A Guide to Atlanta's Museums and Historical Sites

By Michelle Khouri

A Guide to Atlanta's Museums and Historical Sites By Michelle Khouri

Center for Civil and Human Rights Museum in Atlanta

A gallery in the Center for Civil and Human Rights' American civil rights exhibit (©Albert Vecerka-Esto)

Atlanta's attractions, museums and historical sites are as diverse as the city digging into topics like contemporary art, the American Civil Rights movement, local history, ocean conservation, papermaking and everything in between. A quick way to score tickets to these and other top Atlanta destinations is with CityPASS, which offers admission to the city's most popular attractions at a reduced rate rolled into one ticket price. Use this handy guide like a cultural à la carte menu—pick and choose the stops that suit your interests.

Michelle Khouri

About the author

Michelle serves as the Atlanta editor and Read Michelle's full bio

Atlanta Botanical Garden

Atlanta Botanical Garden's "Earth Goddess" topiary is massive. (©Eric Sonstroem/Flickr)

Atlanta Botanical Garden

This 30-acre Eden is located adjacent to Piedmont Park and offers formal Japanese and rose gardens, two woodland areas, a whimsical children’s garden, an orchid center, an edible garden and a 600-foot-long canopy walk, among many other highlights.

Atlanta History Center

The Swan House is one of the historic houses on the 33-acre Atlanta History Center campus. (©Michelle Khouri)

Atlanta History Center

The 33-acre complex encompasses the Atlanta History Museum, the Centennial Olympic Games Museum, two historic homes (the Swan House and the Smith Family Farm), a research center and lush gardens.

William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum

(Courtesy William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum)

William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum

The museum explores Jewish heritage. In addition to two core galleries, "Absence of Humanity: The Holocaust Years" and "Creating Community: The Jews of Atlanta from 1845 to the Present," it houses archives, a genealogy center and a research library.

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center

(©Callanwolde Fine Arts Center)

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center

Built in 1920 for the oldest son of The Coca-Cola Company founder, Asa Candler, this Gothic-tudor mansion is now a community arts center and event venue. An upstairs gallery presents changing exhibits.

Center for Puppetry Arts

(©Sara Hanna Photography)

Center for Puppetry Arts

The nation's largest private organization dedicated to puppetry arts, the Center for Puppetry Arts is home to hundreds of puppets, including original Muppets from the Jim Henson Foundation. Current performance: "Paul Bunyan and the Tall Tale Medicine Show."

Children's Museum of Atlanta

(©Jeff Roffman)

Children's Museum of Atlanta

At this museum, kids ages 8 and under can develop their minds through hands-on play. Year-round exhibits include: Fundamentally Food, Let Your Creativity Flow and more. A wonderful toy store is also on site.

College Football Hall of Fame

(Courtesy College Football Hall of Fame)

College Football Hall of Fame & Chick-fil-A Fan Experience

This high-tech attraction features a wall of 768 college football helmets, a 45-yard indoor football field, a fight song karaoke station and Georgia’s only 4-K movie theater, among many other interactive activities.

David J. Sencer CDC Museum

(Courtesy CDC Museum)

David J. Sencer CDC Museum

This unique museum features award-winning exhibitions that focus on a variety of public health topics, in addition to the history of the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Four temporary exhibitions—each related to the CDC’s work—are mounted each year.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Exhibits at this natural history museum cover the world’s largest dinosaurs, natural history, nature and more. An IMAX theater is on premises (movies tickets are not included in museum admission).

(©Matthew Paulson/Flickr)

Georgia Aquarium

Six distinct galleries explore what really goes on beneath the surface of the world’s oceans and rivers; highlights include whale sharks, manta rays, Beluga whales, sea otters, piranhas, coral and Atlantic bottlenose dolphins.

Hammonds House Museum and Resource Center for African American Art

(Courtesy Hammonds House)

Hammonds House Museum

The former home of Dr. Otis T. Hammonds, a notable black anesthesiologist, is the only public museum in Atlanta dedicated exclusively to the collection, exhibition and study of the fine arts of the African diaspora and Africa.

