Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

An Industrial Masterpiece and a Haunting History Lesson! Sloss Furnaces is hands-down one of the most unique and compelling National Historic Landmarks in the United States. Giving it five stars is easy—this is more than just a museum; it's an immersive, breathtaking experience. Stepping onto the grounds feels like walking into an industrial, steam-punk apocalypse. The massive blast furnaces, towering pipes, and labyrinth of rusty machinery are incredibly preserved and utterly imposing. The sheer scale and complexity of the operation, which produced pig iron for nearly 90 years, is a stunning sight to behold, a true relic of the machine age. The self-guided tour allows you to wander freely and explore the vast complex at your own pace, with plaques that vividly detail the intense, dangerous labor and the lives of the workers who fueled "The Magic City." It serves as a powerful and often haunting history lesson on America’s industrial past and the crucial, often overlooked, role these ironworks played in developing the South. It is a true cultural landmark. If you are a history buff, an architecture enthusiast, or a photographer looking for unforgettable, dramatic scenery, Sloss Furnaces is an absolute must-visit in Birmingham. It’s a remarkably preserved and one-of-a-kind monument to an era gone by.

A neat piece of alabama history. It feels a little like walking through an abandoned factory (it would make an incredible haunted house for halloween). I really enjoyed getting to wander around the grounds.

Neat place to spend a few hours and learn about the process of making iron. Can’t help but appreciate the American might and production of products like steel during the wars. Because of places like this we are back to back world war champions. Go ‘Murica

Went to the day of the dead festival today. I just love this old historic plant. They used to have the best haunted house. I wish birmingham would have more events here.

Kind of boring but something free to kill the time. Did the self guided tour. Interesting if you want to learn what an iron mill used to look like. I walked two miles to see it and spent about 30 minutes there.

Absolutely amazing place to checkout. We opted for the tour guide, otherwise it’s free to walk around. Tons of signs with historic information. Very helpful if you’re too busy looking around and not fully listening 😂

We did the self-guided tour. They give you a map, so you can wander around or follow the path. Made it nice for moving at your own pace. The gift shop and museum are nice. There's a lot of info without overwhelming you.

This place is frickin awesome!! Was searching for attractions to see while in Birmingham waiting for a Barons game and this popped up. We are so glad we decided to check it out. Enjoyed the history lesson it gave us. So glad they made this a landmark instead of tearing it down. Yeah, it's just some rust, but part of American history that's worth preserving. Nice visitors center as well. Go explore it, even if it seems a little spooky.

I enjoyed my recent visit to Sloss Furnaces (04/19/25). Although I wasn't here very long, I appreciated the beauty of this historical landmark. A group that I am involved with , the bham babes had their annual picnic here. The grounds are well managed and the sculptures I saw were amazing! I highly recommend planning a visit here. Per their website, they offer guided tours Tues-Sat 10:30-2:00. I definitely plan on returning to learn more about the history of Birmingham, Al.

Evening at Sloss = magical Loved the atmosphere, the lighting was perfect for pics, and it's truly a hidden gem in downtown Birmingham. Keep it in mind for your events!

Took my mom to the annual dia de los muertos celebration put on by Bare Hands on November 2, 2024 at Sloss Furnaces. The last time I was at Sloss was about 10 years ago when they still put on a huge haunted house. Crazy to see the same location with a completely different atmosphere. Nov 2 is my mom's birthday and the anniversary of my dad's death, so the festival was the perfect was to honor both in a respectful way. The ofrendas were all so beautiful, it makes me want to put one in my home. Some people went all out on the makeup and costumes, and the parade and performances were really fun to watch. The food was delicious! Authentic Mexican food isn't easy to find in Alabama, but the tacos we had were as authentic as I've ever had (lived in El Paso,TX for several years)

My coworkers and I were treated to a team building exercise at Sloss Furnace. I didn't know that they offered tours of the site and we were allowed to participate in a metal art class. They offer other unique classes too like bowl making. You can check out their events page for more information. For the metal art class, they give you a block of really hard sand and then you basically draw and then trace your design. They also give you instruments to help you create your art. Once done, you get to see them pouring the hot iron into your "sand box," which was pretty cool to witness. Now you do have to wait a couple of hours (I think approximately 2) for your design to fully set. During this time, we took the guided tour. I learned so much about Sloss and the workers and how some chose to stay on onsite with their families. I can't imagine that especially with all of the fumes and hot temperatures. The Sloss Furnace has some very interesting facts and our tour guide was so patient with us and very educated about its history. He was awesome and super nice (sorry can't remember his name). Definitely you could bring your family and/or a nice date... they even have concerts and festivals. Definitely check them out and visit soon.

