Gorgas House Museum

Many colleges and universities offer first-year experience programs similar to The University of Alabama’s Camp 1831. These programs help new students in their transition to their selected institution with events, tours, and other activities.

History shows us that change is constant. And this is true for historic spaces, the narratives they share, and the interpretations they develop. The built environment, including buildings, walkways, fountains, and landscaping, all change based on the needs and wants of the people of their time.

Museums and art galleries create exhibits to showcase specific topics of interest. These can be about a specific moment, historic event, person, interpretation, or almost anything deemed educational.

Museums and curators have many responsibilities. They create exhibits for their guests to learn about a variety of topics, develop programs for public engagement, and often host events as a service to their communities.

The Gorgas House provides a place to learn about The University of Alabama’s history, a space for campus engagement, and a home for our student communities, but it is also a beautiful vista. Visitors to the university often stop by to walk the grounds, see the gardens and take in the stately columns.

While the Gorgas House regularly promotes programs with on-campus visitors including students, staff, and faculty, it provides a service to our off-campus communities as well. In collaboration with UA Early College’s LEAP (Leaders Exploring Academic Possibilities), the Gorgas House hosted 30 rising high school students this week.

The interim period on college and university campuses often seems quiet. Courses finished, students graduated or moved home, and fewer people walk across their grounds. But, this time often offers opportunities for those who cannot usually access the collegiate landscape.

Historic spaces face many challenges. These include upkeep, visitor engagement, program development, and collections care among many others. These challenges require a balancing act between time, resources, and use of the space.

The University of Alabama‘s Finals Week brought many students, families, and friends through the doors of the Gorgas House Museum. Some seniors often come to the museum to visit and walk through for the first time saying say they didn’t know they could come in. This is a phrase we’ve heard before.

The Gorgas House Museum is now offering weekly blog posts on our website! We intend to offer a review of the week’s programs, events, and points of reflection. Feel free to reach out to us with questions or comments.