The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame was founded in 1978 with a mission to cultivate an appreciation of jazz music as a distinctive art form indigenous to America. Located in the 4th Avenue District it offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the state's rich jazz heritage. With more than 2,200-square-feet of exhibits, the AJHoF has become the repository of Alabama's jazz heritage, documenting the lives and contributions of musicians with connections to the state. They feature jazz memorabilia and personal effects of such artists as Ella Fitzgerald and W.C. Handy.