Edward C. Peters House was constructed in 1883 by local architect Gottfried L. Norrman. Set against the somewhat incongruous backdrop of Midtown's glass and metal skyline, the Victorian Queen Anne design is reminiscent of the shingle style, popular on the eastern seaboard during the latter part of the 19th Century. Also known as the Ivy Hall, this structure is a major landmark in Atlanta and an important historical site. The home is managed by Savannah College of Art and Design, who conduct tours of the house and organize various entertaining cultural events here.
If seeing the beautiful blown-glass creations at Janke Studios leaves you feeling envious and wishing you could do the same, there's hope for you yet. Twice a week, this studio and gallery offers glass art classes for both beginners and advanced students, in which you can learn to make a magnificent vase or perhaps your own bubbling colored paperweight. Exhibitions and tours of the studio are available, and all art on display is for sale. Call for class schedules or drop by and pick up a brochure.
Located in a beautifully restored house that dates to 1857, the Hammonds House Museum is dedicated to the mission of preserving the work and heritage of artists of African descent. Come view the works of notable local and national artists on full display in the galleries. The permanent exhibition boasts more than 450 works of American, African and Caribbean artists dating from the mid-19th century. After your visit, take a turn to the the Museum Gift Shop and brighten your home with a print or artifact that has great heritage value.
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.