Atlanta History Center Review

I just spent 6 hours there and could have spent more. The Civil War exhibit alone is worth the price of admission . The only complaint is that Swan House closes at 4, an hour earlier than the museum. No one told me so I went there last, at 4:02. Very irritating. Why close so early? I feel cheated.

Brought my three-yr-old and it was a bit over his head. However, he loved the Muppets exhibit.

I remember visiting here as a child, but there is much more than I remember. The actual center that has exhibits, a gift shop, cafeteria, and an event space. There's a really cool exhibit on the history of the Olympics and when they came to Atlanta in 1996. They also have the Swan House which is gorgeous inside and out but was most recently filmed for the Hunger Games Trilogy, which is pretty cool. There's also a farm and some little houses and gardens on the property. You will not make it through these exhibits or the property quickly so plan to at least spend 4-6 hours here. And wear comfortable shoes, there's several miles of walking.

Excellent place to visit. Lots of galleries exhibiting the history of Atlanta and its people.

Nice place to learn about Atlanta and it's history. Many parts of the Atlanta story are covered, though none really in depth. The Smith Farm and the Swan House are probably the best parts of the museum.

Actual location is veteran park .The address on google map will take you to a different location if you use GPS, even further than swan house. You can park on the side of road and walk back to find actual location. I used student ID so my admission cost $18 which includes indoor exhibit, farm outside and margaret mitchell house for 9 days. Exhibits include old atlanta history since foundation, melting pot of cultures in atlanta and some new exhibition every month like American BBQ tradition, Mexican heritage. The farm outside includes sheep, chicken coop , old smokehouse. The garden includes a trail connected to swan house.

I've been visiting the Atlanta History Center since I was a child and have reviewed it positively before, but its steady decline over the past decade has necessitated a revision of that review (and my decision to not renew my membership for a 10th year).

While the Atlanta History Center remains a premier repository for Atlanta history, that history is no longer presented in a way which I feel is helpful or educational for visitors.

Most of the exhibits are presented inconclusively and without substance; a smattering of random items with terse identifying placards. Where fuller contextualization is given, it is usually hopelessly pedantic and reductive. Interpreters and docents know bland, memorized scripts, but little else, unless one is lucky and able to find some of the few employees who seem to have a genuine love of history.

One the whole, one feels as though the History Center has embraced a new business model centered around convenience and flash - a few objects artfully arranged with some moralizing sermons for effect. The Center now seems only concerned with two things: providing a venue for weddings and being able to sell itself as a "public good" where school children can be presented with a superficial introduction to history.

A few of the permanent exhibits are an exception to this rule, and there is some value in being able to tour the impressive historic buildings on the campus, but they do not outweigh the cost of admission.

Instead of visiting the Atlanta History Center, I would encourage history-oriented tourists to instead tour the local county history centers, the statuary, portraits, and museum at the Georgia State Capitol, and Historic Oakland Cemetery. They have just as much history, and in far more pleasant settings.

A very interesting museum covering various aspects of Atlanta history. Their civil war exhibit is extensive but they also cover lots of other topics.

Amazingly beautiful house. I wish I could live there! Great museum

Nice plantation house and tour guides telling me the difference between a farm and plantation. It s a farm cause the owner didn t want additional taxes back then.... interesting.

The place is very good however the parking attendants are a bunch of idiots who are extremely rude & Unprofessionally !

There is a circle for the entrance that is a drop off & pickup area NOT a parking area for the restaurant ! This is how they work over here.

Had a charter bus & 2 mini buses - was told by Andrew Chambliss ( parking security/attendant) the cars are only gonna be 20 mins - here it is 30 mins to 45 mins later and pouring down rain my group comes.

Now they are being inconvenienced because of these parking attendants, some in the group are disabled .

It is not fair that these folks can make up any rule they want and have seniors get soak and wet & have too walk when there is a front entrance !

Great place for the family. The place is huge with lots to see. Highly recommended.

Nice place with a variety of exhibits. I enjoyed the Civil war section.

