Crystal structures of BiMn0.97Al0.03O3 (1) at 300 and 470 K and BiMn0.9Al0.1O3 (II) at 90 and 300 K were studied with synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. The strong Jahn-Teller distortion, observed at 300 K in I and associated with orbital order. disappeared at 470 K completely for one site and partially for the second site. The Mn/Al-O distances were very close to each other in I at 470 K and in II at 90 and 300 K indicating that orbital order did not appear in II even at 90 K. Magnetic properties of I and II were investigated with specific heat, high-temperature dc magnetic susceptibility. and ac magnetic susceptibility using different driving ac and applied dc magnetic fields and different ac magnetic field frequencies. The anomaly oil the specific beat associated with a magnetic transition was strongly suppressed in II compared with that of I and BiMnO3. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.