The Birmingham Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the Southeast by square footage, and admission is free. The permanent collection spans 6,000 years and includes strong holdings in ancient art, Asian ceramics and decorative arts, and American and European paintings. The Wedgwood collection alone warrants a visit for anyone interested in the decorative arts.
The museum anchors the north side of Linn Park in downtown Birmingham. After visiting, the park itself is worth a few minutes — it's the city's main civic green, and the adjacent Jefferson County Courthouse and Birmingham Public Library are both worth a look for their architecture. Allow two to three hours for a thorough visit.