Visiting Birmingham's Civil Rights District: the national monument, BCRI hours, Kelly Ingram Park, 16th Street Baptist Church, the Gaston Motel and parking.
Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Hours, fees and addresses come from the National Park Service, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the city, linked inline. The A.G. Gaston Motel is under renovation; check the NPS page before you visit.
In downtown Birmingham, around Kelly Ingram Park, sit the places where the 1963 Birmingham campaign unfolded: the A.G. Gaston Motel, the campaign’s headquarters; 16th Street Baptist Church, where a September 1963 bombing killed four young girls; and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, which tells the story. Together they form the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, run by the National Park Service with its partners. There is no NPS fee.
Who to call
- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute: 205-328-9696
- 16th Street Baptist Church (tours): 205-251-9402
- Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument: nps.gov/bicr
The sites, block by block
| Site | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Civil Rights Institute | 520 16th St. N. | Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| NPS temporary visitor center (inside BCRI) | 520 16th St. N. | Wednesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Kelly Ingram Park | Fifth Avenue North and 16th Street | Daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| 16th Street Baptist Church | 1530 Sixth Ave. N. | Call for tours |
| St. Paul United Methodist Church | 1500 Sixth Ave. N. | Call 205-202-3236 |
| A.G. Gaston Motel | Next to BCRI | Closed for renovation |
| Masonic Temple | 1630 Fourth Ave. N. | Exterior only |
All from the National Park Service’s hours and sites page and current conditions.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Opened in 1992, the institute is a cultural and educational research center next to the Gaston Motel, with exhibits on the struggle for civil rights in Birmingham; the NPS says it reaches more than 150,000 visitors a year. Its galleries are self-guided and take about 90 minutes. Tickets are sold online and in person; members and children below grade 4 get in free. Free parking is behind the building, entered from 15th Street North, according to the BCRI visit page. It is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last admission an hour before closing. Current exhibits include Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See, according to BCRI.
Kelly Ingram Park
An outdoor park with civil rights monuments and a short walking trail, open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. In 1963 it was where protesters, many of them children, were met by police dogs and fire hoses, images that spread across the country, according to the National Park Service. The city lists the park at 3.68 acres; see our parks and trails guide.
16th Street Baptist Church and St. Paul
16th Street Baptist Church, 1530 Sixth Ave. N., was the target of the September 1963 bombing that killed four girls preparing for Sunday school, which the NPS says became a galvanizing force for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It is an active church; contact it for tours and hours.
St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1500 Sixth Ave. N., hosted meetings to integrate city buses in 1956 and nonviolence training in 1963, and was the starting point of the Palm Sunday Children’s March, the NPS says.
The A.G. Gaston Motel
The motel was the headquarters of the Birmingham campaign: in April and May 1963, leaders including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stayed there to plan it. Its 1954 wing is closed for a renovation the NPS expects to take 18 months, adding an elevator and new exhibits. Until then the NPS temporary visitor center is inside BCRI, open Wednesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the NPS current conditions page.
Nearby
- Historic Bethel Baptist Church, 3200 28th Ave. N., about six miles north, headquarters of the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth’s Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights; call 205-322-5360, ext. 103, for tours.
- The Fourth Avenue business district, around the Masonic Temple, where Black-owned businesses thrived under segregation, the NPS says.
- Railroad Park and the Rotary Trail are also downtown; see walking and biking trails.
What this means for you
- Visit Tuesday to Saturday to see BCRI, and Wednesday to Friday for the NPS visitor center.
- Allow about two hours: 90 minutes for BCRI plus a walk through Kelly Ingram Park.
- Park free behind BCRI off 15th Street North.
Related: history and landmarks, free things to do and getting around Birmingham.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument free?
Yes. The National Park Service charges no fees for the monument or the A.G. Gaston Motel, though partner sites such as the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute charge their own admission.
What are the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s hours?
Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday, with last admission an hour before closing. It is at 520 16th St. N.; the NPS also lists 512 16th St. N.
Is the A.G. Gaston Motel open?
No. The motel’s 1954 wing is closed for renovation expected to take 18 months. The NPS runs a temporary visitor center inside the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, open Wednesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
What are Kelly Ingram Park’s hours?
Open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Fifth Avenue North and 16th Street. It is an outdoor park with civil rights monuments and a short walking trail.
Can you tour 16th Street Baptist Church?
The National Park Service says to contact the church directly for tours and hours: 1530 Sixth Ave. N., 205-251-9402.
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