Museums Of Atlanta History

Atlanta History Center

The Atlanta History Center is one of the city’s most popular attractions. The 33-acre site, located in Atlanta’s northwestern Buckhead district, has a museum and research center, beautiful grounds and gardens, the 1928 Swan House, a historic cyclorama painting of the Battle of Atlanta, and a recreation of the working antebellum Smith Farm.

Adults $23.41, seniors/students (13+) $19.60, children (4-12) $9.80.

Admission includes access to all individual attractions at the main Buckhead site.

See below for opening hours.

130 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305
404-814-4000
Website

History Center & Museum

The museum at the Atlanta History Center has exhibits on various aspects of local history, from the Civil War and southern folk art to Atlanta’s 1996 Centennial Olympic Games and the golfer Bobby Jones.

Open Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-4pm.

Swan House

Swan House and its gardens were built for Atlanta’s wealthy Inman family in 1928. The restored house, which featured in the movie version of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, is one of Atlanta’s most recognizable landmarks.

Open Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-4pm. More details

Smith Farm

The Smith Farm, moved from its original site east of Atlanta, recreates a farming household typical of the Georgia Piedmont in the antebellum period.

Besides the farmhouse, known as the Tullie Smith House, there are farm buildings such as a dairy and smokehouse, enslaved people’s cabins, and the kitchen gardens in which produce for consumption on the farm was grown. Docents and actors are often on hand to explain how people on the farm lived and worked.

Open Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-4pm. More details

Atlanta History Center Midtown/Margaret Mitchell House

Please note that the Margaret Mitchell House is located at the Atlanta History Center’s Midtown Campus, five miles away from the main Buckhead site.

Guided tours take you through the apartment in which Gone With The Wind author Margaret Mitchell once lived. Exhibits explore Mitchell’s life and career and the making of the movie version of her famous novel.

Admission is included in the ticket price for visits to the Atlanta History Center (see above). You can also buy tickets to the Margaret Mitchell House as a standalone attraction. Adults $13, seniors/students (13+) $10, children (4-12) $5.

979 Crescent Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
Website

World Of Coca-Cola

World of Coca-Cola, a museum operated by the Coca-Cola Company, is dedicated to the history and culture of its iconic product, invented and developed in the city of Atlanta in 1886. The museum is located in southwest central Atlanta, adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park and the Georgia Aquarium.

The museum features hundreds of artifacts, including exhibits of different Coca-Cola bottles used worldwide; the history of its advertising and branding strategies; the secret formula from which the drink is made; a working reproduction of its bottling line; temporary special exhibitions, and more.

Open daily. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hours vary: core opening hours are 10am-5pm, but the museum opens earlier and/or later than this on selected days. Check the museum website for hours on the day you plan to visit if it is likely to be outside of the core hours.

Adults $18, seniors (65+) $16, children (3-12) $14.

121 Baker Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30313
404-676-5151
Website

Georgia Capitol Museum

Free admission

The Georgia Capitol Museum explores aspects of the state’s history from politics to natural history. Guided tours are available for larger groups (10-60 people), and must be reserved in advance. Self-guided tours of the Capitol building are also available for smaller groups/individuals.

Open Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. Closed weekends and Georgia state holidays.

206 State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334
404-463-4536
Website

Georgia Governor’s Mansion

Free admission

The official residence of the Georgia Governor, located in Atlanta’s Buckhead district, was constructed in 1967. It is considered to have one of the best federal period collections of furniture in the United States.

Semi-guided tours of the Governor’s Mansion are offered several mornings a week. Walk through the beautifully furnished lower story of the house at your own pace. Docents stationed in each room explain its history.

Aim to arrive at least 30 minutes before the Mansion closes to have time to complete the tour. As opening hours are limited, please check the website or call the number below to ensure the Mansion is open on the day you plan to visit.

Open Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-11:30am. Free admission. Groups of 10 or more require advance reservations.

391 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305
404-261-1776
Website

Rhodes Hall

This Romanesque-style home is a rare surviving example of the mansions that once lined Atlanta’s fashionable Peachtree Street. The house was built for furniture man Amos Giles Rhodes in 1902-1904, its distinctive design inspired by the castles Rhodes saw on a visit to Germany’s Rhineland. The house is now occupied by the Georgia Trust, which offers tours of the historic property.

Two tours of the historic Rhodes Hall are available. The Main Floor Tour, lasting 30 minutes, is of the first floor only. The longer Behind-The-Scenes Tour also accesses the upper levels of the house.

