Old Courthouse Museum - Monroeville, Alabama

ELM

Pretty interesting place if you're a fan of Harper Lee and/or Truman Capote. Lots of pics and family details plus you can buy their books in the gift shop. Als some stuff on Gregory Peck's visit in conjunction with the making of To Kill A Mockingbird. Admission was $5/person and parking is free.

Sheralyn B.

The Old Monroe Country Courthouse dominates Monroeville, Alabama. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the building is well-maintained and beautiful.

It’s sobering to stand in the courtroom and think about the life-changing cases that were argued in that building, especially the cases that inspired To Kill a Mockingbird. I’m grateful to Lee for sharing her memories and to the town for preserving the museum and other historic places in town for future generations.

LeAnne F.

This museum is packed with artifacts nicely arranged by period and theme. We only had an hour and could have easily spent 2. Definitely worth visiting!

Sonya G.

Interesting museum with sections on Lee Harper and Truman Capote. Walking into the courtroom is a little surreal if you are a fan of the movie. The staff are knowledgeable and helpful and extremely proud of their museum. Their enthusiasm for the authors and the film is infectious and appreciated.

Tina L.

WOW what a fun time. A small town so rich in history. Two famous authors lee Harper, who wrote How to kill a mockingbird and Truman Capote who wrote Breakfast at Tiffany's. The history of when George Washington Carver came and spoke. The staff is super friendly. The guide was super knowledgeable. Even told us about the town historian who is 102 and still writing editorials for the local paper. The courthouse is a beautiful historical marker on a beautiful town square which has some really adorable stores so stop in and see them. The courthouse closes at 2pm on Saturday so be sure to plan early in the day.

Phil B.

I read "To Kill A Mockingbird" in Mrs. Wilhite's English class my junior year of high school. And I love the Gregory Peck movie. So this was a real treat to visit.

Monroeville still feels like a small town. Talk to any citizen (of a certain age) and chances are they had an encounter or two with Harper Lee. The dramatic, oval-shaped courtroom does not disappoint. Filmmakers carefully recreated it in Hollywood for the movie. So walking into it feels like walking right into the movie. Depending on when you visit, it is likely there won't be a crowd and you might have the courtroom to yourself like I did. It felt like walking into a church sanctuary. In the upstairs balcony one can imagine a young Harper Lee (or "Scout") watching her father (the template for "Atticus Finch") argue cases.

In other corners of the courthouse are exhibits about Harper Lee, her book, the movie, and Truman Capote, who also came of age in Monroeville. There is even a large chunk of "the famous tree" that stood near the Lee home which "Boo Radley" would have hidden gifts for "Scout" and "Jem".

Be sure to visit Mel's Dairy Dream down the road where the Lee house was. A rock wall is the only thing remaining of the property. And a stone foundation next door also remains as a testament to the Faulk house where a young Truman Capote befriended a young Harper Lee ("Dill Harris" to Lee's "Scout").

Ray R.

We were super excited to get to see “To Kill a Mockingbird” in Monroeville. The museum, the play, the ambiance was all terrific. This was a bucket list event for us. So much rich history in this place. Buy tickets way in advance and get there early to shop and eat in the square. Highly recommend!

Reality N. F.

I enjoyed it. Definitely a piece of history. Slowly fading away. Definitely wish more people knew about it and could appreciate it. Like a time capsule. Got to visit Harper Lee's grave right around the corner. Small town vibes for sure. Definitely an American relic. Stop by if you can. I visited for a pageant for my daughter nearby just to pass time and ended taking home a piece of history. Thankful my teacher made me read "to kill a mockingbird Bird" 20 years ago.