Skip the downtown traffic and explore art, history, fashion, and more
There’s more to Atlanta attractions than the Georgia Aquarium. And as enjoyable as sipping global beverages at World of Coca-Cola can be, let’s forsake the sugar rush and venture outside downtown. Within these city suburbs, a diverse medley of museums abound, and each offers a day’s-worth of entertainment. Skip the traffic and settle into a delightful exploration of arts, history, and culture.
Atlanta museums guide
Buckhead
Atlanta History Center, $27–$35
While this history hub also includes the Margaret Mitchell House in Midtown, the center’s main campus invites from 33 delightful acres in Buckhead. Starting with the History Museum, browse an array of artifacts detailing Atlanta’s past including the 1856 Texas locomotive engine. The cyclorama, an 1880s handpainted, 49-foot immersive painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta, is a one-of-a-kind wonder. Before exploring the grounds, grab soup and a sandwich at Souper Jenny, or if you’re feeling pinkies-up fancy, book an afternoon tea at the Swan House Club Restaurant, just a few steps away. The Swan House and Smith Farmhouse are historic residences certainly worth touring, but the Goizueta Gardens with their nine distinct landscapes really take the cake. A day at the center is one well spent.
Druid Hills
This Druid Hills staple is a natural history museum, but also a four-story 3D theater, but also 75 acres of hardwood forest. While children will certainly nerd out at NatureQuest (baby alligators, anyone?), entertain your inner paleontologist with Giants of the Mesozoic, featuring some truly enormous dinosaurs. Science and nature exhibits abound, but outside offers a dinosaur plaza, a treetop walkway, and woodland trails. You can snag a bite to eat at on-site Bean Sprouts, or pitstop at Double Zero for some pizza just outside Emory Village Plaza.
Michael C. Carlos Museum, $0–$10
Located within the gorgeous grounds of Emory University, the Michael C. Carlos Museum is an intimate exploration of global art and artifacts. With collections spanning thousands of years from Africa to the Americas, the pinnacle has to be Egyptian mummies (both human and animal), though the Greek and Roman statues come in a close second. Guests can experience the museum’s entirety within two hours, so top off the afternoon with a stroll around Emory’s lovely campus.
Midtown Arts District(8 mins N)
You could spend all day here. Some 20,000 works of art make their home at the High, including renowned pieces by Monet, O’Keefe, Sargent, and more. Find the country’s most extensive collection of Civil Rights-era photography here, as well as a unique curation of folk and self-taught art pieces. If the budget allows, we highly (no pun intended) recommend lunching at French and Italian-inspired Elise, mere steps away at the Woodruff Arts Center, but light bites are also available at onsite CJ’s Cafe.
Museum of Design Atlanta, $5–$12
Just across Peachtree Street from the High, this small museum is dedicated to all things design, from architecture to graphics. The rotating exhibits celebrate design as an inspirational, creative force—the current one on salt (tasting station included) being no exception. It’s closed Mondays and Tuesdays; take advantage of free Fridays.
A midtown jaunt would not be complete without a tour of this ode to fashion and film. Immerse yourself in iconic haute couture via the esteemed art college’s sophisticated eye—past exhibits have highlighted the likes of Dior and André Leon Talley, while garments on permanent view include pieces from Diane von Furstenberg, Tom Ford, Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld, and more. Regular film salons dive into fashion documentaries, period dramas, and style-related cinema.
Honorable mentions
As tricky as traffic may be, Atlanta city center offers a wealth of cultural enrichment. These icons are worth an honorable mention.
National Center for Civil and Human Rights – a thoughtful, immersive experience into the global fight for justice, from Civil Rights to sports equality, including an interactive action lab.
College Football Hall of Fame — an actual hall, but so much more, showcasing college football’s legendary players, coaches, and unforgettable moments through captivating displays.
The King Center — a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., and his commitment to nonviolence, the center includes the crypt of Dr. and Mrs. King, as well as exhibits honoring their legacy, and that of Rosa Parks and Mahatma Gandhi.
