The Southern United States is chock-full of history, and Alabama is no exception. Alabama is home to Dauphin Island, an affordable slice of the Gulf Coast that anyone can enjoy.
Dauphin Island features not just beautiful scenery but a variety of activities, from paddleboarding to renting a bike to exploring historical destinations like Fort Gaines. It’s an ideal vacation destination with tons of educational experiences nearby.
For an extended stay or more privacy than a hotel, check out our breathtaking condo or home rentals for the ideal waterfront experience. You can easily find a 2-3-bedroom rental at Holiday Isle to be suitable for your family vacation. There is a wide variety of things to do near Dauphin Island, along the Gulf Coast; Dauphin Island vacation rentals are not all that are available. For example, there are plenty of museums in Mobile, AL, that anyone will enjoy.
Mobile Museum of Art
Are you an aspiring artist, a critic, or simply someone who enjoys the beauty that is a well-done painting? If so, head to the Mobile Museum of Art in Mobile, AL. Adults and children alike will be entertained by the wide assortment of African, American, Asian, and European art. The collection features 19th-century American landscapes, contemporary glass blowing, and even realist paintings from the WPA area. You’ll love their 100 Years exhibition, which features “snapshots” of collected art from 100 years.
Families will love the For Children Exhibition, which the Museum has designed specifically for kids. If you have artistic children, you won’t want to miss this exhibit! The For Children Exhibit is ideal for children looking for a creative confirmation of artistic ambition, featuring unique yet simple galleries that teach the basics of design, creativity, and artistic relationships.
Finally, be sure to check out the upcoming Fantastical Forest exhibit. Opening in Spring 2022, it features an interactive, fantasy forest that children can play in. Kids can join the animals by climbing into the treehouse and looking down upon the forest floor. The project covers animals, ecology, and art, to educate and expand the minds of young children. It also teaches creative writing, art appreciation, and visual arts. If you’re in the Mobile area, visit the Museum of Arts. It’s a great experience.
History Museum of Mobile
If you’re a history buff, visit the History Museum of Mobile, AL. Open 7 days a week, year-round, and the History Museum hosts all the historical goodness you could hope to enjoy. Their Faces of Mobile exhibit chronicles the history and people who created Mobile and built it into the city you visit today. The exhibition features the history of every influential person that has inhabited or visited Mobile. The permanent Old Ways New Days exhibit is a two-part architecture that begins with Native Americans occupying Mobile, moving through the Civil War period. It is a tumultuous time in history and worth visiting.
You’ll enjoy the History Museum’s upcoming Viking’s Begin and History of Mobile in 22 Objects exhibits. The Viking’s Begin runs until June 12, 2022, and shows dozens of Viking artifacts and outlines some cutting-edge research the Vikings performed. The History of Mobile in 22 Objects runs until June 30, 2022, and features 22 objects from the 300-year history of Mobile, AL. It is meant to show and encapsulate the rich history of Mobile, AL, through 22 influential things and their backstories. Mobile’s leading history professionals have contributed in multiple ways; the exhibit even features an accompanying book. If you like the history of the Southern USA, visit the History Museum of Mobile to help bring the backstories to life.
GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico
If maritime history is your jam, pay a visit to the GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico. With more than 90 exhibits on display, the GulfQuest Museum covers every aspect of American maritime history in the South, including naval warfare, sea trade routes, navigation, maritime commerce, and more.
If being a stevedore has always been a dream, you’ll love the Tools of the Trade exhibit. It showcases all the tools stevedores and laborers used on ships to get the job done, maintain the vessel, and move cargo before everything became automated. The Set Sail exhibit is an immersive experience in which visitors learn how to sail a boat using the wind, currents, and more. You may want to check your pocket for a gold coin and telescope after that one!
The GulfQuest Maritime Museum is housed in a container ship. A realistic replica waits within and allows visitors to examine what drives a modern container ship, including loading procedures, mechanics, etc. If you’re a marine enthusiast and history buff, come to the GulfQuest Maritime Museum. Fair seas and high winds!
Book Your Dauphin Island Rental
Of all the fun things to do near Dauphin Island, these museums in Mobile are among the most popular. You can head back to one of our Dauphin Island rentals to relax and unwind for the evening. ACP is proud to offer a vast catalog of Dauphin Island West End beach rentals for you to choose from. Contact our team today to learn more!
Mobile Carnival Museum
If you’ve ever dreamed of celebrating the incredible Carnival Festival but don’t have the chance to travel to Rio, you can feel transported to the fun-filled Mobile Carnival Museum. At the Carnival Museum, you’ll experience Carnival’s entire rich history, including costume design, historical galleries, videos, and more.
The Carnival Museum features exhibits on float construction and costume design and displays the crowns, wands, and gowns of former Mardi Gras monarchs. The Carnival Museum also offers a perspective on the street view of a carnival, with a rocking float exhibit that visitors can climb on. Food lovers will want to check out the quarterly Carnival and Cuisine exhibit. The exhibition showcases the culinary history of Mobile and Carnival, along with showing the relationship between the two. Tailgating and food trucks are present and encouraged. For an immersive learning experience on the history of Mardi Gras, Carnival, and culinary history, check out the Carnival Museum.
South Alabama Archeology Museum
Archeology is essential to enjoy and understand. Humankind must know where they came from to improve upon the past. The South Alabama Archeology Museum is a perfect exhibit if you love archeology and want to learn more about the Southern United States.
The current 50 Years of Archeology exhibit is an excellent display of the archeology of Mobile, the greater Alabama area, and surrounding areas. The exhibition presents archeological finds from the 1970-2020 time period and aims to transform and expand knowledge on the archeology and history of the Gulf Coast.
In addition to the 50 Years of Archeology exhibit, the Museum covers over 12,000 years of history in the Gulf Coast area. You’ll see shows on Mississippi mound-building people, French settlers, Native American tribes, ancient woodland cultures, and even an African American family set post-Civil War. The Archeology Museum is an excellent opportunity to expand your knowledge of archeology and learn more about the greater Alabama area. Go check it out!