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Arts & Entertainment

Great Escape: Enrich Your Mind at Birmingham Historical Museum and Park

Escape the hectic pace of the day to day by taking a step back in time.

At the intersection of Southfield and Maple roads sits a Birmingham gem that may just be the perfect escape for those days when you have an hour or two to kill before picking up the carpool kids.

The Birmingham Historical Museum and Park is open from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and charges nonmembers a mere $2 for entry ($1 for seniors and members).

The museum features the John West Hunter House, the oldest structure in the community and one of the oldest framed structures in the state. Built in 1822, the house has been restored to its traditional 1840s floor plan and is decorated to reflect Birmingham life in the mid-1800s.

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A short walk from the Hunter House is the Allen House, built in 1928. This structure houses the majority of exhibits in the museum, including the permanent 1920s Kitchen exhibit. Among the exhibits holding court in the Allen House is , which features a collection of cameras and photography spanning five decades.

“In planning our exhibits, we look at trends,” said Leslie Pielack, museum director. “We look at what people are talking about and questions they’re asking. Ultimately, we try to capture what’s of interest to our residents. We have a very small budget, so we try to get the biggest bang for our buck.”

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The Birmingham Historical Museum regularly holds events, including the popular Annual Greenwood Cemetery Tour, which takes museum patrons through the cemetery and provides anecdotes on Birmingham’s famous 20th century personalities. This year the event will take place April 30 at 2 p.m. To register, call (248) 530-1928.

More information on the museum, current and upcoming exhibits and events taking place can be found on the museum’s website and Facebook page.

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