Join the Gorgas House Museum and Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion on October 29, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. for a free event to hear the tales of the people who lived and died right here in Tuscaloosa.

Time & Place

Oct 29, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion, 1305 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, USA



Information

Join the Gorgas House Museum and Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion on October 29, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. for a free event to hear the tales of the people who lived and died right here in Tuscaloosa. Learn more about grieving and burial practices throughout time and space with our new exhibit “The Veil Between: Mortuary Practices Through the Ages”. Detailing funerary and mortuary practices in Tuscaloosa and Thailand, “The Veil Between” will guide visitors through the rites and rituals that surround death in the past, present, near, and far. This event is for all ages. Costumes are welcome!

This exhibit is in collaboration with the Murphy African-American Museum with Historic Tuscaloosa, and the Siriraj Museum and the Museum of Cultural Anthropology at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand.

Admission

Admission to this event is free. However, we kindly ask for your donations to support the preservation of these historic homes and continuing such events. Your contributions are crucial for the upkeep of these homes and for continuing our educational programs. We greatly appreciate your support.

Locations:

1. The Gorgas House Museum is located at 810 Capstone Drive, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, just off the Quadrangle of The University of Alabama campus (one block west of the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, at the corner of McCorvey and Capstone Drives).
2. The Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion is located at 1305 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401.

Parking

During this event, parking in The University of Alabama campus is free! Check out UA’s online map of campus for parking options.

Contact Information:

If you have questions about this event, please contact Sonya Harwood-Johnson (Director, Gorgas House Museum) by calling 205-348-5906 or emailing sonya.harwood@ua.edu

Haunting Tuscaloosa

Event Date: October 8, 2025

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Historic Tuscaloosa’s Haunting Tuscaloosa event brought together the Gorgas House Museum and the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion for an unforgettable evening of history, folklore, and reflection on October 29, 2025. From 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., guests explored the stories of those who lived—and died—right here in Tuscaloosa, while discovering how cultures across time have honored life and death.

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Visitors experienced the captivating exhibit “The Veil Between: Mortuary Practices Through the Ages,” which offered a fascinating look at funerary and mortuary traditions in both Tuscaloosa and Thailand. The exhibit guided attendees through the rites and rituals that have shaped humanity’s understanding of death across centuries and continents.

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Costumes, curiosity, and community spirit filled both museums as guests of all ages participated in this free event. “The Veil Between” was made possible through collaboration between the Murphy African-American Museum, Historic Tuscaloosa, the Siriraj Museum, and the Museum of Cultural Anthropology at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Admission was free, though visitors generously contributed donations to help preserve these historic homes and support future educational programming. Historic Tuscaloosa extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and helped make Haunting Tuscaloosa a night to remember.

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The Gorgas House Museum, located at 810 Capstone Drive on The University of Alabama campus, and the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion, located at 1305 Greensboro Avenue, provided the perfect historic backdrops for an evening celebrating Tuscaloosa’s layered past and shared heritage.