New 16th Street Baptist Church Education and Visitor Center now open [PHOTOS]

The 16th Street Baptist Church Education and Visitor Center opened today, Sept. 15, in Birmingham, marking the start of a new chapter for a landmark tied to civil rights history. The opening coincides with the church’s 63rd anniversary of the 1963 bombing that killed four girls and injured 22 people. Ground was broken on the 13,000-square-foot center in April 2025. Organizers framed the project as both commemoration and momentum, with remarks linking the bombing to the push that helped lead to the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. A key feature is a two-story “River Wall” lobby display featuring about 60 commitments for visitors. The center also includes a Koinonia Restaurant, craft room, and meeting and gathering spaces.