Perhaps the best place to learn about Mobile’s impact on our country is the History Museum of Mobile, housed in the Old City Hall and Southern Market. Completed in 1857, this landmark was once a place where citizens and government officials came to make their mark on Mobile. As you enter, notice the architecture—those high ceilings and grand arches were designed to reflect the prosperity of the port city. Mobile’s story is told through exhibits like “Old Ways New Days,” which takes visitors back through Mobile’s impressive nearly 325-year history from its first Native American inhabitants to now. Head inside to see it for yourself!

Welcome to Colonial Fort Conde. While what you see today is a reconstruction built for the 1976 Bicentennial, it sits on the very site where French explorers once guarded the gateway to 'La Louisiane.' Though, today’s reconstruction doesn’t quite do the fort’s former grandeur justice - about one third of the fort was reconstructed at four-fifths the original scale. For a century, this fort—under various names like Fort Louis, Fort Charlotte and Fuerta Carlota—was the military heart of the region. It was the shield that protected early colonists from both the elements and rival powers. The fort played a significant role during the American Revolutionary War when Spanish forces (allied with the Americans) captured it from the British in the 1780 Battle of Fort Charlotte. Today, you can catch living history reenactments, musketry demonstrations and guided tours, or take in the view of Mobile’s modern skyline from atop this historic landmark. 

By now, you’ve surely heard that Mobile is the birthplace of Mardi Gras in America. We mobilians like to tell that story loud and proud. While other cities may try to claim the crown, Mobile started the party in 1703. The Mobile Carnival Museum, housed in the historic Bernstein-Bush house, showcases the opulence of our mystic societies. Throughout the museum’s newly renovated rooms you’ll find the glamorous crowns and septors, colorful costumes, and other whimsical pieces of carefully curated carnival history. During your tour, pay special attention to the legend of Joseph Cain. Following the Civil War, Mobile was under Union occupation, and the city’s traditional New Year’s and Carnival festivities ground to a halt. In a move to "lift the region from despair," Joe Cain gathered friends and paraded through the streets of Mobile, bringing back Mardi Gras celebrations and inventing his infamous character "Chickasaw Chief Slacabamorinico" (also known as Chief Slac). Head inside to experience the rich history and traditions “behind the mask.” Got time for a bonus location? Check out Church Street Graveyard after this for a peek at the site where Joe Cain’s Merry Widows wail over his grave each year.

National Maritime Museum of the Gulf offers an immersive journey through Mobile’s maritime history and significance. Located right on the water, the space also gives visitors a view of one of the most important pieces of Mobile’s history - how do you think we got our nickname “the Port City?” Since the 1700s, the Port of Mobile has been Alabama’s direct corridor to the rest of the world. From this vantage point, you can see the massive cranes and vessels that continue a nearly 325-year legacy of trade. It was here that timber, cotton, and iron first flowed out to the Atlantic, and where diverse cultures flowed back in. During World War II, the Port of Mobile underwent a massive industrial explosion. The Gulf Shipbuilding Corporation and Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company turned the Port into one of the nation’s most productive maritime hubs. Learn about this impressive history, the Mobile Tensaw Delta’s vast biodiversity, and more throughout the museum's exhibits. Getting hungry? Sit and chat about your nautical findings over a sandwich or salad at the Fresh Fruit Cafe, located in the museum’s grand lobby with a fantastic view of the Mobile River from their outdoor dining area.

Commissioned in 1942, the USS Alabama served in both the North Atlantic and South Pacific seas during World War II, earning itself nine battle stars and the nickname “the Mighty A” during its short but remarkable career. In the 1960s, when the ship and other warships were headed to the scrapyard, the school children of Alabama gathered their pennies and raised support to save this significant ship and give her new life as the anchor attraction of a Veterans Memorial Park. As you walk the decks, consider the 2,500 sailors who lived in these cramped quarters, operating a floating city that helped turn the tide of global history. Over the years, The battleship has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Mobile and the State of Alabama as a whole. Today, the veteran’s memorial park is also home to the USS Drum, a World War II submarine, and an Aircraft Pavilion with an impressive collection of airplanes, helicopters, land vehicles and war artifacts.

