Vulcan Park and Museum

Vulcan, Birmingham Alabama's colossal statue, is the world's largest cast iron statue and considered one of the most memorable works of civic art in the United States. Designed by Italian artist Giuseppe Moretti and cast from local iron in 1904, it has overlooked the urban landscape of Alabama's largest city since the 1930s.

By 1999, the 50-ton statue was in desperate need of repair. The surrounding 10-acre park was closed and Vulcan was removed from his pedestal. Realizing Vulcan's importance to the region's history, city leaders sought public support for its restoration, forming the non-profit Vulcan Park Foundation. The foundation would oversee a master plan to return this colossal statue to his 1904 grandeur.

But there was much more. They would also create a dynamic educational park complex interpreting Birmingham's rich industrial history for both residents and visitors from across the globe.

Today, thanks to public-private partnerships and a $15.5 million campaign, this beloved symbol of Birmingham and the nation's iron and steel industry stands proud and preserved as the centerpiece of its rehabilitated and expanded park, referred to now as Vulcan Park and Museum.