This is such a cool historical site. There is a lot about the history of Birmingham and how coal and steel revitalized the industry after the revolutionary war. The site is very well preserved and you can explore most of the complex.

Sloss is a great event space, especially during the Springtime. I came for the Magic City Mimosa festival and the weather was perfect, making it a great day to walk around and mingle. There's a pond in the middle with a pretty big fountain that sprayed water on ya if you sat too close to the shore. There's also a stage for concerts or a dj and there were tables setup for eating and drinks. I found a cozy spot in the shade to settle down and sip. The grounds were well maintained so I didn't have trouble making my way through the grass or dealing with bugs. There were plenty of food trucks and vendors along the back fence, which gave guests a variety of options. I'd like to come back and see the space during a nighttime

Super cool place to explore. 100% check it out if you're in Birmingham. They also have events there, such as Furnace Fest for the metal lovers, so be sure to look into their private events schedule as well.

Here for the Food+Fire event. There is a good number of local businesses here and some out of state showcasing samples of their food. You will get full! I tried ribs from Dreamland and Helen, corn from Aww shucks, pork tenderloin from Socu and beer from Ferus. There were many other options to try food from. This is the first year of the event and I am sure it will grow in years to come.

For explorers and photographers, this is a great spot. I took a lot of cool photos and probably should have spent more time there. I did take the tour (which I arranged by email on the website). Tyler helped me coordinate the tour and was extremely helpful. Tours are 10 dollars. That being said, I'm not sure the tour was totally worth it. It was extremely technical. I think there might be an audio tour available, and the guided tour didn't offer much that you can't get from that, or reading the plaques, or some brief online reading. Still worth a stop. There is a visitors center and gift shop on site. The site itself is free to visit.

HISTORY IS ON YOUR SIDE! Came to Sloss Furnaces last night for Dia De Los Muertos celebration. Which is a Mexican holiday that commemorates death as an essential element of life and honors loved ones who have passed on. This is the first year that this celebration has taken place as Sloss Furnaces, but I believe that it will not be the last. Sloss is a huge space. There are tons of ways to walk around and see the furnaces from all various angles. Wish that this establishment was easier accessible for handicapped individuals. One of the people in our party was having a bit of a hard time getting around. Some of the stages are only accessible by stairs, but there is no ramp. I have yet to take the tour here at Sloss, but have it on my list for an educational day. I know there are always tons of events and happenings at Sloss that bring in a crowd each and every year Sloss Fest being one of the biggest. If you have yet to check out the furnaces, you need to. It is a wild experience. I felt so small standing taking pictures of the furnaces. I have only ever seen them from the road or highway, but never up close and personal, and I do have to say they are huge. Parking can be quite the issue, so be wary of this if you are planning on visiting for an event.

Awesome dose of history! Besides the many nooks and crannies to take pictures, I thought the accompany pamphlet given to us when we checked in at the visitors center was great. The numbered areas on the self-guided map gave a brief but detailed description of each major part of this pig iron plant. I'm a history and architecture buff, so I found the working process fascinating all the way from the giant buckets of mined rock that escalated from the train cars in the giant buckets dumbed into the huge furnaces that melted the rocks, separating the sediment and iron, to the liquid iron being poured into the big casts that resembled a pig's nipples - thus the nickname pig iron was started. I highly suggest you make a stop at this national historic landmark if you like learning about life in Birmingham in the late 1800s through the 20th century.

Stopped by this awesome historic park this weekend while visiting Birmingham. I've always heard the place was haunted, so it was on my to do list. Unfortunately, we were unable to walk around and explore due to the park being over capacity. The nice lady who worked the gates allowed us to go in and take a few photos if we promised to come right back out. Such a kind thing so I didn't have to leave without seeing it! They have festivals, music, parties and lots of history. Don't miss this massive site!

