By Michael Sznajderman
Birmingham has so much to offer, especially for visitors.
From our important civil rights sites, to our unique industrial heritage, to our amazing parks and greenways, to our nationally recognized foodie scene, we punch above our weight as a destination.
So why is it that, unlike most destination cities, some of our most significant attractions are closed on Sundays?
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute? Closed.
Sloss Furnaces National Historic Site? Closed.
The A.G. Gaston exhibit and the National Park Service portion of the A.G. Gaston Motel? Closed.
(A clarification: the delightful Alicia’s Coffee Shop inside the motel is open on Sunday. If you haven’t been there, you’re missing out.)
I love going to Alicia’s anytime – it is fun and friendly, and just thinking about the history that took place at the Gaston Motel is reason enough to have a seat and a coffee and soak it all in. But stop by there on a Sunday and you’ll witness the problem.
On one recent Sunday afternoon at Alicia’s, while I sipped an iced coffee, travelers from Ireland, from Mississippi, from Chicago and Philadelphia stepped inside the coffee shop.
They were expecting to be able to step into the motel’s courtyard where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Revs. Fred Shuttlesworth and Ralph Abernathy and other civil rights leaders gathered and planned strategy during the climactic 1963 protests. The travelers had hoped to visit the Civil Rights Institute and learn about our city’s past and progress and its contributions to global human rights. No go.
Of course, many of our famous restaurants also are closed on Sundays, although there are great Sunday brunch and even dinner options in the central city and across the metro. Back Forty Beer Company is one place where you can have lunch and a cold brew on Sunday, and sit outside to enjoy our stellar fall weather. But just across the street, the gates at Sloss Furnaces are locked.
To be fair, Birmingham has some great attractions that are open on Sundays. The Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Birmingham Zoo are open. So is McWane Science Center. So is Vulcan Park and Museum. Folks also can enjoy our expanding park network, from Red Mountain Park to Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve, to Railroad Park and Oak Mountain State Park.
But for visitors staying downtown, convention-goers, and folks passing through on the interstate, Sunday hours at Sloss Furnaces, the A.G. Gaston Museum/courtyard and the Civil Rights Institute would really up the game — especially for those interested in our city’s civil rights and industrial history.
It’s not a complicated fix. If it’s a question of staffing costs, consider shifting schedules to allow for these important attractions to open for a few hours Sunday afternoons. And if it forces these institutions to close on another day, isn’t it more important to be open for visitors and travelers and families on Sundays vs. Tuesday?
As for the National Park Service, if staff aren’t available, why not train volunteer docents to be at the A.G. Gaston Motel on Sunday afternoons? It’s baffling that the park service — eight years after the Birmingham Civil Rights District was designated a National Monument — doesn’t have a physical presence in the district every day. (And another thing: how much longer till the park service restores the famous “war room” at the Gaston Motel where King, Shuttlesworth and other civil rights leaders held their meetings? I mean, we’re talking ONE motel room!)
Real cities with big attractions keep those attractions open on Sundays, when many families are off from work and school and are looking for things to do. And those who are intentionally visiting our city on a weekend shouldn’t be negatively surprised and disappointed to learn that some of our most important sites are shuttered on a Sunday afternoon.
Birmingham is known for Southern hospitality, its caring people and welcoming spirit. Sunday shouldn’t be an exception.
Michael Sznajderman is a retired public relations professional and former newspaper reporter, columnist and editor. He lives in Birmingham.
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David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).
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