As opening hours are limited, please check the website or call the number below to ensure the Hall is open on the day you plan to visit.

Open Saturdays, 10am-2pm. Self-guided tour: adults $5, seniors/students $3, children (0-12) free.

1516 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30309
404-885-7800
Website

Wren’s Nest (Joel Chandler Harris House)

Joel Chandler Harris, newspaper man and author, is primarily known for his Br’er Rabbit stories, African-American folk tales narrated by the fictional Uncle Remus. Harris lived at Wren’s Nest from 1881 (the house dates from 1870) until his death in 1908.

Tours of the house, which still contains many of the Harris family’s original furnishings, focus on Harris’s life and works. Storytelling sessions for children are held every Saturday at 1pm.

Open Saturday, 11am-3pm and by appointment Sunday-Friday. Adults $10, seniors/students $8, children $6.

1050 Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
404-753-7735
Website

Herndon Home Museum

The Herndon Home is the former residence of Alonzo Franklin Herndon. Born into slavery in 1858, Herndon went on to be one of the most successful African-American businessmen in the South and Atlanta’s first black millionaire.

The imposing Greek Revival mansion, constructed between 1905 and 1910, is also notable for being designed by a woman, Adrienne McNeil Herndon (Alonzo Herndon’s first wife), in an era in which this was rare. With the exception of its plumbing and electrical wiring, all the work in constructing the house was undertaken by African-American craftsmen. Tours of the home are available.

Open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am-4pm. Last tour begins at 3pm. Adults $10, seniors/students $7.

587 University Place NW, Atlanta, GA 30314
404-581-9813
Website

African-American & Jewish History Museums

Center For Civil And Human Rights

This museum explores the history of civil rights movements, with particular emphasis on African-American civil rights.

The Center shows occasional special exhibitions alongside three permanent exhibitions: Voice to the Voiceless: The Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr Collection, with rotating exhibits of Dr King’s documents and personal effects; Spark of Conviction: The Global Human Rights Movement; and Rolls Down Like Water: The American Civil Rights Movement. Rotating art works and displays are also shown on a temporary exhibit wall.

Open Thursday-Sunday (Thursday-Friday, 12pm-5pm; Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 12pm-5pm). Closed Monday-Wednesday. Admission $16.

100 Ivan Allen, Jr Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30313
678-999-8990
Website

APEX Museum

This small museum documents history from an African-American perspective, including exhibits on African cultures, art and science; enslavement; and the history of Auburn Avenue and the achievements and contributions of Atlanta’s Black citizens to the city’s life and growth.

Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-3pm. Adults $7, seniors (55+)/students $5.

135 Auburn Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30303
404-523-2739
Website

Martin Luther King, Jr National Historical Park

Free admission

The Martin Luther King, Jr Historical Park, consisting of several historic buildings and exhibition spaces exploring the life and legacy of Atlanta’s most distinguished Civil Rights activist, is one of the city’s most popular attractions.

The Visitor Center explains the history of the Civil Rights movement through exhibits and film; the King Center has additional exhibits. Other things to see at the site include the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr King preached and served as pastor; the historic Fire Station No 6; and the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame.

You can also tour the Martin Luther King Birth Home, where Dr King was born, and lived for his first 12 years. The house can only be seen on guided tours: sign up for one of the scheduled 30-minute tours immediately upon arrival at the Historical Park to avoid disappointment.

Open daily, 9am-5pm. Birth Home tours start at 10am, last at 4pm. Free admission, free parking. Registration on the day required for free tours of the Birth Home. Leashed pets welcome in outside spaces only.

450 Auburn Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
404-331-5190
Website

William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum

The Breman Museum is devoted to the history of the Jewish people. Permanent exhibits describe the experience of the Holocaust from the perspective of Atlanta’s Holocaust survivors through film, photography and other artifacts. Special exhibits document aspects of Jewish life in Atlanta and the South.

Open Sunday (11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm), and by appointment Wednesday-Friday (12pm-4pm). Closed Saturdays, and Monday-Tuesday. Adults $12, seniors $8, students/educators $6, children (3-6) $4.

1440 Spring Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30309 (the entrance to the museum is on 18th Street)
678-222-3700
Website

Science & Nature Museums

Fernbank

This museum, which is especially suitable for children, features interactive exhibits including dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures, the natural history of Georgia, and Georgia’s prehistory and culture. One of the largest theater screens in Atlanta is also located at Fernbank.