I HIGHLY recommend taking the tour with Tyler! Sloss was awesome and worth visiting! Tyler did a fabulous job explaining the history and relevance of Sloss. He was very knowledgeable, nice, and patient. The tour was only $10 a person and is a great value.

I recently attended a seminar at this place and was pleasantly surprised by the venue setup. Honestly, I've been living in the area for a while and never been here before. You hear about all the tales of horror that took place here, so you tend to avoid those places. I'm glad I attended the event at this place. Very unique venue to host an event. There is ample parking and space for most small to medium size events

"Sips and Strokes on steroids". This is one of the coolest things I've done in Birmingham. Did you know there are artists at Sloss who are dedicated to making and supporting the metal arts community? These artists have a passion for preserving and cultivating the original iron making processes. They use time tested techniques to transform our natural resources into pig iron. The group is organized as a non-profit named Sloss Metal Arts (www.slossmetalarts.com). Sloss Metal Arts offers workshops where anyone can come and design their own iron creation. It is a hands on experience where you start with a basic cast. I made a bowl. The artist explained how you take your vision and transfer it to the cast. Using their tools you carve your design into the cast. Next, you get to see the blast furnaces in action. The walking tour is fine, but this is an amazing demonstration of the casting and iron making process. I did the workshop as a work team-building activity, but it would be great for individuals or any group. It was a fascinating learning experience. We should never take our natural resources for granted. For me, seeing the working furnace made me appreciate how critical this region was to the Industrial Revolution. Go to the Sloss Metal Arts website for dates and cost of the workshops. I think this is definitely a BHM bucket list item.

There's always great events here at Sloss Furnaces! From Sloss Fest, to Sloss Fright Fest, to Taco Fest. It's a great outdoor area to host events. Parking can be little scarce here so be prepared for a bit of a walk.

This is a pretty cool landmark in Birmingham and I can't believe it took me this long to visit. I know they are open during the day and for special events, but they also have guided tour events for which you can purchase tickets. My wife got us some tickets for the "Ghost Tour" at night during a full moon. The docent who guided us is a historian and expert on the history of the furnaces, as well as some of the industrial accidents that lead to Sloss Furnance being "haunted". Whether or not you believe in ghosts, the tour was fun, informative, and the furnace at night under a full moon has as industrial beauty that had many people on the tour taking photos. I think we will be getting tickets for some more tours.

Fun place to walk around for kids and adults. Rich in history and beautiful back grounds for photos.

Truly one of the best guided tour experiences I have ever had! Pay the $7 and have Dr. Richard Neely fill your brain with knowledge you didn't even know you wanted! He is a true renaissance-man that was a former history professor in the states and Mexico, antique gun collector, and all-around BADASS! With COVID forcing budget cuts, he is now volunteering his time for FREE just to make sure people like us get the true Sloss experience. ALSO A COOL FACT.... Dr. Neely restored the train car that sits at the entrance of the furnaces. Ty, who booked our tour, was also GREAT! You could feel his passion for the history of Sloss and he even offered to snap a few photos of us as well. PS- Sloss is dog-friendly! Bring your pup along for the tour!

I've wanted to visit Sloss Furnaces for a long time. This industrial complex, featuring two 40-ton blast furnaces, is preserved in all its gargantuan glory. Decay in any form has its own natural beauty and is as photogenic as the most beautiful model. Sloss is no exception. Bring your camera and capture the countless haunting images that await you at every turn. Birmingham should be congratulated for having the foresight to preserve and not bulldoze an incredible example of its industrial past. More cities should embrace its relics and turn them into places of discovery and fascination. On my first visit, the day was blazingly sunny with deep blue skies. My second visit was on a morning of pending rainstorms and hail. I couldn't get enough and planned a third visit but it was closed for a special event. Sloss hosts events and concerts. It has a metal arts program and, if I moved to Birmingham, I'd enroll here in a heartbeat. The gift shop has the usual t-shirts -- I got one of those -- and works made by the folks in the program. Excitement got the best of me as I walked out with two book ends weighing 16 pounds of thick black steel. This complex is one reason I came to really like Birmingham. I want to come back and visit Sloss again.

