The Museum of Mobile in Alabama displays Native American artifacts, Civil War cannons, artwork, antique furniture, and more. It has two permanent exhibitions, rotating temporary exhibitions, and a Discovery Room Interactive Gallery. The museum originated from the Franklin Society and moved to the Old Town Hall building in 1999. It was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The Museum of Mobile is a museum occupying the historic Old City Hall building in Mobile, Alabama. The Museum of Mobile preserves and exhibits items from Mobile’s history, including Native American artifacts, Civil War cannons, artwork, antique furniture, and more. The museum also hosts traveling exhibits from other museums and historical societies.
Two permanent exhibitions at the Museo del Mobile tell the story and the art of the city. “Old Ways, New Days” tells the story of the city, starting from the settlements of the Native Americans to the present day. “Walls and Halls” displays historical artefacts and works of art from the city, including furniture, paintings and silverware. In addition to these permanent exhibits, the museum also contains the Discovery Room Interactive Gallery, which educates younger museum-goers about Mobile and its history.
The permanent galleries are complemented by rotating temporary exhibitions. Some draw on items from the museum’s collection that aren’t normally on display, while others showcase the work of local artists. Still others are traveling exhibitions. The Museum also houses collections of records that are made available to historians and researchers working on the history of Mobile and Baldwin counties.
The first collections in what would later become the Museum of Mobile originated with the Franklin Society, a 19th-century group that amassed a collection of historical and scientific books and artifacts. Although the Franklin Society disbanded in 1990, portions of its collections were transferred to the Mobile Public Library. A popular campaign in the early 20th century resulted in the creation of the Historic Mobile Preservation Society, which worked to create a museum for the city’s history. Several temporary exhibits and smaller museums preceded the Official Furniture Museum, which opened in a historic house in the city in 1880.
The Furniture Museum moved from this site to the Old Town Hall building in 1999, with the new museum opening in 2001. The Old Town Hall building, also known as the Southern Market, dates from 1858. It served the city both as the seat of local government and as a covered market. Its role in the city’s history and its impressive Italianate architecture make the Old City Hall building one of Mobile’s most recognizable landmarks.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Mobile. Many of the city’s buildings were damaged by the floods, including the old town hall. The museum closed for several months to repair hurricane damage.
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