get narrow in some parts, but still wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side. Visit Vulcan if you want to learn a little, have a small family outing, or just want to walk a new trail.
Jasson TorresJasson Torres
00
Vulcan Park is located in Birmingham city, Alabama. One of the wonderful place to visit . The Vulcan statue is the largest cast iron statue in the world, and is the city symbol of Birmingham, Alabama, reflecting its roots in the iron and steel industry. The 56-foot tall statue depicts the Roman god Vulcan, god of the fire and forge with ironworker equipments. The Vulcan statue consists of 29 cast-iron components with connecting flanges that are bolted together internally. The heaviest section is his whole head, which weighs 11,000 pounds (4,990 kg). Iron forgemen designed and executed the connection details for the statue, which originally had no internal framework and was self-supporting. The grey iron castings were made in Birmingham entirely from locally produced iron.
ShivakumarShivakumar
20
I come to Alabama on Business trips all the time and this time I came with my 10 year old son, so I decided we needed to have some fun and do some exploring... My friend that lives here recommend we come here and check out the museum and the monument, so we did! We had a great time seeing the Awesome view of the city from the top of the monument and absolutely enjoyed all the historical enrichment we experienced. I took lots of pictures so we can revisit and do a lot more reading when we are not pressed for time like we kind of were on our visit. The facility is Beautiful, the bathrooms 🚻 were Super clean and I would Highly recommend a visit to Anyone with or without kids as I still had a Great time and was super happy my son got to come along! 😁👍🏼
Benjamin MoisBenjamin Mois
30
Nearby Attractions Of Vulcan Park and Museum
Milky Way Brownie Bar
Birmingham Public Library Southside Branch
Red Mountain
Milky Way Brownie Bar
5.0
(46)Click for details
Birmingham Public Library Southside Branch
4.1
(14)Click for details
Red Mountain
4.4
(8)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Vulcan Park and Museum
Surin West
IKKO Japanese Ramen and Sushi
Dreamland BBQ
Mellow Mushroom Birmingham
Chez Fonfon
The Original Pancake House
Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q
Highlands Bar & Grill
Pop's Neighborhood Grill
FILTER-Coffee Parlor
Surin West
4.4
(864)$$
Click for details
IKKO Japanese Ramen and Sushi
4.4
(831)$$
Click for details
Dreamland BBQ
4.4
(1.3K)$$
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Mellow Mushroom Birmingham
4.3
(600)$$
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Reviews
Overview
4.7
(2.1K reviews)
Phone
(205) 933-1409
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Website
visitvulcan.com
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Deep Dive
A deep dive into Vulcan Park and Museum
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