A must visit while in Birmingham. Self guided tour is great and was not crowded. I loved all the history and related plaques around museum.

This is the stuff of steampunk dreams! Sloss Furnaces is definitely worth a wander when in Birmingham. Free admission, a self-guided tour brochure to orient you to what you're seeing, lots of interesting history of Magic City's iron industry, and plentiful spots for moody photos.

If an industrial complex or furnaces ever was a thing of beauty look no further than right here. The wherewithal the steadfast people who preserved this place should be praised ! It's like walking in a time machine viewing the ancient structures taking many photos of the rust colored steps and tunnels. Really didn't expect to have such a great experience that day. Do yourself a favor watch the dated old fifteen minute film to give some insight it what awaits your self guided tour. Imagine the hardships of the men who tolled their lives day in and day out providing for families. What it would be to see the blackened sky lit up orange from all that hell and fury from furnaces. Truly a sight to behold if you lived near by in town.

Sloss Furnaces is a cross between urban exploration and a tourist site. It is one of Birmingham's iconic landmarks that has lasted over the years, and I hope that it continues to stay that way. With no admission and a giant theme-park size factory to explore, you can easily spend an afternoon here learning about the history of the furnaces. Start with the ten minute welcome video and learn about the impact it's had with the city. Afterwards, begin your free self-guided tour through the maze of rust and pipes. There are some pretty epic spots inside for great photos so look around, up and down, inside and out. If you need to take a break, there are some lovely seating areas here at the Welcome Center. They even offer some nice views of the city in the distance, so I'd even come back with a book and hot coffee. Anybody can enjoy the furnaces but it can be tight and dirty inside. Make sure that kids are watched as the entire area can be intimidating. Private lot parking is available.

My school used the meeting area for a professional development day for us as a change of scenery from where we normally meet. Sloss is usually closed on Mondays, but they graciously welcomed us with open arms at this event. The rich history that Sloss offers is 2nd to none and the curator did an excellent job speaking about it during her introduction. I can tell she is very passionate about preserving its legacy. The grounds were very serene, despite the trains that were close by in the area. I liked the small waterfall area. I would love to go back to embark on the tour that was offered but due to time constraints we were not able to partake in. Thank you Sloss for being such hospitable hosts and for providing such a unique backdrop for our workshop.

All the amazing reviews tell you why you need to visit this place. All I am going to say is: If in Birmingham, must visit here. Take your camera/phone with you and click away!!

Where do I even start? Visiting Floss was definitely the most interesting and bizarre thing I did on my visit to Birmingham! The Furnaces is a National Historic Monument just outside downtown. It is a pig iron-producing blast furnace that was operated from 1882 to 1971. It is the only blast furnace in the U.S. to be preserved and restored for public use. It's free and open to the public. And you can wander around and read information about the history of the furnaces and Birmingham. It's pretty amazing. And highly photographable - so bring your cameras! Biggest con? Pretty unsafe. NOT a place to take kids. There is rusting iron everywhere and things that seem like they should be roped off aren't. One of the coolest place I've ever been!

You've seen them on Ghost Adventures, and while Zak might be full of crap, this place is full of history and lingering feelings. When I found out I was going to Sloss, I was thrilled. I've been wanting to see this place first hand, and there it was, rising on the horizon - 10 minutes away from my hotel. The first thing you see is the water tower, with the big block letters declaring the name, and then the wrought iron fences. We were given a preview of what to expect, told not to climb on things and let go at will.. The place is CREEPY, even in the full daylight, there were odd things, odd sensations on the skin, etc. But the way light fell through windows and arced in dusty strands against the defunct machinery was coldly beautiful. Seeing new life of green shoots sprouting against the red brick was stunning. Wet pools of black water seemed endless, and shards of glass on a window sill seem.. errie. Is the place haunted? In my perception, yes. but that's my own experience. I know what I felt, heard and saw, but your millage may vary.

