One of the finest surviving movie palaces in the South, the Alabama Theatre opened in 1927 as a Paramount Pictures showplace. The interior is a tour de force of Spanish Gothic ornament — vaulted ceilings, elaborate plasterwork, carved stone, and one of the largest pipe organs installed in any movie theater. The theater seats 2,500 and is still in regular use for concerts, classic film screenings, and special events.
The Alabama is worth a visit on its own merits regardless of what is showing. If you can time a visit to an actual performance, the restored Mighty Wurlitzer organ often plays before shows. Located on 3rd Avenue North, a short walk from Linn Park and the Birmingham Museum of Art. Check the schedule at the Alabama Theatre's website before you go.