Our Great Big City offers visitors a chance to have fun while learning about Atlanta’s many landmarks and history.

Atlanta History Center: Goizueta Children’s Experience

The Goizueta Children’s Experience opened last month to the delight of many families. Designed specifically for children ages 1 to 8, this 5,000-square-foot space engages creativity and learning through play. The current exhibit, Our Great Big City, highlights Atlanta’s iconic landmarks and neighborhoods.

When kids press dashboard buttons at one station, scents waft from the car vents reminiscent of Atlanta’s iconic Varsity.

The Time Machine Climber, complete with slide and interactive dance floor, beckons kids upon arrival. Kids can “perform” at the mini-version of the Fox Theatre with a ticket booth, stage, and musical instruments. At The Varsity carhop station, kids enjoy various scents from Atlanta’s hometown burger place when they push certain buttons.

At each exhibit, signs are written in both English and Spanish, and kids are encouraged to touch everything, from opening drawers to placing magnets on a map of Atlanta. Little ones will discover relics from the past (but probably from their parent's lifetime!), such as typewriters, cassette tapes, and more. They also meet “Izzy,” the cartoon-like mascot from the 1996 Summer Olympic Games held in Atlanta.

Parents can sit down while younger kids (up to age 3) climb the soft-padded structures and play with blocks in the Tiny Town area. Artsy types head to the Creative Hub with crayons and craft activities. If your kids have had too much stimulation, take them to the Sensory-Free Zone —calm down with books, puzzles, and an enclosed sensory pod.

Listen to stories about segregation on the tabletop jukebox at the Civil Rights-era diner. 

Atlanta History Center: Cyclorama and Other Exhibits 

The museum offers a wide range of permanent and temporary exhibits. To help you plan for your visit, check out the free itinerary planner that takes into account your children's ages and interests. 

Expose children to Atlanta’s past through engaging stories, artifacts, and interactive exhibits in Gatheround: Stories of Atlanta. Visit the barbershop, which enabled a strong sense of community for many early Atlanta neighborhoods. Also, learn about the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, the Temple Bombing in 1958, and other important events. Older kids will appreciate the Civil Rights-era diner exhibit while listening to stories about segregation on the tabletop jukebox.

Guests have the opportunity to climb aboard the cab of the Texas in the new locomotion exhibition.

On the other side of the museum, climb aboard Texas, a restored locomotive that played a role in the Great Locomotive Chase during the Civil War. Then, make your way to the adjacent Cyclorama exhibit! Cycloramas, life-size, circular paintings surrounding viewers on all sides, gained popularity in the late 1800s. This 10,000-pound, almost 140-year-old painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta is only one of two cycloramas left in the world! Catch the brief film that brings the battle to life while detailing the painting’s history.

Sports fans will enjoy the permanent section on golfer Bobby Jones, the 1996 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the temporary exhibit (running through September 2025) on legendary baseball player Hank Aaron. Military buffs and older kids may want to spend time in Turning Point: The American Civil War, one of the largest Civil War collections in the country.

The upstairs bedroom at the Swan House is open for play! 

Atlanta History Center: Swan House, Goizueta Gardens & Outdoor Exhibits

Head outside the center’s main building onto the terrace overlooking the Goizueta Gardens —stop at the playground and let the kids burn off more energy. The Connor Brown scavenger hunt lets little ones look for a wood cabin in the Swan Woods, amphibians in the Quarry Garden, and more.

Swan House

The centerpiece of the Atlanta History Center grounds is the opulent Swan House Mansion. Built in 1928 by famed architect Philip Trammel Schutze for the Inman family, the house exhibits how a wealthy family lived in Atlanta almost 100 years ago. On display are two floors of the family's living space, the servant's quarters on the third floor, and the basement.

While a rope blocks off most rooms, the upstairs bedroom of the Inman grandchildren, Mimi and Sam, is open for play. Here, the museum encourages kids to spread out on the floor to play with dolls, blocks, and a train set used by the family members. In the kitchen, check out the antique refrigerator and stove...both considered innovative at the time. Outside, try to get your little ones to locate Swan Door (from Tiny Doors ATL) before wandering into the Victorian playhouse. 

Smith Farm accurately represents a working farm of the Atlanta area in the 1860s.

Smith Farm

Before there were mansions in Atlanta, farms dotted the area. Take the path to the farmhouse to discover rural life in Atlanta in the 1860s. In addition to the two-story house, you'll explore multiple outbuildings, including the kitchen and slave quarters. The highlight of the farm includes sheep, goats, chickens, and turkeys.

Atlanta History Center: Dining for All

With all the activities at the Atlanta History Center, you may need to stop and take a break. Head to Souper Jenny, one of our favorite healthy spots for kids. The two-story, light-filled dining space also houses Brash Coffee for a quick caffeine pick-me-up. Fun fact: You can dine at Souper Jenny's Buckhead location whether or not you have museum tickets.

Atlanta History Center: Know Before You Go

• The Atlanta History Center is open every day except Mondays.
• Tickets are $27 for adults, $24 for youth, and free for children ages 0-3. Membership options are available.
• Children must be supervised at all times.
• Check the calendar for upcoming kids' programs, including story time, little learners circle, young innovators, and more. In addition, the Center hosts amazing author talks, screenings, and events for adults.
• Enroll kids K-5th grade in weekly summer camps from 9am-3:45pm. 
• Stop by the museum gift shop for an array of kid's items to take the learning home with you.

Unless noted, photos by the author