Holt Street E1733437048206 — Community leaders officially cut the ribbon for the new museum. (City of Montgomery)

December 5, 2024 marks the 69th anniversary of the start of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

At the center of the movement was the Holt Street Baptist Church, which served as a meeting place for people who wanted to participate in the boycott. It was also the place of one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic speeches, advocating for action without violence.

Work has been done to preserve that building and now, it’s officially a museum.

Keep reading to learn more about the historic site + see how you can schedule a visit.

Holt Street Baptist Church

293De289 689C 40De 85Fc 7417C848Cc87 — “Holt St Baptist Church June09 02” by Chris Pruitt is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

The Montgomery Chamber of Commerce officially held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the museum on Dec. 2.

The museum will serve as a repository of historical materials on the boycott and Holt Street Baptist Church and as an information center with small exhibitions on the Civil Rights Movement in Montgomery and Alabama. The site is part of the National Civil Rights Trail.

The site’s historical society hopes the museum will help sustain the rich heritage and history of Holt Street Baptist Church, the movement in Montgomery and Alabama, and the church’s role in it.

Here’s what you need to know before visiting: