The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a comprehensive university and academic medical center in Birmingham, Alabama. For a campus visit, start with the interactive map, then decide whether to register for a guided tour or explore independently.
- Location: Birmingham, Alabama
- Campus map: Search academic buildings, clinics, parking, dining and more
- Guided tours: Offered twice a day, five times a week; dates and times vary
- Tour length: About 2 hours for the recommended tour or 1.5 hours for a Saturday tour
Understanding UAB’s downtown campus
UAB is both a university and an academic medical center, so its campus includes teaching, healthcare, arts, athletics and administrative destinations. Its history reaches back to the Medical College of Alabama’s founding in 1859 and the opening of the University of Alabama’s Birmingham Extension Center in 1936; UAB became independent in 1969.
That range of destinations makes it helpful to identify your main stop before setting out. A class or admissions visit may call for a different route from an appointment at a hospital or a visit to an arts venue. The campus map brings these locations together, including hospitals and clinics, parking, dining and athletic facilities.
Finding campus maps and key destinations
UAB’s searchable interactive campus map is the best starting point for locating buildings and planning a route. Search for your destination, then use the map’s layers to view public parking, accessible parking and accessible entrances.
If you need an accessible route, consult the map for parking, entrances and routes before you arrive. You can also use it to locate arts venues and other campus stops, such as the Alys Stephens Center, which hosts performances and events.
For a broader day out, UAB’s location can fit into a downtown plan: the one-day downtown Birmingham itinerary on foot offers a way to connect campus time with city stops.
Campus tours and visitor arrangements
UAB offers guided campus tours twice a day, five times a week, with dates and times available through its visit-site booking page. Register online or call the Campus Visit Center at 205-934-9098.
The recommended tour takes about 2 hours, is limited to groups of 25, and combines an admissions presentation, a Dragon Wagon bus tour and a walking tour.
On weekdays, the schedule includes a 15-minute admissions presentation, a 30-minute bus tour and a 1-hour-15-minute walking tour. The walking portion may include the Campus Green, an academic building, Hill Student Center, a freshman residence hall and the Campus Recreation Center.
Saturday tours take about 1.5 hours and include an admissions presentation and walking tour, without the bus portion. They run on select dates during the year, so check availability when registering.
For a self-guided visit, UAB provides an audio tour and campus map. Keep in mind that this option does not include free parking when the Campus Visit Center is closed, and visitors without a UAB ID cannot enter buildings. For a campus arts stop, the Alys Stephens Center visitor guide covers its event and visitor-planning details.
Parking, transit and walking around campus
UAB’s visit page directs campus-tour visitors to the 14th Street Parking Deck at 609 14th Street South and says to bring the white entry ticket for validation during Campus Visit Center operating hours. UAB Transportation’s driving-directions page identifies Lot 5A at 1486 University Boulevard as visitor parking, with designated Campus Visit Center spaces in the lot’s southwest corner.
At the 14th Street Parking Deck, parking costs $3.00 for 0–1 hour, $1.00 for each additional hour and $13.00 for 11 hours or more; the rate resets after 24 hours. Check the official site before you go.
Blazer Express provides free transportation around campus and the medical district 24 hours a day for riders with a valid One Card or visitor badge. For a walking tour, wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. UAB says tours proceed in rain unless lightning or thunder makes conditions unsafe.
Kings Inn Civic Center/UAB is about 10 minutes by car from Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport; Kings Inn rooms near UAB are one accommodation option when planning a campus visit.
FAQs
How do you register for a UAB campus tour?
Register through UAB’s visit website or call the Campus Visit Center at 205-934-9098. Check the booking page for available dates and times.
How long is a UAB campus tour?
The recommended tour takes about 2 hours. Saturday tours take about 1.5 hours and do not include the Dragon Wagon bus tour.
Can you explore UAB without a guided tour?
Yes. UAB offers a self-guided audio tour and campus map, but visitors without a UAB ID cannot enter buildings, and free parking is not provided for this option when the Campus Visit Center is closed.
Is parking free for UAB campus tours?
UAB directs campus-tour visitors to the 14th Street Parking Deck and says to bring the white entry ticket for validation during Campus Visit Center operating hours. The deck has hourly charges, so check the visit instructions for your tour.