You can easily spend an entire afternoon here. There is a lot to learn about the history of Atlanta. I especially like the exhibit on Atlanta and the Olympics. Do not pass up an opportunity to get a tour of the Swan House. It is fantastic! I had the opportunity to go to a Great Gatsby party at the Swan House and it was so much fun!

Tip: part of the Bank of America free museums on the first weekend of the month. Check out the Atlanta History Center's Party with the Past events for free tours of historical places all around Atlanta!

The Cyclorama was the highlight of our visit. It is beautifully restores and has quite a history of its own. There are many exhibits that have nothing to do with the Civil War, and because of the broad range, there is something for everyone. We also toured the Swan House, which was an unescorted walk-through. They have a small brochure, but it would have been helpful if they had information in each room. Without an escort, it is just an old beautiful house, a tour guide would be able to bring the house and the people who lived there to life. Be sure to make time for lunch at the Swan House Restaurant. It was very good food in a traditional southern tearoom style. We continued on the Margaret Mitchell house, which we enjoyed, and our tour guide Jonathan was very enthusiastic about Margaret Mitchell and Gone With the Wind. He did bring the Mitchell house to life. We would recommend visiting all places while in Atlanta.

Great venue and event tonight. Beverly Tatum was a pleasure to hear speak about her book!

Friendly staff, some great exhibits and great price.

I enjoyed my first experience at the Atlanta History Center. This is a great place to see the history in plain view. My kids enjoyed themselves as well but my most enjoyable moment was the play about "John Lewis's speech".

I never expected so much from the Atlanta History Center. The grounds are beautiful, and the staff is so helpful. Thanks Cody for all he did at the front desk to explain the Center.

Lots of interesting information about the history of the city and the role its played as one of, if not the central city of the south.

A place not to miss, spectacular to go with the family.

The museum itself is fine, but nothing special. The room on the Native Peoples was quite sparse with only about a dozen artifacts. The fantastic part of this place is the buildings in the back. The Smith Family Farm and Gardens has the farmhouse, live animals, kitchen building, wood shop, blacksmith shop, slave quarters. The Swan House is massive and fun to tour. There is suppose to be a Wood Family Cabin, but we have never found it and there are no signs telling you how to get there.

A superb interactive informative museum-the sections for Atlanta and the Civil War are simply awesome! Well thought of exhibits engage and immerse you - a few hours felt like few minutes! Unfortunately, the houses weren't open today, but we had a tremendous time at the Center. The cafe is also great. Definitely, a must do for visitors to Atlanta!!

Exceeded my expectations by a landslide. Budgeted 3 hours but could have spent all day there.

I went with my daughter on her school field trip. The tour guides were great and kept the kids entertained. Wish we could have saw more.

The Atlanta History center is full of amazing pieces from the city's past. Be sure to take an entire day to experience all that the center has to offer. The Swan House takes you back in time to the 1930's and the Smith farm takes you back to life during the civil war. There is so much to learn about the history of Atlanta that it can seen overwhelming. Here's a tip: entry into the history center is free the first full weekend of the month if you are a Bank of America card holder!!!

Enjoyed both the indoor and outdoor exhibits. Be sure to go to the basement of swan house. Expect to spend 3-4 hours.

I was very disappointed with the civil war 360 picture not on display, but the rest was high class. There must have been a different way for handicap to Swan House but we went though the museum which wasn t a good idea.

There are some outstanding exhibits at AHC. I highly recommend it.

The Atlanta History Center comprises a decent sized museum building, a log cabin, a farm, and the Swan House on site. It also includes the Margaret Mitchell house out in Midtown. The museum exhibits are really well curated and unlike other period homes you are encouraged to interact with many of the historical objects in the outbuildings. There are also volunteers on the main property dressed and acting in period accurate way. A pretty nice little historical site.

There's seven exhibits in the main museum that focus primarily on different aspects of Georgia History. There's also three historic houses on the property as well: The Swan House, The Smith Family Farm and Wood Family Cabin. In addition there's also 22-acres of gardens outside as well. All of this is included in the general admission for $21.50 for adults and $18 for students/seniors, and $9 for kids 12-4. Tickets after 3:45 are half priced but you will not be able to see the historic houses as those close at 4 everyday.

