It was a good visit. It's a museum that is affiliated with Troy University. It's located at their downtown campus, and was built on the site where Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on the Cleveland Avenue bus. The museum is a great memorial to the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement" as it continues to educate its visitors about the Montgomery Bus Boycott with historical artifacts and visual displays that make you feel as if you're actually witnessing history.

As you enter the main building, you'll see the sculpture of Rosa Parks on the bus bench by Erik Blome. This is also where you pay for admission to both parts of the museum. You can visit just one, but it's recommended to see both. They all start at certain time intervals, so be aware of that. You start your self-guided tour at the Children's Wing where you enter the Cleveland Avenue Time Machine. It looks like the bus that Rosa Parks was riding on the day she was arrested, only it has a robot operator. It's basically a fun trip back in time that uses special effects and movie screens to show you the events starting with the onset of enforced racial segregation in the 1800s. You'll also learn about Dred Scott, Homer Plessy, Harriett Tubman, and Henry "Box" Brown. It starts when you enter the bus at the appropriate time. We were the only ones there on a weekday. There wasn't a whole lot of guidance in this building. I didn't even know there was a second floor, so I missed that part.

We then went back to the main building for another timed exhibit. You enter a room and watch documentary footage of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Rosa Parks' arrest, as well as hear from some of the people behind the boycott using multi screens. The doors open up after the presentation, and you walk into a separate room that has a 1950's era bus similar to the Cleveland Avenue bus. The actual bus is at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn (near Detroit). What's cool is that you are witnessing the entire event (or reenactment of the bus ride) through special effects. This was the highlight of the visit.

Another door opens up so that you can enter the main exhibit area. This is where you'll see historical artifacts such as the arrest records, court documents, and police reports. You'll also see exhibits of the backlash that African Americans faced during and after the boycott as white business owners retaliated. It's brutal. You'll definitely walk away with a better understanding of life in Montgomery during that time period, and the courage that brought about the positive changes that we continue to see each and every day.

But, it doesn't stop there. You'll also see artwork exhibited in the museum. The most recent one is from Alana Enfinity. It's a beautiful exhibit that is very expressive and colorful.

It's a must see when visiting Montgomery. It's a unique experience that shouldn't be missed. I just wish there were more people there on a weekday. I think I saw one other couple the entire time I was there. I'll leave you with one other very important piece of information. There are limited free parking lots nearby. There's a parking lot on Molton Street near the School of Nursing. Don't feed the meters.