Throughout your visit to the Vulcan Park & Museum, observe the amazing panoramic scenery of downtown Birmingham and the nearby area. Tour the museum’s indoor and outdoor exhibits or visit the museum’s tourist information center. Be sure to stop by the gift shop and browse a unique selection of items relating to Vulcan’s history, the city of Birmingham and much more.
The history behind Vulcan in Birmingham Alabama
The idea of Vulcan originated from Greek mythology. Vulcan was known as the Roman god of the Forge. A forge is a workshop where a furnace heats metal and the metal is formed into useful objects. The city of Birmingham Alabama was founded in 1871. Birmingham contained large deposits of the three raw materials needed to make iron and steel: Coal, Iron ore, and Limestone which were all close together. Birmingham's major industries were iron and steel production.
City leaders wanted to gain more recognition and advertising for Birmingham and the state of Alabama. This would be done by entering an exhibit at the St. Louis World’s Fair. Then, a sculptor named Giuseppe Moretti was selected and he had only six months to fulfill the project. He started with a two-foot tall clay model and then advanced to a full-size clay model in which he created plaster molds for.
The next step in this amazing process was for the Birmingham Steel and Iron Company to utilize the molds to create iron statue pieces. This company had to cast 21 pieces at a time. As each piece was formed, they were sent to St. Louis to be assembled. Vulcan was finally completed and displayed in June of 1904 at the World’s Fair. The statue was one of the highlighted exhibits and won the Grand Prize.
For a year and a half, after much debate, city leaders decided Vulcan would stand atop the Alabama State Fairgrounds. Vulcan remained here for almost thirty years. Mr. Moretti was not present to help assemble Vulcan during this time. Therefore, Vulcan wasn’t constructed properly. Vulcan’s left hand was rotated the wrong way, which meant he couldn’t hold his hammer properly. There was a piece of timber to support his left arm. Also, his right hand was rotated the wrong way so that he could not hold his spear.
In 1939, Vulcan moved to his new permanent home in Vulcan Park located on Red Mountain. In 1999, Vulcan was in much need of restoration due to cracks that had developed over the years. The Vulcan Park Foundation was created in 1999 in order to raise funds for restoring Vulcan. From 2002 – 2004, demolition had begun and Vulcan Park was being upgraded but also returning to its original look at the same time. In March 2004, the park was reopened to the public and Vulcan’s 100th birthday was celebrated as well.
- Vulcan Park & Museum is a 100% handicap accessible attraction.
- The Gift Shop and Observation Deck are both open during museum hours.