Whether you want to get out of the sun for a day, teach the kids a little history, or you just love all things history-related, the plethora of Alabama museums in the Mobile Bay area provide a slew of artifacts to be explored. Discover what Native Americans have left behind, as well as items brought by the Spanish, French, and Africans that make Southern Alabama what it is today.

You can start exploring as near as Orange Beach at the Indian and Sea Museum where you can examine artifacts left by Native Americans as well as early fishing tools and equipment. If you head less than an hour east, you'll arrive in Pensacola where you can explore the National Museum of Naval Aviation, the world's largest naval aviation museum and one of our biggest Alabama museums. View beautifully restored aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. This is a great place for kids as they'll get a kick out of using the 3D flight simulators.

Heading back west towards Foley, you can explore the region's local history at the Baldwin County Heritage Museum, the Fairhope Museum of History, and the Foley Railroad Museum. The railroad was constructed in Foley in the early 1900s. Moving along to the city of Mobile, you'll find several Mobile museums that will open your eyes to Alabama's history, including the History Museum of Mobile, the National African American Archives and Museum, the Mobile Carnival Museum and the Mobile Medical Museum.

Many of southern Alabama's museums contain artifacts from U.S. military history. Don't be surprised to discover Civil War era artifacts from ships as well as guns, canons, and medical equipment from the period. Also delight in clothing and jewels that once belonged to Carnival queens and flappers. If you miss a day of white sand beaches, you definitely will not be bored. Check out our articles on Alabama museums to get more information about each museum and plan your itinerary.

Explore our Gulf Coast museums from one of our Gulf Shores rentals or Gulf Shores condos. Browse these properties, as well as our Orange Beach rentals and Orange Beach condos, today.