Now that Mardi Gras is over and the Lenten season is upon us, it’s time to do something constructive and entertaining with the kids. The perfect place to go is the History Museum of Mobile.

Located at 111 South Royal Street, the museum is located in the Old City Hall/Southern Market near historic Fort Conde and other interesting and historical sites. The permanent exhibits are as fascinating and compelling as the traveling ones.

Permanent exhibits include “Old Ways, New Days,” which explores Mobile’s story from early Native American days and those of the Conquistadors’ exploration to the periods of colonization and modern-day culture and lifestyle. Another is about the Civil War in the Mobile area, with exhibits pertaining to the CSS submarine, the Hunley, soldiers’ uniforms, cannons, and other artifacts.

Another permanent exhibit is that of replicas of historic homes in the area. The miniature, historically accurate homes were handmade by a Mobilian named Aaron Friedman, who created the eight homes for his granddaughters (and one for his wife, Sarah). Another exhibit, also permanent and on the ground floor, is of horse-and-buggy (carriage) days in the Mobile area. Some of the carriages are shown being drawn by (taxidermied) horses. As visitors view this exhibit, their experience is further enhanced with what the sounds of Mobile might have been like at the time, complete with the clop-clop-clopping of horses’ hooves.

Another exhibit that most adults will find fascinating is “Mobile in Mourning: Death Practices in the Victorian Era.” This has exhibits of unusual caskets and funerary artifacts and clothing that people wore after a loved one’s death, including jewelry and wreaths made from the deceased’s hair. Did you know that the prescribed period of mourning back then was a minimum of two years for a widow, but only three months for a widower?

The traveling exhibit is “Sunken Treasures, Ancient Seas: Artifacts from the Deep.” This excellent exhibit entails the exploration of the Mediterranean area and includes findings recovered from long-sunken global shipwrecks. One item that curious children seem to enjoy viewing is an iron tool used by ships to ram (and sink) other ships. Other artifacts include recovered parts of ships, ancient jewelry such as rings and bracelets, pottery, and coins. The “Sunken Treasures” exhibition is on display now through May 10.

The History Museum of Mobile’s hours are Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m., and Sunday, 1:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m. Admission rates are adults $14.00, Senior citizens, military, and students $12.00, children ages 6-12 $8.00, and children under five free. There is FREE admission for ALL on the first Sunday of each month. 

If you’re local, it would be beneficial for you to consider becoming a museum member, where you’re privy to all sorts of special events, and your membership includes free tours of nearby Fort Conde. The website is www.historymuseumofmobile.com. For more information, contact the museum at (251) 208.7569.