Don’t confuse this museum with the Fernbank Science Center, about a mile and a half away.

Open daily, 10am-5pm. Adults $24.95, seniors/students $23.95, children (3-12) $22.95. Admission includes access to all permanent and special exhibits and one giant-screen movie.

767 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
404-929-6300
Website

Fernbank Science Center

Free admission

The Fernbank Science Center has a free museum, especially suitable for children, and a planetarium, for which a charge applies. Exhibits include space exploration and a live reptile collection.

Open Monday-Saturday (Monday-Wednesday, 12pm-5pm; Thursday-Friday, 12pm-9pm; Saturday, 10am-5pm). Closed Sundays. Free admission, donations accepted. Planetarium tickets: adults $7, seniors (62+)/children (3-18) $5. Dates and times of programs available here.

156 Heaton Park Drive, Atlanta, GA 30307
678-874-7102
Website

David J Sencer Center for Disease Control Museum

Free admission

The Center For Disease Control Museum, affiliated with the Smithsonian, is devoted to the history of public health. The museum’s permanent exhibit tells the story of the Center For Disease Control, its work and accomplishments.

Additionally, several special exhibits are shown each year on aspects of the history of public health, often with a special emphasis on preventative public health measures. Please note that some exhibits may not be suitable for younger children.

Open Monday-Friday (Monday-Wednesday, 9am-5pm; Thursday, 9am-7pm; Friday, 9am-5pm). Closed weekends and federal holidays.

1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329
404-639-0830
Website

Other Museums

Robert C Williams Paper Museum

Free admission

This small museum, located at Georgia Tech’s Renewable Bioproducts Institute, explores the history of paper and paper technology. It has thousands of artifacts including different papers and watermarks, manuscripts, and the tools and machines used in paper-making.

Exhibits explain the process of making paper by hand as well as by machine, the early industrialisation of paper-making and its environmental impact. Special exhibitions on aspects of paper history are also given.

Open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. Free admission (~$3 suggested donation).

Renewable Bioproducts Institute, 500 10th Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30332
Website

Delta Flight Museum

The Delta Flight Museum (located out at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport) has historic aircraft and exhibits on the history of the Delta airline and American aviation. The museum, housed in two 1940s Delta airplane hangars, has several restored aircraft, including the airline’s first 767, the Spirit of Delta. For a substantial extra fee, you can also try out a flight simulator.

Open Thursday-Tuesday, 10am-4pm. Adults $15, seniors (65+) $12.50, children (5-17) $10, flight simulator $425. Photo ID is required.

1060 Delta Boulevard, Building B, Department 914, Atlanta, GA 30354
404-715-7886
Website

The entrance to the museum is off Woolman Place. The museum is occasionally closed for private events. Please check availability on the day you want to visit.

Federal Reserve Bank Monetary Museum

Free admission

This small museum explores the history and workings of the American banking system and the Federal Reserve. Exhibits include rare coins and coins minted in Georgia; large-denomination and counterfeit bills; and examples of the many different styles of notes issued by banks, cities and railroads in the decades before the Civil War. Windows into the Federal Bank of Atlanta allow you to see bank employees at work and the money-moving and counting machines.

Open Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm. Closed weekends and holidays. Free admission. Photo ID required.

1000 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
Website

Millenium Gate Museum

Designed around a monumental arch, the museum’s permanent exhibitions explore aspects of Georgia history from its founding to the present day. There are also several rotating special programs: see details of current and upcoming exhibitions.

Open Monday–Saturday, 10am–5pm. Closed Sundays. Adults $12, seniors/military/students $10.

395 17th Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30363
404-881-0900
Website

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum

This museum displays photographs and other historic objects from the Carter administration, including film and audio exhibits and a recreation of the Oval Office. The permanent exhibit explores Jimmy Carter’s life and career in politics; additional special exhibits examine aspects of Carter’s presidency and American political history.

Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Days. Adults $12, seniors (60+)/military/students $10, children (0-16) free.

441 John Lewis Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30307
404-865-7100
Website

Southeastern Railway Museum

The highlight of the Southeastern Railway Museum is its extensive collection of historic vehicles, some of which can be entered. The largest such collection in Georgia, it includes historic steam and diesel locomotives; passenger and freight cars; cabooses; and examples of past public transit vehicles used in Atlanta. The museum also offers train rides and a large display of railroad memorabilia.

See current hours and admission

3595 Buford Highway, Duluth, GA 30096
Website