Well worth the drive from anywhere!!! Cyclorama is absolutely stunning along with the history of the battle. History center has many galleries including folk art and bar-b-que as will as a steam engine. Be sure to go to the quarry gardens, historic farm and especially the swan house. You can spend 4-6 hours here easily. Have some of there famous soup and sandwiches. Good parking.

Really enjoyed the chance to learn more about Atlanta and how it has been shaped over time (positively and negatively). There is quiet the wide array of exhibits to engage into. The cyclorama was a first. It was more interesting and impressive than I anticipated.

There were some really cool exhibits, my favorite being about handmade crafts in Atlanta/Georgia. Emory s Laney Graduate School hosted its annual gala there and the setting was good. There were lots of places to take pictures.

Enjoyable and interesting. Extensive campus including the Swan House (featured in Hunger Games and a great wedding venue)

It was really good. Day of the dead festival was nice.

BEST PLACE EVER. just make sure to go on a saturday or something since on Sunday it opens at 12 so you don't have as much time...they have so much it's awesome

The Atlanta History Museum is a wonderful place to visit and get a small glimpse into the development and experiences of some events and people of Atlanta. This location is in the Buckhead Community. They open promptly at 10 AM. This location offers a barista and a cafe for coffee and snacks/lite lunch. There is also a gift shop that offers items to purchase from some local retailers. Come and learn something about a thriving city. Welcome To Atlanta.

I went here on a field trip and although I enjoyed it, my students are academically low, so they didn't understand the terminology being used.

If you love the Hunger Games and historical houses, this place is for you! I was in awe! Love the Rolls Royce in front of the mansion! When I went, I got a private tour which blew my mind!

SENSATIONAL PLACE ! My wife and I did the museum tour while on a short visit to Atlanta recently. Everything we saw was very interesting. The Swan House and Smith Family Farm were amazing. Just 12 bucks a head and worth every cent !

Great place to visit and learn the history of Atlanta.

Had a great time with my family here! My husband especially loved it, but it's not for everyone.

A fantatic museum. The Turning Point Civil War museum is one of the finest that I have been to. There are numerous ways (i.e., self-guided, audio, etc.) to enjoy it. There are many other fine exhibits as well as traveling exhibits. The Swan House is a must see. A 1920s era mansion. The Smith Farm is also always an enoyable experience. They plan to open additional areas with the Texas locomotive (of the Great Locomotive Chase fame) and the Cyclorama. I was able to tour these today in a behind the scenes fashion and they will be exquisite additions. My family and I have been members for multiple years. They have numerous great events a year and the staff is always friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We worth the time to visit.

Excellent history museum, I'll come back with my friends and family

The Atlanta History Center has many different exhibits you can take part in. We experienced the Cherokee Trail of Tears. Our guide, Morris, was wonderful. Our journey was interactive and very informative. The gift shop/eatery is expensive and not very kid friendly.

Love this place. One of the best history centers in the South. Buy a membership and go a bunch of times... You'll need time to see everything. They also have historical buildings on the property such as the Swan House and Tulie Farm.

Admission is a little steep, but check online for special days/times when it's half-off or free.

My family and I really enjoyed the Atlanta History Museum. There were some really neat exhibits and some really amazing stories and artifacts! I loved the fact that they have the Swan House and Smith Family Farm as a part of the museum. I did feel like there could have been more in certain areas and that they could have delved deeper into much of the history of Atlanta. I wasn t able to see the 360*? Part of the museum but will definitely go back to experience that! If you love Museum or don t have a lot of experience with them this is a really good place to start!

This was a very interesting place to visit! The exhibits were put together very nicely and full of information. The building itself was beautiful and well kept. The grounds were breath taking and so worth sweating your buns off to see. The Swan House was my favorite stop, so picturesque and made you feel like you took a step back in time. My friends favorite part was the farmstead. She enjoyed the actors portraying the family and the animals made it seem so realistic. Overall, such a fun place to stop and visit. Worth every penny. My only disappointment, as a tourist, was the small gift shop.