Welcome to Africatown, a community dedicated to development, education and preservation of cultural heritage. In 1860, 52 years after the international slave trade was abolished, the schooner Clotilda arrived in Mobile Bay, illegally carrying 110 enslaved West African people. This was the last known US slave ship. After the Civil War, the survivors founded their own community: Africatown. Today, their descendants have forged new paths while keeping the traditions and stories of their ancestors at the heart of the community . Since its opening in 2023, the Africatown Heritage House is home to 'Clotilda: The Exhibition,' which tells the real, unfiltered stories of the people—their names, their families, their resilience. It is a story of survival against all odds, preserving a culture that began on the shores of Benin and took root in the soil of Alabama. The Heritage House also serves as a hub for the Africatown community. Hosting events, lecture series and festivals. Head inside and experience the stories of Africatown for yourself.

Take the ferry or drive south to the tip of Dauphin Island to find Fort Gaines. Established in 1821, this fort played a pivotal role in the Battle of Mobile Bay. It was here, in August 1864, that the Union and Confederate forces clashed in a desperate struggle for control of the South’s last open port. Upon entering the Fort, you can still see the original tunnel systems, a blacksmith shop, a museum, and the original cannons still pointed toward the Gulf. It is not so difficult to imagine the struggle and sacrifices of those battling to protect the American coastline. Due to its proximity to the water and shoreline erosion, this site is considered one of the most endangered historic sites in America. Have you ever heard the quote, 'Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!' ? This was Admiral David Farragut’s famous cry during the Battle of Mobile Bay. In 1864, 'torpedoes' were actually tethered underwater mines. When one of his ships sank, Farragut famously ignored the danger and charged his fleet into the bay. Nods to this famous saying are likely to be found all around Mobile - you may have noticed some references if you’re staying at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel in their room decor. Go ahead, explore the Fort and then enjoy the beaches of Dauphin Island.

Nestled in the greenery of Langan Park, the Mobile Museum of Art is the largest art museum between New Orleans and Jacksonville. While its collection spans the globe, its heart is in the South. The museum highlights the region's unique contribution to American art, from traditional crafts to contemporary masterpieces. It serves as a cultural mirror, reflecting how the diverse people of the Gulf Coast have viewed themselves and their world over the centuries. To commemorate America’s 250th birthday, the Mobile Museum of Art is currently hosting a special exhibition titled "America 250 – Kent Portfolio,” which will run through August 29th. The centerpiece of the exhibit is the Kent Bicentennial Portfolio: Spirit of Independence, a collection originally produced in 1974 to mark the nation’s 200th anniversary. For this project, twelve artists were tasked with interpreting the same question: “What does independence mean to you?” Head inside the museum and see the works for yourself. When you’re done, take a walk around Langan Park and contemplate your own answers to that question. Do you think the answers are different today than they were in 1974, 1776 and 1702?

Come sit in Bienville Square as we tell you the tale of its namesake. Before there was the Mobile you see today, there was 'La Mobile' at 27-Mile Bluff, known now as the “Old Mobile Site” about a half-hour north of downtown. Founded by Governor Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and his brother Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville in 1702, La Mobile was the first capital of French Louisiana. The area would not officially become part of the State of Alabama until 1819, over 100 years later. Due to flooding, the settlement eventually moved south to the Mobile where you currently sit, though the archaeological remains at the bluff are a time capsule of the very first European colony in the state and are recognized as a National Historic Landmark, which can be seen from the water on Historic Blakeley State Park's Delta Explorer "Old Mobile Cruises" throughout the year. It was there that the first 'Cassette Girls' arrived from France and where the first alliances with the Choctaw were forged. It is the true 'Ground Zero' of Alabama history. For a bit of fun as you enjoy Bienville Square, think back to what you have seen of Mobile so far. How many other places around Mobile have you noticed that are named after the founding Le Moyne brothers? We’ll give you some hints: there’s a restaurant, a souvenir shop and a whole neighborhood, just to name a few.