Rosa Parks Library and Museum, Montgomery, AL

The Rosa Parks Library and Museum is located at 252 Montgomery Street, Montgomery, AL 36104. The library is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm, Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The library and museum is on the Troy University Campus in the heart of downtown Montgomery, Alabama. The address is 252 Montgomery Ave, Montgomery, AL 36104. The Children's Wing is located at 220 Montgomery Ave.

The Rosa Parks Museum offers visitors a chance to see the materials that were related to the Montgomery Bus Boycott as well as the accomplishments of the individuals associated with this time changing event. There is a permanent exhibit, a time machine, temporary exhibit space, classrooms, archives, a conference room and an auditorium.

Things that are part of the museum include the collection of items that were relevant to the Montgomery Bus Boycott as well as identifying them and cataloging them. They also restore and preserve items to be displayed in the collection. The museum is a landmark in the revitalized downtown area of Montgomery. It was constructed on the site of the old Empire Theater. This is where Mrs. Parks made her historic and courageous stand in 1955. There is an interpretive museum on the first floor and 7,000 square feet of the three story building. The entire building encompasses 55,000 square feet which also houses the Troy-Montgomery Campus Library. The auditorium seats 103 people.

Artifacts in the museum include a 1955 restored station wagon, and a public bus replica of the one which Mrs. Parks was riding on that fateful day. They also have the original historic documents of the era that are on loan from the City of Montgomery.

At the Rosa Parks Library and Museum Children's Wing visitors can see the Cleveland Avenue Time Machine. This device allows visitors to see that when things don't happen people must make them happen. The lighting and technology that is incorporated into this exhibit gives visitors the feeling that energy is under somewhat imperfect control. Low and strange frequency audio effects invade the space as well. The walls have colorful images of history floating by; the clouds on the ceiling ignite lighting fires as if from heat lightning.

Visitors approach the bus time machine along a railed walkway. Once inside the bus they meet the driver and see engine parts. The bus driver has glowing eyes and light pulses along his limbs. They have named him Mr. Rivets and he has a strange mechanical voice. Visitors are transported from the early 1800's to the early "Jim Crow'' era. On this journey guests see segregation, and social and legal challenges made by people like Harriet Tubman, Dred Scott, and Homer Plessy. Returning back through time to Montgomery visitors can then visit the second floor Research Center to learn more about the turbulent times of trying to abolish the segregated bus system in Montgomery.