Art in galleryLooking for a dose of culture? Explore these and other museums in Atlanta and learn about Atlanta’s role in the American Civil War, the invaluable contributions of various ethnic groups to the city’s traditions, and the life of our 39th president, Jimmy Carter. Don’t miss the historic homes at the Atlanta History Center!

1. Apex
The Apex – which stands for the African American Panoramic Experience – is an Atlanta museum which retells history from an African American perspective. Their many exhibits are designed to educate the public on the truth about slavery, reconstruction-era South, and the Civil Rights Movement among other important historical moments integral to the African American experience in the U.S. To learn more about this invaluable cultural resource, go to: www.ApexMuseum.org.

2. High Museum of Art
The High is one of the most prominent of art museums in Atlanta. Displaying a permanent collection of over 11,000 works of sculpture, painting, photography – and more – the High also owns a substantial collection of works on paper including those by Toulouse-Lautrec and Albrecht Durer. Additionally, the High’s Folk Art collection helps preserve American traditions, while its African Art exhibition adds depth to the High’s representation of Southern – and American – art forms. To browse through the High gallery, go to: www.High.org

3. Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
Our 39th president was a native of Georgia and he is honored in Atlanta at his presidential museum. The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum collects materials relating to the life and careers of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. Peruse the photographs and memorabilia documenting Carter’s years in office from 1976-1981 including priceless gifts of state presented to Mr. Carter and his family. To learn more about touring the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum visit: www.JimmyCarterLibrary.gov.


4. Center for Puppetry Arts
This one-of-a-kind museum is the largest center devoted to puppetry in the country. The center is dedicated to educating the public on the art of puppetry creation and performance. The Center for Puppetry Arts Museum displays many famous puppets from around the world and from different time periods as well as many Jim Hensen – the creator of the Muppets – originals. The center stages puppetry performances as well as Create-A-Puppet workshops. Take advantage of the hands-on gallery and shop for puppets in the Museum store. To learn more about this most unusual of Atlanta museums visit: www.Puppet.org.

5. The King Center
Atlanta was the birthplace and home of one of the world’s most famous peace activists. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lived and preached in Atlanta – and is buried there. Tour his birth home, final resting place, watch films about his life, and peruse the museum and library. The King Center – founded in 1968 by his wife Coretta Scott King – is dedicated to educating the public on his life and legacy, and ensuring we never forget the man who had a dream. To learn more about this most important of Atlanta museums go to: TheKingCenter.org.

6. William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum
Atlanta’s Jewish heritage and holocaust museum not only strives to chronicle the horrors done to the Jewish race, but also educates about the influence of Jewish peoples on the city of Atlanta. In “Creating Community: The Jews of Atlanta from 1845 to the Present,” the museum displays the narrative of Jewish culture’s integral role in forming Atlanta. Don’t miss “The Absence of Humanity: The Holocaust Years” exhibit which urges us to remember the evils and tragedy of our collective history.” The Legacy Project: Coming to America” details the hope holocaust survivors found in America and the painful past that they brought with them. Visit the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum today – one of the best museums in Atlanta. To learn more go to: www.TheBreman.org.

7. Fernbank Science Center
This is one of the best when it comes to children’s museums in Atlanta. This interactive, fun museum will educate and inform as well as entertain. The planetarium at the Fernbank is one of the biggest in the country, and regularly scheduled star shows are bound to mesmerize you as well as your little viewers. The Fernbank has adult programming too! Check out their state-of-the-art IMAX theater when you are done exploring! To learn more about this fun museum go to: www.Fernbank.edu.

8. World of Coca-Cola
This huge facility located at Pemberton Place in Atlanta helps narrate the world-famous story of the Coca-Cola Corporation. Coca-Cola was born in Atlanta in a two-story house; the soft drink rose to be a multi-billion dollar industry with over 40 brands world-wide! At the World of Coca-Cola join a tour and see a real working bottling line and sample – to your heart’s content – from the soda fountains. If you opt for the VIP tour, you will get the insider’s scoop. Try the “Style my Coke” activity in the Coca-Cola Store. Shop in the museum store and take home your complimentary 8 oz. Coke as a souvenir. To learn more about this best of Atlanta museums go to: www.WorldofCoca-Cola.com.

9. Atlanta History Center
This history museum is one of the largest in the Southeast. Including 3 historic homes and 6 plush gardens, the History Center is no ordinary museum. It also houses the Centennial Olympic Games museum which showcases one of the most prominent exhibitions about the Olympic Games in the country. The Atlanta History Center’s Civil War collection is expansive, and its permanent exhibit, “Turning Point: The American Civil War,” is one of the largest collections of Civil War artifacts and memorabilia in the U.S. Tour the historic homes and gardens which are all within the grounds of the History Center: the Swan House, Tullie Smith Farm, and the Margaret Mitchell House. The latter was the home of the author of the bestselling classic Gone With the Wind. Visit the Atlanta History Center and learn about Atlanta’s history and her role in the shaping of the American South. To learn more visit: www.AtlantaHistoryCenter.com.

10. Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta
This interactive children’s museum is full of kid-friendly, educational exhibits. The “Fundamentally Food” exhibit allows children to understand the processes of agriculture, cooking, and transportation of food through this large scale “play store” and “play kitchen.” Your kids can select food from the farm, load it onto trucks via a kid-safe forklift, buy it from the grocery store and then take it to the museum kitchen to “cook.” Your kids will love how much play they can get away with and still be learning! Don’t miss the “Leap into Learning” exhibit where your children don raincoats and splash in waterfalls, fish for colorful plastic fish with a rod and reel, and relax and read in an extensive children’s book room. To learn more about Imagine It! One of the best children’s museums in Atlanta, go to: www.ChildrensMuseumAtlanta.org.