Need a change of scenery? Birmingham artists have you covered — the murals they’ve painted all over town provide plenty of colors, patterns, structures and figures to inspect, both in-person or online.
Whether they’re on UAB’s campus, along downtown’s historic Morris Avenue or in the bustling northeast Birmingham neighborhood of Avondale, these 12 murals are the perfect colorful distraction.
50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement
Painted on the southern wall of the Wells Fargo bank at 18th Street South and Fourth Avenue, the six-foot-tall, 34-foot-wide mural features Martin Luther King Jr., the children killed during the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing and civil rights activist Rev. Frederick Lee "Fred" Shuttlesworth.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
“Angel Wings”
Painted by artist Marcus Fetch, “Angels Wings” is painted on the north exterior wall of the building next to Avondale eatery Melt. It features a large set of wings with which adults can pose and a smaller set to the left for children or someone seated.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
“It’s Awesome to Have You in Avondale”
This mural, created by Robert Clifton with Birmingham digital agency platypi, is painted on the north exterior wall of Avondale Brewing Co. in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
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“Know Your History”
Painted by Tim Kerr, the “Know Your History” mural on the north exterior wall of community center Spring Street Firehouse in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood features Birmingham icons Fred Shuttlesworth, civil rights activist; Sun Ra, American jazz composer; Angela Davis, political activist and author; and Spider Martin, civil rights photographer.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
“Mural of Hope”
Emblazoned with the words “With every fall comes spring,” this mural on the southern exterior wall of Good People Brewing Co. downtown was created by artists Marcus Fetch and Sean Gilder through RedPath Creative in support of the Hope for Autumn Foundation, which raises awareness and money for families battling childhood cancer and for cancer research.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
Rainbow Wall
This colorful mural is 500 feet long and was painted by dozens of volunteers near the railroad tracks off Morris Avenue between 20th and 22nd streets north.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
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Robot mural
Located on the eastern side of a condominium building on downtown’s Morris Avenue, this mural of a tall robot with a monkey friend was painted by Birmingham artist John Lytle Wilson.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
Rotary Trail murals
Covering an entire building at First Avenue South and 23rd Street along downtown’s Rotary Trail, this Birmingham-themed mural was created by various Birmingham artists including Andy Jordan, Catriona Hegarty, Jon Osborne, Ahmad Austin and J. Chanel.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
Rainbow building mural
This vibrant mural, painted along an exterior wall of Southside Apartment Co. at Sixth Avenue South and 32nd Street, was created by Marcus Fetch.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
UAB’s 50th-anniversary mural
The green and gold flora-inspired mural, commissioned by UAB for its 50th anniversary in 2019 and designed and created by students, is painted inside the pedestrian bridge over University Boulevard at 13th Street South.
LEXI COON / University Relations
“What You Do Matters”
Created through Blank Space Bham, the “What You Do Matters” mural on the southern exterior wall of Avondale’s Sozo Trading Co. at First Avenue South and 41st Street was painted by Meghan McCollum, Levi Levinson, Jordan Thompson and Lydia Walker.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
“#What’s Up BHM?”
Painted on the eastern exterior wall of University Place Apartments on 18th Street South on the edge of UAB’s campus, this mural was created by Paul Cordes Wilm and depicts the Rotary Trail sign, the downtown Birmingham skyline and Vulcan.
ANDREA MABRY / University Relations
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