Atlanta History Center is a great spot for history buffs. This comprehensive museum complex was founded in 1926 and chronicles the region's history, including sections on the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, Southern folk crafts, Atlanta's expansion, and much more. Spread across 33 acres (13.5 hectares), the complex consists of the Atlanta History Museum, Swan House, Tullie Smith Farm (Smith Family Farm), Margaret Mitchell House, Lee Playhouse, Victorian Playhouse, McElreath Hall, Kenan Research Center, and beautiful gardens. It has various programs, festivals, and events throughout the year. Considered to be among the biggest history museums in the country, each space is unique and distinct, giving a glimpse of an era bygone and stories to enthrall everyone.
Showcasing ancient art from Egypt, Greece, Rome, Africa and ancient Americas, this 45,000-square foot (4180.63 square meters) museum is a brilliant addition to Atlanta's cultural landscape. Affiliated with Emory University, the museum's permanent collection of over 25,000 works spans a historical stretch of nearly 9,000 years, from the prehistoric cultures of the 7th Century BCE to the 20th Century. The museum also hosts many special exhibitions, lectures, films, and workshops. Grab a cup of coffee at the Ebrik Coffee Room or checkout the museum bookstore on your visit here.
Encompassing 2550 acres (1031.94 hectares) of pristine forested swathes, the Davidson-Arabia Nature Preserve is framed by the marvelous Arabia Mountain, which largely looms over the Arabia Lake Reservoir. This preserve is fringed by a tapestry of dramatic rock outcroppings and incredible, rolling hills. The park's mountaintop terrain bears a fragile ecosystem, including several protected species of fascinating flora. Although the landscape of the park is known to be barren, deep in its recesses lies a wealth of Recherche, which brave the ruthless weather of the mountain, and bloom in all their glory. Seemingly metamorphosing into different landscapes as per seasons, this mountain preserves a tracery of trails wind past the park's lakes, through dense forests and up to the mountain's soaring pinnacle. Traces of ruinous quarry structures of a bygone industry validate the fact that the park is as much steeped in history as it is in nature.
Created mostly with land granted by Colonel Lemuel Grant, the "Father of Atlanta," Grant Park is the oldest surviving park in the city. Its landscape was part of the defensive line against Union forces in the Civil War, and the breastworks of Fort Walker remain as evidence of the Confederacy's defeat. The Cyclorama, a circular building filled with the world's largest painting, tells the story of the battle. The park's other main attraction is Zoo Atlanta, one of the only places in the country that you can see a set of giant pandas.
It is hard to miss this ultra-modern, white structure that houses Atlanta's finest collections of classic and contemporary art. A towering atrium soars to four interior levels, with the galleries moving from 18th and 19th Century collections near the ground floor to cutting-edge art on the upper levels. The High has increased in size to 312,000 square feet (2972.89 square meters) with three buildings designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano: the Susan and John Wieland Pavilion, the Anne Cox Chambers Wing for galleries, and an office building. The High is a frequent host to some of the world's most important touring collections and has hosted exhibitions featuring artists like Pablo Picasso and Norman Rockwell. With over 18000 works in the permanent collection, the High also displays old prints of Abe Lincoln, General William Tecumseh Sherman and an array of sculptures and photographs.
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is one of the largest spectacles of plant life in the Southeast. Sprawling over 30 acres (12.14 hectares), this natural oasis was established in 1976 and is located within stumbling distance of the famous Piedmont Park. It is home to the Fuqua Conservatory and Japanese gardens, both rich in globe-spanning flora. Follow a walking trail, which is a favorite of couples, and admire exotic rose plantations and carnivorous specimens. In addition, guided tours and seasonal shows guarantee an entertaining botany lesson.