The Aldridge Botanical Gardens are located in Hoover, south of Birmingham. Located on the former Aldridge estate, in addition to the hydrangea-filled gardens the property also features the horticulturalist's former home, now a museum, a pavilion, lake and a hiking trail. The gardens are also a popular location for bird-watching.
Located just a short drive away from downtown Birmingham, Saturn is a concert venue where creativity thrives. Apart from hosting a variety of local and touring acts, the venue also produces music of is very own. Sensors set up throughout the space create ambient sounds when triggered, lending Saturn the illusion of sentient life. This is the ultimate place to be while in the neighborhood for catching a live music performance.
The very genesis of Birmingham, Sloss Furnaces were one of the pioneers in the process of smelting pig iron. Established in 1882, it is this iron industry that prompted the city of Birmingham to grow around it. Over the years, the machinery has gathered abundant rust and experience, both of which tell stirring tales of the industry's glorious heyday. Proclaimed a National Historic Landmark, this antiquated site is an escape into the ancient industrial processes of the country. The site was restored in 1983, and, in addition to the impressive furnaces, there is an industrial museum, a sculpture garden, and a park which lend deeper insights into the history and legacy of Sloss Furnaces. The furnaces also play host to concerts, festivals, events, and activities.
Built in 1927 as a Paramount Studio movie palace, this spectacular Spanish-Moorish edifice was restored in 1998. "The Showplace of the South" hosts live events as well as first-run and classic films. See the 1927 Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ, "Big Bertha", rise dramatically from beneath the stage floor during affairs such as the annual Halloween showing of Phantom of the Opera (the organist arrives carried in a coffin). The theater is within walking distance of the downtown business district.
Explore eight decades of winged history with such historic aircrafts as Huff Daland crop duster, the first Delta Airlines plane, a 1910 Curtis Pusher and an F4 jet fighter. See artifacts from the Red Baron, the Tuskegee Airmen (World War II black fighter pilots), notable female pilots and other aviation pioneers. The museum is conveniently located near the Birmingham International Airport. Group rates and family memberships are available.