A visit to Birmingham should include a visit to Sloss Furnace to learn about the history of city. Birmingham was named the "Magic City" during the late 19th/early 20th century when access to nearby coal and iron ores, coupled its geographical location spurred the growth of iron furnaces in the city. Sloss Furnace operated between 1882-1970 and is a historic site operated by the City of Birmingham. At the closure of the furnace, it remained dormant for years as the city debated what to do with the area - demolish the site and create an amusement park? Re-district for another purpose? Fortunately, wiser arguments prevailed and the City of Birmingham decided to preserve the site. As others have mentioned, start your tour at the Visitor's Center where you watch a tasteful and historic 15 minute DVD about the history of Birmingham and Sloss Furnace and embark on the self-guided tour. The sheer size and enormity of the furnace and realization that they were built in the early 20th century is simply amazing. As I walked throughout the empty site, I could only imagine the toil the men that worked in the furnace endured. Though not mentioned in the video or literatures, the conditions in the furnaces (or the mines) were hellacious. The DVD and writings make it seem that it better than reality. Workers were blacks or recent immigrants and they were indentured to the companies. I leisurely walked through site and thoroughly enjoyed my visit. The photo opportunities are many - unfortunately, I do not have the artistic eye to be able to properly frame the shots. However, for those that do, you will have a field day. Located on the southern edge of Birmingham, it's a great way to learn about the history of the "Magic City." The best part? Admission is free! Stop by the small gift shop and pick up some "pig iron" artwork.

Plenty of parking. Nice outdoor venue. They also offer Free tours of the Sloss Furnace

Attended Pridefest 2019 here and it was set up very nice. I volunteered with work to pass out information regarding LGBT veteran experiences at the VA and then I enjoyed the festivities myself. I love that the vendors were set up under the overpass bcus rain was in the forecast. The drag shows were also under a covered area. That also made it beams of the sun avoidable. Always a nice event here. I throughly enjoyed attending and volunteering at my first Pridefest. The bathroom stayed amazing clean. The cleaning staff did awesome. The only negative I have is hearing the same city workers that came around collecting food and vendor items from us later sitting on a bench saying homophobic comments towards the men and vulgar comments towards the women. I don't know who was responsible for the cleaning staff but the selection of who works pride events should be selected carefully.

Noel, Tony and I headed over to the Sloss Furnace National Historic Site while in Birmingham. We were too late for the final tour but I was able to walk around a get a few photos and find out information..next trip to Birmingham we are going on this amazing tour.. History: Sloss received National Historic Landmark designation in 1981 and opened its gates in September 1983, as a museum of the City of Birmingham. Its collection consists of two 400-ton blast furnaces and some forty other buildings. Nothing remains of the original furnace complex. The oldest building on the site dates from 1902 and houses the eight steam-driven "blowing-engines" used to provide air for combustion in the furnaces. The engines themselves date from the period 1900-1902 and are a unique and important collection--engines such as these powered America's Industrial Revolution. The boilers, installed in 1906 and 1914, produced steam for the site until it closed in 1970. Between 1927 and 1931 the plant underwent a concentrated program of mechanization. Most of its major operation equipment--the blast furnaces and the charging and casting machinery-was replaced at this time. In 1927-28, the two furnaces were rebuilt, enlarged, and refitted with mechanical charging equipment, doubling the plant's production capacity. While the site strongly reflects the changes made from 1927-1931, some of the technology is more current. The company built a dehumidification plant during World War II to reduce consumption of coke. Use of the system was discontinued when the war ended, but the building and equipment remain. In the late 1940s the company two slag granulators to produce the "expanded slag" needed to make structural concrete, mineral wool and other products. Finally, in 1949 and 1951 the company replaced the old blowing engines with two-turbo blowers. Sloss is currently the only twentieth-century blast furnace in the U.S. being preserved and interpreted as an historic industrial site. The dramatic scale and complexity of the plant's industrial structure, machines and tools make the Sloss collection a unique contribution to the interpretation of twentieth-century ironmaking technology and presents a remarkable perspective on the era when America grew to world industrial dominance. At the same time, Sloss is an important reminder of the hopes and struggles of the people who worked in the industries that made some men wealthy, and Birmingham the "Magic City TOUR INFORMATION:

They had trains so my son lost his mind. We didn't explore the whole thing, but it was cool.

A must see if you are in Birmingham! This is a u okie piece of history which proudly showcases the beginnings of the community well before it was what we now know it to be. Part industry, part history and part art this place is a step back into time and a step forward into the future. Make sure you visit the visitor center before you walk around and check out the short video it will make the entire site mean more as you walk around. This place is a photography gold mine!

