Historic Places

The beauty and intrigue of historic Atlanta sites and landmarks reminds visitors of the city’s past amid a thriving urban setting. From historic African-American colleges and universities to the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr., Atlanta’s past is at every corner. Enjoy guided tours and shopping along six blocks of Underground Atlanta or catch a show at the historic Fox Theatre. Historic restaurants in Atlanta, shopping districts, parks, museums and antebellum homes will make a walk through Atlanta’s history an unforgettable experience.

	Atlanta Cyclorama Atlanta Cyclorama is a rotating theatre which displays the world’s largest oil painting, “The Battle of Atlanta.” This Civil War museum features memorabilia and the locomotive "TEXAS,” as well as period paintings and photographs.
	Atlanta Higher Education Centers Score an A+ in Culture! Globally-known performers are hosted at The Robert Ferst Center at Georgia Tech and Georgia State’s Rialto Center for the Performing Arts, while the Miriam H. and John A. Conant Center at Oglethorpe University serves as the permanent home to the Georgia Shakespeare Festival. Art collections featuring many centuries of works are found throughout the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory, the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art and the GSU School of Arts and Design Gallery. The Savannah College of Art & Design’s (SCAD) Atlanta Campus offers ongoing art exhibitions at its gallery, located at the Woodruff Arts Center. SCAD also restored the historic Peters House into Ivy Hall, which now hosts cultural events. Atlanta University Center’s Clark Atlanta University Art Gallery and Spelman College Museum of Fine Art present exciting works by nationally acclaimed artists, as well.
	Atlanta History Center The Atlanta History Center features 32 acres of gardens, wildlife trails and woodland areas. The complex includes the 1840s Tullie Smith Farm and the fully restored 1928 Swan House mansion. The museum offers exhibitions on the Civil War, African-American heritage and Southern folk art, with a wing dedicated to the 1996 Olympic Games.
	Atlantic Station Great boutiques, sidewalk cafes and hip restaurants reign at Atlantic Station, designed to feel like a city within a city. Free shuttles are available from the Arts Center MARTA Station. The Millennium Gate showcases world-class architecture, art and history in an intimate gallery setting and beautiful grounds.
	Callanwolde Fine Arts Center Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, originally built around 1920, was the home of Howard Candler, president of the Coca-Cola Company. The 27,000 square foot mansion, which is covered in restored walnut paneling, stained glass and bronze balustrades, now serves as a prominent venue for performing arts. It has also made cameos in numerous films, including "Sharkey' s Machine," starring Burt Reynolds.
	Decatur Square Decatur Square was a strategic site for General Sherman’s siege on Atlanta; the occupation by Union soldiers closed Confederate supply lines. The Union occupants deserted the town after Confederate troops attacked Northern supply wagons. As the town center of 187-year-old Decatur, it now plays host to year-round festivals and creative expos.
	Fernbank Museum of Natural History Fernbank Museum of Natural History brings the world's largest dinosaurs to life, and explores global cultures through a variety of hands-on exhibits. Enjoy a classy mix of culture and cocktails with Martinis & IMAX® every Friday night.
	The Fox Theatre Designed in the late 1920s, this opulent, historic landmark was originally the Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque. Today, The Fox Theatre presents shows by Broadway in Atlanta and Theater of the Stars, as well as a summer movie series. It is also home to the Atlanta Ballet’s premier, annual performance of “Nutcracker.”
	Historic Neighbors The Marietta Historic District offers tours of the town and heritage museums. Visit the Square for specialty and antique shops, dining and entertainment, including two must see attractions, Marietta Gone With The Wind Museum: Scarlett on the Square and the Theatre In The Square. Visitors can also enjoy Bulloch Hall in Roswell, the childhood home of Former President Theodore Roosevelt’s mother and the Georgia Ensemble Theatre.
	Historic West End The West End historic district is an urban neighborhood located just southwest of downtown Atlanta. The community dates back to the 1830s and features restored period homes and Victorian cottages. The Wren’s Nest was the home of Joel Chandler Harris, author of the Uncle Remus Stories, and Hammonds House Museum features African-American art. The Atlanta University Center (AUC) is the country's largest concentration of African-American colleges. The AUC is comprised of Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and the Morehouse School of Medicine.
	Ivy Hall Ivy Hall, a post-Civil War, Queen Anne-style mansion, was completed 1883 for Edward Peters – president of the Atlanta Railway Company. Within the past 30 years, it has served as a drug rehabilitation clinic and the premier Mansion Restaurant. Having been severely damaged by fire in 2000, it was adopted by Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in 2005. After years of meticulous restorations, Ivy Hall now serves as classrooms for SCAD Atlanta.
	Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum is an opportunity to learn about the life and work of the 39th president’s life. Explore an exact replica of the Oval Office, view special exhibits, and listen to oral histories and interviews from the Carter White House. You will also trace Carter’s life from his 6th grade report card to his 2002 Nobel Peace Prize.
	Margaret Mitchell House The three-story Tudor Revival mansion in Midtown was the home of author Margaret Mitchell, where she wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Gone With the Wind. The house offers tours, a museum and shop, as well as a literature series.
	Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site & Sweet Auburn District The area of Sweet Auburn served as the thriving center of Atlanta’s Black enterprise from the 1890s to the 1940s. At the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, explore his birth home, historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, and The King Center, where Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize is displayed. The crypt and gravesite of Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, are also located here.
	Medieval Times Journey back to the 11th Century for feasting, fighting and fun! Medieval Times is a family-friendly dinner theater featuring an authentic medieval feast and jousting tournament with live horses and fearless knights.
	Michael C. Carlos Museum Travel through space and time in the Michael C. Carlos Museum galleries where ancient objects from Egypt, Nubia, Near East, Greece, Rome, Asia, Africa and the Americas introduce visitors to the artistic culture and heritage of the world. Exhibited in the landmark building designed by noted architect Michael Graves, this collection also includes works on paper from the renaissance to the present day. Specials exhibitions and educational events tell the glorious stories of civilization.
	Midtown Walking and Bicycling Tours Midtown walking and biking tours are available for many Atlanta attractions. Provided by The Atlanta Preservation Center, walking tours include historic neighborhoods and prominent buildings such as The Fox Theatre, one of the few remaining movie palaces of the 1920s. Bicycle Tours of Atlanta caters to many ability levels and features numerous options across the city, such as the Heart of the City Tour. The Progressive Dinner Bicycle Tour lets you experience Atlanta’s coveted cuisine while burning a few calories.
	Oakland Cemetery Oakland Cemetery is the final resting place of more than 70,000 Atlantans and prominent guests who have impacted the city. Notable figures buried here include Atlanta’s first African-American mayor Maynard Jackson, as well as Gone With The Wind author Margaret Mitchell. Built in 1850, the softly rolling slopes of the multi-acre cemetery is now an oasis of peace and calm within the bustling city. Here you’ll also find breathtaking sculptures, masonry and plantlife.
	Piedmont Park Piedmont Park features lush woods, Lake Clara Meer, picnic spots, skating paths and many annual events. More than 180 acres, the park is situated between 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue, where it joins the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
	Smith Plantation Home The Smith Plantation was the 300-acre site just to the north of the newly developed city of Roswell, GA, which boasts the home of Arthur William and Mary Norvell Smith. Today, the home is a house museum filled with period antiques from the late 1800s through the first half of the 20th century. It is also a trove of Civil War-era accoutrements, including furnishings, clothing and written documents.
	Stone Mountain Park Home to the world’s largest piece of exposed granite rock and longest running lasershow, Stone Mountain Park is Georgia’s most visited attraction. The Lasershow Spectacular in Mountainvision™ is choreographed with your favorite tunes and breathtaking pyrotechnics. With more than 3,200 acres of natural beauty, you’ll find family-oriented attractions, recreational activities, special events, lodging and camping. Experience attractions such as the all-new Geyser Towers where you can play in the spray or stay high and dry; take a trek through the treetops on Sky Hike; soar to the top of the mountain on Summit Skyride plus much more.
	Underground Atlanta Six city blocks of Underground Atlanta have been transformed into a subterranean marketplace offering guided historic tours, more than 100 specialty stores, and Kenny's Alley music and nightlife district. You’ll also find street-cart merchants and annual events such as the Peach Drop New Year’s Eve Celebration and Heritage Arts Festival.
	William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum Through its exhibitions, publications and resources, this Atlanta Jewish Federation museum explores Jewish heritage and how it relates to other cultures and religions. It also contains two permanent galleries and hosts special rotating exhibits.

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