The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration at 115 Coosa Street in Montgomery, Alabama occupies the site of a former warehouse where enslaved people were held before sale in the city's antebellum slave markets. Created by the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) and first opened in April 2018, the museum was significantly expanded into a larger purpose-built facility in 2021, adding new galleries and substantially increasing its interpretive scope. The museum traces a continuous arc of racial injustice in American life from the transatlantic slave trade through Reconstruction, Jim Crow segregation, and the contemporary crisis of mass incarceration.
The museum's curatorial approach is immersive and deliberately uncomfortable. Among its most affecting installations are a series of glass-fronted holding cells housing life-size sculptural figures representing enslaved people, positioned so visitors stand at the bars looking in—a design that inverts the expected museum relationship between viewer and object. Multimedia presentations draw on EJI's extensive legal case archives to narrate the stories of individual people who experienced slavery, lynching, and wrongful imprisonment. The expanded 2021 galleries include new sections on racial terror, the era of segregation, and the disproportionate incarceration of Black Americans in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Historical documents, period photographs, and documentary testimony are integrated throughout the permanent collection.
Montgomery's history as one of the largest centers of the domestic slave trade makes the Coosa Street site particularly resonant: within blocks of the museum, enslaved people were transported by rail, held in warehouses, and auctioned publicly. The museum operates in close partnership with EJI's National Memorial for Peace and Justice on Caroline Street, and combined tickets for both sites are available and recommended. Admission is $8 for adults; children are admitted free. The museum is open Wednesday through Monday.
Why it matters
Opened in 2018 on the site of a former slave warehouse in Montgomery—a historic center of the domestic slave trade—the Legacy Museum traces an unbroken line from American slavery to contemporary mass incarceration, representing one of the most comprehensive and publicly visible reckonings with racial injustice in the United States.
Location
115 Coosa St, Montgomery, AL 36104
32.3793, -86.3090 View on map
Highlights
- Life-size sculptural figures in glass-fronted holding cells, installed on the site of a former slave warehouse
- Continuous narrative galleries spanning the transatlantic slave trade through contemporary mass incarceration
- Rare historical documents, period photography, and EJI legal case archives integrated into the permanent collection
- Immersive multimedia presentations featuring first-person testimony from survivors of slavery and wrongful imprisonment
- Expanded 2021 facility with new galleries on racial terror, segregation, and the modern criminal justice system
Tips for visiting
- Purchase a combined ticket with the National Memorial for Peace and Justice to visit both EJI sites in one day
- Allow at least 2–3 hours; the expanded 2021 museum has considerably more content than the original space
- The museum's content is emotionally intense; the outdoor courtyard offers space for pause and reflection between gallery sections
- Arrive before 3 PM to allow adequate time before the 5 PM closing
- Docents are available in the galleries and can provide additional context on specific exhibits
When to visit
Weekday mornings are quietest; spring and autumn visits allow combination with a comfortable walk to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, located about half a mile away.
Accessibility
The 2021 Legacy Museum facility is fully accessible to wheelchair users, with a level entrance, elevator access to all floors, and accessible restrooms throughout the building.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does a full visit to the Legacy Museum take?
The expanded museum typically requires 2–3 hours for a thorough visit. Combining it with the National Memorial for Peace and Justice makes for a full day in Montgomery.
Is the Legacy Museum appropriate for children?
EJI has developed age-appropriate interpretive materials, but the content covering slavery, lynching, and mass incarceration requires parental preparation. The museum is frequently visited by school groups with appropriate preparation.
Is the museum wheelchair accessible?
The 2021 facility is fully accessible with elevator access between floors, accessible restrooms, and a level entrance from Coosa Street.
Are the exhibitions in English?
All permanent displays and multimedia presentations are in English. Audio guides are available for additional interpretation of selected exhibits.