Free in Montgomery: the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, the state archives museum, Capitol tours, the Civil Rights Memorial, the Riverwalk and city parks.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Hours and admission come from each place’s own website, linked below. Call ahead on state holidays: the state museums close on them.

Montgomery’s best free afternoons sit within a few blocks of each other downtown: the Alabama State Capitol, the Museum of Alabama across the street and the Civil Rights Memorial two blocks away. Out east, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts charges nothing to get in or to park. Add the Riverwalk, 60 city parks and the Curb Market, and a family can fill a weekend without a ticket.

Who to call

  • Alabama State Capitol tours: 334-242-3935
  • Alabama Department of Archives and History: 334-242-4435; tours 334-242-4364
  • City Parks and Recreation: 334-625-2300
  • City events (311): 334-625-4636

Free museums

Place Address Free hours
Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts One Museum Drive, Blount Cultural Park 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday
Museum of Alabama, Alabama Department of Archives and History 624 Washington Ave. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday; closed state holidays
Alabama State Capitol 600 Dexter Ave. Daily self-guided and guided tours; call 334-242-3935 for times

Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. The museum lists free entry and free parking. Its ArtWorks Gallery is the hands-on space for children. The museum sits in Blount Cultural Park, so pair a visit with the park’s trail and pond.

Museum of Alabama. The archives building faces the Capitol. Admission to the museum and the research room is “always FREE,” the department says. Limited free parking is in the lot behind the building on Adams Avenue, with street parking on Washington Avenue, Bainbridge Street and Adams Avenue. The research room is closed Mondays.

Alabama State Capitol. The Alabama Historical Commission lists admission as free for all visitors. The Capitol is a National Historic Landmark and a working building: the governor’s office is inside. The 1965 Selma to Montgomery March ended on its steps, and it is a stop on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. The Goat Hill Museum Store is at the Union Street entrance.

Free civil rights sites

  • Civil Rights Memorial, 400 Washington Ave. Maya Lin designed the memorial, dedicated in 1989; it carries the names of 40 people who died in the movement. The Southern Poverty Law Center says the plaza is open 24 hours a day, every day. The Civil Rights Memorial Center sells tickets separately.
  • Dexter Avenue. Walk from the Capitol down Dexter Avenue to Court Square. The Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church is at 454 Dexter Ave.; Sunday school is at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m.

Free outdoors

From the city’s parks directory:

  • Riverfront Park and the Riverwalk, 355 Commerce St.: a paved promenade on the Alabama River, an open lawn and the amphitheater.
  • Splash pad, 355 Coosa St., on the riverfront.
  • Court Square fountain, 1 Dexter Ave., by the Riverwalk.
  • Blount Cultural Park, 1 Festival Drive: trail, pond, statuary and open lawns.
  • Four dog parks: Bark Park, Audubon, Blount Cultural Park and Rotary Dog Park downtown.
  • Trails at Buddy Watson Park, Cloverdale Road Park and Dorchester Park.

All city parks close at sundown. More on our parks and trails and walking and biking trails pages.

Free to browse: the Curb Market

The Montgomery Curb Market, 1004 Madison Ave., opens at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, all year. Browsing costs nothing; bring cash for the produce and baked goods. Details are on our farmers markets page.

Free city events this fall

The City of Montgomery runs free festivals through the year. Coming up:

  • Parks and Rec Fall Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, Sheridan Heights Community Center: food, music, hayrides and a pumpkin patch, no registration (city listing).
  • Move Montgomery Gobble Wobble 5K Run/Walk, 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 27, Cloverdale Road Park: free registration, with donations to the Heart of Alabama Food Bank (city listing).

The full month is on things to do this month.

What this means for you

  • Rainy day: the Museum of Alabama (Monday to Saturday) or the art museum (Tuesday to Sunday).
  • Monday: the art museum is closed; the Museum of Alabama is open.
  • After dark: the Civil Rights Memorial plaza never closes; city parks do, at sundown.

More guides: kids’ activities, date night and history and landmarks.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts free?

Yes. The museum at One Museum Drive in Blount Cultural Park lists free entry and free parking. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, and closed Monday.

Can you tour the Alabama State Capitol for free?

Yes. The Alabama Historical Commission lists Capitol admission as free for all visitors, with daily self-guided and guided tours. Call the tour office at 334-242-3935.

Is the Museum of Alabama free?

Yes. Admission to the Alabama Department of Archives and History, including the Museum of Alabama, is always free. It is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday at 624 Washington Ave.

When can you visit the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery?

Any time. The Southern Poverty Law Center says the memorial at 400 Washington Ave. sits in an open plaza accessible to visitors 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

What time do Montgomery city parks close?

The City of Montgomery says all city parks close at sundown.