High Museum of Art

(©Kevin C. Rose/AtlantaPhotos.com)

High Museum of Art

This magnificent building is the perfect setting for the museum’s collection of more than 11,000 works including contemporary art and one of the most significant collections of folk art in the world.

Jimmy Carter Library & Museum

(©Wally Gobetz/Flickr)

Jimmy Carter Library & Museum

Exhibits cover Carter’s Navy career, a replica of the Oval Office and the work the Carters have done since leaving the White House. A Japanese garden is also on site.

The King Center

(©Helen Crawford/Flickr)

The King Center

This is the official memorial dedicated to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Exhibits illustrate his life and teachings; highlights include Freedom Hall and The Eternal Flame. The King Center Library, archives, King’s final resting place, a gift shop and other facilities are also on site.

Margaret Mitchell House

(Courtesy Margaret Mitchell House & Museum)

Margaret Mitchell House

The restored home of “Gone With the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell showcases furniture, letters and memorabilia from Mitchell’s life. Tours are offered Monday through Saturday.

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

(©James Duckworth/AtlantaPhotos.com)

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

The area, run by the National Parks Service, is home to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Change, Ebenezer Baptist Church, the King Birth Home and more.

Michael C. Carlos Museum

(©Peter Eimon/Flickr)

Michael C. Carlos Museum

This Emory University museum focuses on art and objects from ancient civilizations. “Ancient Egypt, Nubia and the Near East” features mummies and ancient artifacts; additional collections include Greek and Roman, Ancient America and "Works on Paper."

Millennium Gate Museum

Millennium Gate Museum

This triumphal arch celebrates Georgia's history, legendary families and peaceful accomplishments with a 12,000-square-foot gallery and several period rooms.

Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA)

(©BurnAway/Flickr)

Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA)

This small museum encompasses 250-plus works by Georgia artists. The library and archives maintained by the museum are part of an ongoing attempt to preserve Georgia natives' artwork throughout the past several decades. There are more than 150,000 books, writings and other samples in the library.

Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)

(©Fredo/Flickr)

Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)

This is the only museum in the Southeast devoted exclusively to all things design. The space is dedicated to permanent and rotating exhibits that cover all design aspects of life include fashion, architecture, design for social change and automobile design concepts.

Oakland Cemetery

(©David Kosmos Smith)

Oakland Cemetery

Atlanta’s oldest cemetery is home to local luminaries—including golf legend Bobby Jones and "Gone With the Wind" author Margaret Mitchell—who are interred alongside Confederate soldiers who died during the Atlanta Campaign in 1864.

Oglethorpe University Museum of Art

(©Oglethorpe University/Flickr)

Oglethorpe University Museum of Art

This is a small museum featuring works by realist painters D. Jeffrey Mims and Francisco Roa; family photographs of Claude Monet at Giverney; and an original engraving of Victor Hugo by sculptor August Rodin.

Robert C. Williams American Museum of Papermaking

(Courtesy Robert C. Williams American Museum of Papermaking)

Robert C. Williams American Museum of Papermaking

This museum houses one of the most comprehensive collections of paper and paper-related artifacts in the world, including 2,000 books, watermarks, papers, tools, machines and manuscripts.

Coca Cola World

(©Anthony-Masterson)

World of Coca-Cola

Explore the story of the world’s best-known brand. Visitors will see a functioning bottling line, watch a 4D movie and taste more than 100 different beverages from around the world.

Spelman College Museum of Fine Art

(©Progressive Images Photography)

Spelman College Museum of Fine Art

This museum on the grounds of Spelman University specializes in 20th-century painting and sculpture by African-American artists including Jacob Lawrence, Faith Ringgold, Herman “Kofi” Bailey and Elizabeth Catlett.

Wren's Nest House Museum

(Courtesy Wren's Nest House Museum)

Wren's Nest House Museum

Atlanta’s oldest house museum was the home of Joel Chandler Harris, known for the tales of Brer Rabbit in The Uncle Remus Tales.

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