UA Museums To Host Free Halloween Event Inspired By Famous AL Meteorite

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The University of Alabama Museums will celebrate Halloween with a free, family-friendly event Tuesday, Oct. 27, featuring extraterrestrial encounters, ghost stories and the unusual history of one of Alabama's most famous meteorites.

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"Haunting at the Museums: Otherworldly Encounters" will take place from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Alabama Museum of Natural History and Gorgas House Museum on UA's campus.

The event draws inspiration from the Hodges Meteorite, which crashed through the roof of a Sylacauga home in 1954, struck a radio and hit resident Ann Hodges as she rested on her couch.

Hodges survived the incident, becoming the first person known to have been injured by a meteorite.

The space rock is now on permanent display at the Alabama Museum of Natural History.

According to UA, the event will also explore Cold War-era fears of extraterrestrial activity and the infamous 1938 radio broadcast of H.G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds," which sparked alarm among some listeners who believed the fictional Martian invasion was real.

"We invite you to join us for an evening of extraterrestrial exploration through hands-on activities provided by our community partners," said Kristin Harrell, education outreach coordinator at the Alabama Museum of Natural History. "We will delve into the discoveries and the debunking of phenomena of extreme encounters, creatures, and out-of-this-world experiences."

The Gorgas House Museum will also feature a Halloween exhibit titled "Calling the Spirits In: Spiritualism in America," exploring the rise of spiritualism following the Civil War.

Visitors will learn about the movement's practices, prominent figures who promoted or challenged its claims and the influence of widespread wartime deaths on Americans' beliefs about communicating with the dead.

Guests can also hear ghost stories involving members of the Gorgas family who are said to still haunt the historic home.

Admission to both museums will be free during the event, although donations are welcome. Costumes and period-appropriate clothing are encouraged but not required.

The Alabama Museum of Natural History is located in Smith Hall at 427 Sixth Avenue, while the Gorgas House Museum is located at 810 Capstone Drive.

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