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Did you know that cotton used to grow six feet tall? Can you name ten famous musicians who are native Alabamians? Ever been on a keelboat?
Billing itself as a "Do-Touch" Museum designed for "edutainment," EarlyWorks lives up to its description. Only a few of the artifacts and none of the interactive exhibits are off limits. Although much of the museum is designed for children, adults definitely do not feel out of place here. It's a welcoming place that you'll want to visit repeatedly - whether you have children or not. And speaking of children, a number of local teachers, school board members, and citizens concerned about history education helped design the exhibits, which are educationally sound as well as lots of fun. Some of my favorite activities at EarlyWorks: · The introductory film tracing Alabama's history from territory to statehood, narrated by Bo Jackson, an Alabama hero who knows.... · Playing on a sixteen foot map of Alabama on the floor. It's easy to locate Alabama's five capitals on this map, even if you need bifocals. · The Alabama Bandstand. Press a button on an instrument and hear music from songwriters and musicians who came from Alabama. Bet you thought Jimmy Buffett was from some island, and Lionel Richie was from Hollywood! · High Cotton. See that tall cotton that was later hybridized down to a more sensible size with higher yield. Loop a bag full of cotton around your shoulder and experience how it felt to drag that heavy load up and down the long rows of red clay in the hot late summer. Then, hand-operate a gin to remove those stubborn seeds from the cotton. · Climb aboard the 46-foot replica of a keelboat, and imagine you're cruising down the Tennessee River, hanging your feet over the side...of course, these were the days before people brought those cute little 'gators home from the tourist shops in Florida, became alarmed at their increasing size, and flushed them down the toilets. Reckon that's really how they got so far north? · If I were a child, I think my favorite exhibit would be the one where you can try on period clothing. I wish they had clothing in my size! After you've played - I mean learned - all you can stand, don't forget to stop by the gift shops. EarlyWorks features two shops, one for adults, and one for children. Find replicas of the keelboat and cotton bolls in the children's shop, and arts and crafts by Alabama artists in the adult's shop. Go To Page: 1 2 |
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