Decided to go there on a rainy day. Made very interesting. Anyone interested in the history of Atlanta is at the right place here. I found the things outside unspectacular.

I had A WONDERFUL time. The ushers and volunteers were friendly and helpful. The entire place was clean, open, informative and appealing. Bringing more people along next time!

I have been visiting the museums all over the country and this is definitely one of the top ten. Not only because of its informative content, excellent curation, and interactive exhibitions, but also because its beautiful environment and the ecosystem with Swan House, Smith Farm, Souper Jonny, etc. It is a place you can spend the whole day but not feel boring. High recommend it.

Great Civil War exhibit. Check out the steam engine!

Outstandingly well done, very tasteful. Fantastic building.

It is a true hidden gem in Atlanta. Everybody was awesome. I loved the new cyclorama. It is beautifully done. The exhibits inside the main building are very well thought out and put together. The Swan House is stunning. The gardens are beautiful It is well worth a visit. Well done Atlanta History Center.

Maybe a little too heavy on Civil War era and light on recent history, but still a must-see for anybody. They also frequently have great events.

Exhibits were okay and day of the dead event was nice. Unfortunately the Univision host had no clue what was going on. Her ability to present and share information about the event was an absolute joke. The Catarina contest was terribly done again due 5o the Univision host. She attempted to translate the things going on but maybe share 10% or less of the actual meaning. And to top it all off she arrive over 30 minutes late to the event at that point why bother?

Will not attend again. Oh and also bring some earplugs music reached decibels levels to match being at an outdoor shooting range.

Beautiful grounds. History.and a wonderland all together!!

A great experience. Love the gardens and the cyclorama of first class

The admission fee is well worth it. If you are with someone else, do consider the membership option which makes sense.

Schedule a time for the Cyclorama session. This massive painting was moved from Grant Park not too long ago. (Someone needs to inform Georgia DOT since the large sign on interstate 20 still says it s in Grant Park!) It s a sight to see and comes with a staff presentation. Including an explanation of how the hell Ret Butler wiggled his way into it.

Leave time to walk the grounds if it s not too hot.

The exhibits are on point, but you may find yourself enchanted by the book store.

There is a Souper Jenny Cafe which serves awesome soup. Brash coffee is also on there to give you a second wind.

We loved the tour we took. Very informative and the grounds were amazingly manicured.

What a great education about Atlanta visitors gain here. So well done, they don't sugarcoat things. I really enjoyed the way this museum was put together. So thoughtful. Wonderful experience.

For history buffs and researchers. There are some amazing things here.

Wonderful place to explore and learn about Atlanta's history.

Great place for the family. The place is huge with lots to see. Highly recommended.

This is a great field trip for elementary students. Both times we have seen the Civil Rights exhibit and students love it.

This place is the bee's knees! My first visits were for free lectures (with food!), which were informative, relaxed, and diverse. Next, I went for public gardens day, and the grounds are ahhh-mazing! They are well-kept, and the staff was very fun and shared fun facts. There are a variety of buildings and gardens from a reconstructed slave cabin to a barn where the goats do tricks to the gorgeous Swan House. The exhibits indoors were fun and interactive, while the food is well-sourced and very yummy. I take most of my out-of-town guests there if they're into history!

Fun and informative. Helpful staff and clean museum.

Excellent This is something that Atlanta should be proud of.

Had a fantastic experience here. Great way to spend the day! Plenty of historic sites, exhibits, gardens and more. Would recommend to anyone visiting out of state as well as the locals taking advantage of this beautiful center!

This aquarium packs it all in to a small space that feels huge. Came here while on our first trip to Atlanta, it happened to be a rainy day so it worked out great! The whale shark exhibit is exquisite. You really feel like you are In there with all the fish. The dolphin show was fantastic. You definitly dont want to sit anywhere below row 7 or you may get soaked, the blasted with air conditioning. It would be nice if there were an outdoor section.

Everything was great!!!! The staff is excellent on giving you information. The bathrooms were SUPER clean.