CARNEGIE VISUAL ARTS CENTER
207 Church Street NE
The Carnegie Library was originally constructed in 1904 with funding from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. It is one of the few remaining original Carnegie Library buildings in the nation. It functioned as Decatur’s library until the mid-1970’s when Wheeler Basin Regional Library was erected. This historic building is now home to the community’s first art museum, the Carnegie Visual Arts Center, which opened in 2003. The center is a cultural, educational, and community service organization providing an environment to promote learning, creativity, and appreciation of the visual arts. The Carnegie strives to preserve this historic landmark and pledges its use as a multi-purpose resource for the citizens of Decatur, Morgan County, and North Alabama. Art and the historic significance of the building make the Carnegie a destination for tourists as well as local citizens. Weather permitting, carriage rides will begin and end at the Carnegie on December 13th beginning at 4 pm. Carriage ride tickets will be sold separately from home tour tickets. Whether viewing art exhibits, waiting for a carriage ride, or simply enjoying the architecture of the building, visitors will be dazzled by the charm of this historic structure. As an added bonus, visitors may catch a glimpse of Santa Claus. He is scheduled to make a brief stopover from the North Pole on December 13th for the Historic Decatur Christmas Tour of Homes.