If you want to know more about the history of Alabama and how we became the iron city here this is a must. Take a tour of Sloss Furnace and see first hand what they had to work through and endure. Also for their age in time technology was pretty good. See up close all buildings in smelting process and what the long hard process we go through to get metal we use today so often and take advantage where it came from. Rich history here and Sloss is a landmark and can use your support! Great picture possibilities if you love photography of antique equipment and machinery. Really enjoyed my visit. Be sure to be able to climb stairs and uneven surfaces as like I said it's what they went through and endured daily some underground some above ground. Was a great visit will be back. Update!! Was back again for Breakin Bread if you have not been to this event in 15 years of having it I suggest you go and go VIP for unlimited food and drinks!! Yes even a VIP lounge where food is brought to you while enjoying history of Sloss surroundings. See you at Fright Furnace soon!!

Great place for some photography, but little else. Three people behind the desk, barely greeted customers and kept gift shop locked. When I asked some questions one of the employees finally perked up and offered some information. You can do the scavenger hunt, but if stuck they will only offer a "employees found it too hard" answer. With some enthusiastuc employees, this site could match up with the great marketing and education the website offers.

Really cool place to have an event. We had a dinner here as part of a conference. I love historic sites, and Sloss was no exception. Really beautiful outdoor space, and I especially liked the character wandering around.

Total gem - a fantastic way to spend an afternoon in Birmingham. Sloss Furnaces closed in 1970 but remains an unadulterated iron playground. We roamed around for a few hours, learned bits and pieces about the iron industry, and were mostly in awe of the sheer size of the furnaces. It's a beautiful location for photography, and I would definitely go to a concert here if I was in town & had the opportunity. My son is 6, and I wouldn't recommend this for children under 5... just seems a little death trappy for toddlers. It's free and parking is a breeze... there is no reason not to checkout this national landmark.

This place is awesome. I can't believe you can actually go up in here and climb around. And by the way, this place is BIG. Easily, you can spend an afternoon here if your little girl or boy has an interest in anything industrial. It's perfect safe, although a few stretches will make you nervous. Hold their hands! I enjoyed my time passing through here romping around like a kiddo. Every now and again you turn a corner and spot a lively green plant blooming inside some old block of rust. Bring your Nikon. You'll go snap happy. Inside, don't skip out on the introductory video. It's only 10 minutes and it'll give you the gist of what you need to know. Can you believe it's free?

I love the site itself, but the haunted house portion could use more bolstering if they want to compete with Atrox. I honestly thought the woods/zombie trail was the best part. I still need to make a normal hours visit for an enlightening tour from the museum aspect. I'm impressed at how much is still intact as far as the facility goes...shame it's not operational anymore.

Sloss Furnaces is so badass. This gem in Birmingham is a National Historic Landmark, the sole 20th century blast furnace being preserved in the US, according to the official website. I just adore meandering around and taking in all of it. I probably could be better about reading each of the educational markers, but the ones I do read contain lots of fascinating background info about the steel industry and this particular mill. It's incredible what these guys did back then. The industrial backdrop makes for fantastic photos too. Fire up that Instagram. Though I've never been to any, there are a fair number of concerts here, as well as a beer festival and a Halloween shindig. Private events are also an option; my friend went to a wedding at Sloss once, wow, rad! Also, there are classes and workshops in case you ever wanted to dabble in hot metal. Find self-guided tour maps and restrooms, as well as a gift shop, at the visitor center. If the gate adjacent to the center is locked, trying going further down to find an unlocked gate. For those of us who dislike crowds, you won't find much of any on a typical day at Sloss. For history and industry buffs, and for those who prefer free things and just plain unique attractions, Sloss is for you.

The Sloss Furnaces is another Birmingham landmark that is historic, easy to find and, best of all, it's free! All you need to do is sign in once you get there and you're free to go on a self-guided tour that lets you get remarkably close to all the machinery that powered this massive complex. There's also a video in the theater, restaurant gift shop on site. Parking can be touch but not off putting. The site is so massive you can spend a whole afternoon exploring. It's a must-visit spot in Birmingham.

