Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum has been named one of the top museums in the state of Alabama by Stacker, an online newsroom distributing data-driven journalism to the world’s news organizations.

Utilizing Tripadvisor and independent research, Stacker ranked the museum as the sixth best in the state.

Located on the University’s Montgomery Campus on the spot of Mrs. Parks’ historic 1955 arrest, the museum opened on Dec. 1, 2000, with the mission of interpreting the story and lasting legacy of Mrs. Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott for future generations.

“Since we opened the Rosa Parks Museum in 2000, over a million people from over 100 countries have participated in this experience,” said Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor. “Well over 100 members of the United States Congress have been here. Many of the icons of the Civil Rights Movement have come through this very special place. We are pleased to celebrate and carry forward the legacy of Mrs. Parks so that those who pass through these doors will understand the significance of what happened here.”

Ray White, Vice Chancellor of TROY’s Montgomery Campus, said the museum annually serves as a popular stop for tour groups and school field trips.

“The Rosa Parks Library and Museum, as well as the Children’s Wing, have become must-visit sites for tour groups, K-12 school field trips, family reunions and Civil Rights tours to Alabama,” White said. “It is often referred to as the beginning of the ‘Modern Day Civil Rights Movement’ where Rosa Parks was arrested in 1955 for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery city bus. Previous community leaders have often referred to the Museum as the ‘Crown Jewel in Montgomery’.”

Constructed on the site of the former Empire Theater, the museum has become a major landmark in the revitalization of downtown Montgomery and annually draws visitors from throughout the country and around the world. As the nation’s only museum dedicated to Mrs. Parks, the museum collects, preserves and exhibits artifacts connected to the life and lessons of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the civil rights movement and provides educational programming and resources for K-12, adult and lifelong learners.

Visitors may also choose to take a trip aboard the “Cleveland Avenue Time Machine” in the museum’s Children’s Wing. By boarding a replica of the Cleveland Avenue bus where Mrs. Parks was arrested, visitors are taken on a 20-minute, virtual trip through the historical events of the Jim Crow Era, setting the stage for what they will see in the museum’s main exhibit.

Located at 252 Montgomery St. in Montgomery, the museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. To learn more about the Museum and admission costs, call 334-241-8615 or visit troy.edu/rosaparks.