New 260-foot long mural celebrating famous Alabama women unveiled in Birmingham

Main Street, Inc. unveiled this week their new interactive mural called Steel Magnolias. 

The mural—which spans 260 feet in width and 20 feet in height—features four famous Alabama women and is enhanced with augmented reality (AR) technology, one of the first of its kind in Alabama. 

Located near Legacy Arena

The beautifully painted mural can be found on the side of Main Street, Inc.’s building on the corner of 19th Street North and 10th Avenue, across from Legacy Arena and the BJCC complex.

 Alabama icons on the mural are: 

• “To Kill A Mockingbird” author Harper Lee
• Civil Rights icons Coretta Scott King and Rosa Parks
• Champion for the blind and deaf communities, Helen Keller

How to use augmented reality with Steel Magnolias mural

Commissioned by Main Street, Inc. and the owners of the DCI Building, the permanent public art incorporates augmented reality (AR). Viewers can use their mobile devices to engage in an immersive experience, witnessing Southern flowers blossom and butterflies taking flight, all while the stories of the four historic figures unfold.  

The massive project was led by local Birmingham artist Meghan McCollum from Blank Space Bham, LLC., and her team of artists, including Dewon Moton and Mary Grace Tracy.

“Steel Magnolias represents a vision of transformational women leaders from across Alabama–the individual stories of grace, strength, and resolve in the face of adversity across the lives and work of the women featured in this mural make each of them, to me, a true embodiment of the idiom.”

~ Meghan McCollum

Have you seen the new mural and experienced the new AR experience? Tell us what you liked about it by tagging us on social media at @bhamnow