If it were up to me this would have been torn down and replaced with condos or a theme park, however, I enjoyed the video and touring the furnaces. I learned a great deal about Birmingham in the 10 min video. The guide is very knowledgeable and welcoming. Admission is free, so it is definitely worth it if you have the time.

More of an industrial playground than a historical landmark, this bit of Birmingham history is fascinating, perilous, and truly beautiful. If you're into architecture, industrial design, photography, or you're simply a bit of an urban spelunker, you simply MUST visit Sloss. Sloss offers tours (see their website for more information), but I highly recommend exploring on your own. You'll get to walk by, through, up, and even down into the spaces, including water tunnels, machine rooms, towers, and even the machines themselves. And while almost everything is open to the public, and I highly advise you to plunge down into tunnels and up rusty stairs, BE CAUTIOUS! This is not Disney World or a rubber-padded playground. There are no safety rails or nets. If you climb up to the top of the tower/silo- it's at your own risk. It's no wonder that around Halloween, Sloss gets transformed into a giant haunted house. Even on a beautiful sunny day, it's rusting structures are haunting. That being said, when we visited, there was a wedding set up, and it was clear that, given the right circumstances, such surroundings offer a very powerful beauty. At the back of the "complex", for lack of a better word, is a lovely museum and the metal works school where they host a number of welding and metal-working classes. You can even see and interact with some of the pieces out on the lawn by the field. I'd love to revisit in hopes of finding some new tunnel or path that I missed the first time.

A combination of spooky and fascinating, Sloss Furnaces is a must visit location for anyone visiting Birmingham. Seeing the nuts and bolts up close of how the iron industry in the city used to work is pretty cool. The tour itself is self-guided, so you basically get to wander around and explore the blast furnaces and cooling towers. Everything is decaying and rusting (which makes the liability conscious a tad squeamish). A sophisticated person would say how Sloss is a reminder of the industrial history of our country and that its decline mirrors some larger decay of our society. I am shallow, so I will simply say that I kept expecting Kevin Bacon to do a dance routine from Footloose through the abandoned industrial works.

Enjoyed walking around this place. The self guided tour was nice. Really gave you a snap shot of turn of the century and the rise of industrialization. The gift store had some great small tokens and weren't badly priced

A must visit if you're in Birmingham and a glimpse into the history of the city. It's free to come by and wander around. Follow the arrows on the ground for a guided tour with brief stories along the way. There are also guide-led tours as well. I really recommend walking around by yourself though. There's something eerie about being able to walk through the buildings, down into the basements, etc. Also a great place to take some awesome photos. I love the fountain at the front of the furnaces. Don't forget to check out the gift shop.

As an amateur photographer that likes history, Sloss is a wonderful amalgamation of the two: an abandoned iron factory just outside of downtown Birmingham preserved as a National Historic Landmark, free to visit and self-guided for hours of exploratory enjoyment. I wasn't totally sure what to expect when I got there with my family, just having seen it while driving and hearing about different events at it. There's an old Caterpillar bulldozer and a steam shovel there to greet you as you pull into the parking lot, directly beneath the traffic clack-clacking on 1st Ave N. There's a 12- or 13-point self-guided tour of the ruins, and each one has a sign with a dial-in number to get info on the surroundings and maybe the answer to a question posed on the sign. Particularly dangerous or risky places are gated or fenced off, but as previous reviewers have noted, there's plenty for folks to hurt themselves on if they're not alert to their steps, but for me, that adds to the character and intrigue of the place--it's not a sterile, overly-cleaned display, as boring as it is safe. Last but not least, bring a camera! I look forward to returning again and again, and believe I could discover new aspects of the furnaces to photograph every time I go.

Is it really haunted?? I don't know but the vibe here is so thick with history that it gives you the heeby-jeebies. If you're here on a hot, summer day, you're overwhelmed with what a hard life it was to work here day after day. Deaths were inevitable before workplace safety and I can't imagine the circumstances that would keep you in this job. It's free and there's a terrific guide available in the welcome center. Just for fun, Google the ghost stories before you come. If nothing else, it makes it more interesting. Come on a Saturday and you can hit the Pepper Place market at the same time.