The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, a non-profit outreach that tours schools nationwide, stopped in Birmingham Tuesday, offering children a hands-on chance to see a mobile music production studio capable of recording music and videos.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin toured the bus and played the drums. “It’s pretty dope,” Woodfin said.

“Yes, it is way cool,” said City Council member Valerie Abbott.

Students from area schools lined up to board the bus and learn about music. The bus was to be parked in front of Birmingham City Hall until 4 p.m. Tuesday, along with several food trucks catering to visitors.

On Wednesday, the Lennon bus will move to the UAB campus, where UAB Music Professor Henry Panion will oversee a program for 120 students on the bus. It will be visiting schools through Friday, May 2.

Arin Canbolet, vice president of education for the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, said it’s important for students to learn there are more than 100 different jobs in the music industry, apart from performing.

“The arts are so often marginalized,” said Brian Rothschild, who co-founded the Lennon Educational Tour Bus 27 years ago with Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono Lennon. “They really do provide young people with opportunities to dream about what they can be. Whether they become working professional artists is irrelevant, really. It is a part of life that can provide them with tools and skills to follow their dreams and do whatever they want to do.”