Visitors can cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on foot in Selma. At the same time, the historic Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail runs from Selma to Montgomery via the bridge and can be traveled by car. This allows you to shape your trip in different ways: around a visit to the bridge in Selma, or a drive along the historic route to Montgomery.
Memorial sites and different perspectives
Brown Chapel AME Church housed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during the first three months of 1965. Historic Brown Chapel AME Church offers a virtual audio tour of actual events that took place there during the civil rights and voting rights movement of 1965. The church thus offers both a tangible historical connection and a digital way to explore its history.
At the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge is the Selma Interpretive Center, the visitor center for the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. It features an exhibit providing historical context and a bookstore. The Old Depot Museum offers a different focus: it is housed in the former L&N Railroad Depot, and its Civil Rights Room places the events of Bloody Sunday in the local historical context. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; check the hours before your visit, as they may change.
Sturdivant Hall adds the story of a home to Selma’s historic sites. The museum is located in a building constructed in 1856 in the Greek Revival style, an architectural movement that draws on forms of ancient Greek architecture. Tours offer insights into the history of the house and the families who lived there.
Commemorative week, river views, and Alabama in a broader context
The Bridge Crossing Jubilee takes place every year in Selma during the first week of March and commemorates Bloody Sunday. Its commemorative week program includes activities, speeches, and musical performances. If you would like to plan your trip around the Jubilee, check the specific event dates in advance.
The landscape can also factor into your travel plans: a twelve-acre park features a concrete path, a wooden bridge, and two overlooks along the Alabama River. The state also offers a broader historical perspective: Alabama’s largest historic district includes more than 1,200 historic buildings dating back to the 1820s. This statewide context is distinct from the sites mentioned in Selma.
Plan your hotel search around the purpose of your trip
If your trip is linked to the Bridge Crossing Jubilee, check the specific event dates for the first week of March.
Explore more destinations: Tyler.
Return to the main travel overview: Dallas County.
