Paul W. Bryant Museum

The TuscaloosaPaul W. Bryant Museumis a specialty museum dedicated to the famous football coachPaul “Bear” Bryantand is located inside the campus of the University of Alabama.

Paul William Bryant was born in Fordyce, Arkansas; but he considered Alabama his home. He gained a scholarship at the University, playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide; and then coached three different college football teams; and went back to Alabama since “Momma called. And when Momma calls, you just have to come runnin’.” Over his career, he led the Crimson Tide to 323 victories and six national championships, and racked three national coach of the year titles and eight SEC coach of the year titles.

The museum is a must for college football fans, and eventually sports fans in general, who want to see the history of the Crimson Tide and the impact Bryant left on them.

In 1981, Bryant suggested that a museum be built not just in his honor, but also of the former players and assistant coaches who helped him clinch those landmark achievements. The museum was founded in 1985 and was opened to the public on October 8, 1988.

The museum is a comprehensive collection of the University of Alabama’s sports history ever since the first football and baseball teams were founded in 1892. The collection includes Bryant’s trademark hound’s-tooth hat, the Daniel Moore painting that inspired the 32-cent US postage stamp that honors Bryant, an archive of every game Alabama played, and a listing of people who are named after the coach.

The museum is open daily except major holidays.

Paul W. Bryant Museum