Explore Baldwin County, AL
Arts and Culture
The Baldwin County arts and culture scene is a diverse showcase of the area’s many talents and creativity.
The sheer number of museums dedicated to the craft and past of Baldwin is strong evidence of how imagination and tradition run deep in the community. Museum exhibits and cultural events create dynamic experiences that give locals pride and help draw visitors from all over, giving the region a much-needed economic boost. Many artists also offer services as art teachers to help interested people follow their passion and learn new skills. If you want to live your dream as an artist or be surrounded by masterpieces, call us now so we can find a home that will get your creative juices flowing.
Baldwin County Heritage Museum
25521 US-98, Elberta, AL 36530, US
The Baldwin County Historical Museum was established in 1987 to preserve the region’s colonial past. The main building and its five-acre grounds span 20,000 square feet and feature a variety of notable structures and artifacts illustrating village life in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including a blacksmith shop, a 1909 church, and a schoolhouse. Throughout the year, the museum conducts various events, including the BCHM Golf Scramble and its Veterans Day Program, which includes a unique presentation called Baldwin County Memories that highlights World Wars I and II. Other seasonal features at the museum include an Angel Memory Tree and a Christmas tree exhibit as part of its Christmas Celebration.
Gulf Shores Museum
244 W 19th Ave, Gulf Shores, AL 36542, US
Valorie Cole’s Mobile family originally owned this beloved Gulf Shores museum as a beach house before WWII. In 1979, the city of Gulf Shores took over the building following the destruction caused by Hurricane Frederic. First used as a library and then a youth center, the museum welcomed a new steeple in 1999, courtesy of Oyster Bay Baptist Church. The museum accepts occasional loaned items for new exhibits to keep things fresh. So there is something new to discover with each visit.
Fairhope Museum of History
24 N Section St, Fairhope, AL 36532, US
The Fairhope Museum of History relocated to the newly-restored Old City Hall in 2008. It’s devoted to preserving and sharing the city’s history with its visitors. The museum features a range of permanent and rotating displays highlighting the area’s culture, art, politics, geography, and nautical background. This includes the “Hall of Mayors” with its gallery of oil portraits depicting each mayor of Fairhope, a memorial to the Fairhope Courier newspaper, and a showroom of model ships and the Middle Bay Lighthouse. The museum also hosts a weekly “Tea for Two” event where visitors get a serving of locally-grown tea and a lecture on Fairhope history and culture for a donation.
Holmes Medical Museum
111 W Laurel Ave, Foley, AL 36535, US
The Holmes Medical Museum in Foley, Alabama, may not be the largest or most varied medical museum. Still, it uses its limited space to reflect on obsolete medical technologies’ distant and often terrifying history. From 1936 through 1958, this lovely city’s first hospital was erected atop a previously established 1920s pharmacy, which is today a compelling used book store. Explorers may visit the ancient operating area and examine the 1920s X-Ray equipment, which is reported to emit 30% more radiation than today, as well as some of the untouched patient rooms from decades ago, which now house a formidable collection of obsolete tools.
Marietta Johnson Museum
10 S School St, Fairhope, AL 36532, US
The Marietta L Johnson Museum is a historical goldmine housed at Faulkner State College. It honors the life and work of Marietta Johnson, the city’s Organic School pioneer. The school was a creative breeding ground for students. They had no exams and an emphasis on using creative abilities for instruction. Students were divided into chronological age groups ranging from kindergarten through high school. The only requirements placed on students were punctuality, attendance, and genuine effort. Folk dancing and arts were part of the program. Through its exhibitions, the museum aims to celebrate the life and works of the extraordinary Fairhope resident.
Daphne History Museum
405 Dryer Ave, Daphne, AL 36526, United States
The Daphne History Museum is the second oldest church in Baldwin County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful museum allows visitors to spend hours immersed in Daphne’s fascinating history. The museum, which has an extraordinary collection of carved bugs and a mystery graveyard, was founded in 1858 as a temple of worship. Today, the museum is popular with school groups and others interested in taking a guided tour. Since 2001, it has become a museum. It’s similar to the Fairhope history museum, where the compact space bursts at the seams. History is waiting to pop up in every corner.
Orange Beach History Museum
25805 John Snook Dr, Orange Beach, AL 36561, US
This Baldwin County museum is housed in a structure initially built as a schoolhouse in 1910. Since 1995, the history museum has served the town, and it relocated to its current location in 1999. The Orange Beach History Museum has artifacts and memorabilia from the region’s Native American and fishing past. Families of early fishermen have contributed supplies and artifacts that remind visitors of the hardships and accomplishments of the Orange Beach fishing business in its early days. Even though admittance is free, families and groups can go on group trips and call in for a reservation. The building is also wheelchair accessible, with ramps and railings for guests with disabilities.
Eastern Shore Art Center
401 Oak Ave, Fairhope, AL 36532, US
The Eastern Shore Art Center is a contemporary downtown gallery. The art complex features known artists throughout the country across five galleries, four studios, and a gift store. The monthly art displays show acrylics, watercolors, oils, pottery, driftwood art, and other mediums. The Eastern Shore Art Center, free to the public, is one of the best things to do in Fairhope, Alabama. Artists who want to have their work showcased can become Art Level Members at the Art Center. They offer four ways for members to display their artwork. These include the Members’ Sales Gallery, the Members’ Juried Show, the Members’ Open Show, and the gift store. There is also an annual art display held outside each spring.
Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach
26389 Canal Rd, Orange Beach, AL 36561, US
This art facility is nestled among towering trees on the beaches of Wolf Bay. It has Alabama’s only open-access hot glass-blowing facility that’s open daily, where visitors can watch glass craftsmen create beautiful hand-blown creations. You can also collaborate with their resident clay artist at The Clay Studio. Both studios provide classes. The grounds are ideal for events and special gatherings, with moss-draped oak trees and breathtaking bayfront vistas. The Art Center also hosts the prestigious annual fine arts event, “Festival of Art,” which occurs annually every second weekend of March.
Foley Art Center
211 N McKenzie St, Foley, AL 36535, US
The Claude Peteet Real Estate building houses the Foley Art Center, founded in 1966. This non-profit gallery represents approximately 150 southern artisans and artists. Handcrafted sculptures, ceramics, original paintings, prints, jewelry, handmade candles, fused glass, wood carvings, textiles, and other items are available on consignment. They have also hosted two yearly events for over forty years. Art in the Park is a fine art and craft event held on Mother’s Day weekend, showcasing the work of around a hundred artists. Trim-a-Tree is a six-week holiday art and craft festival hosted at Tanger Outlets in Foley with 150 local artisans.
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