The 13 Best Museums in Atlanta to Take the Kids

Posted Jan 24, 2019 Just For Fun Family Travel

When you think of Atlanta, the art and culture scene may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But Atlanta is home to some pretty terrific museums, offering one-of-a-kind experiences the whole family will love. After all, where else can you get up close to the vault holding the super secret formula behind the world's most popular soda, see the world's largest permanent exhibition of western art, hang out with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, and view a THREE-STORY display of college football helmets - over 760 in all? Only in Atlanta!

Check out our list of the top 13 best museums in the Atlanta area to take the kids.

Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Located in downtown Atlanta, the Children's Museum of Atlanta is a hands-on interactive fun zone that inspires learning and imagination in children of all ages. The museum hosts six Learning Zones, an Art Room, Science Bar, Build It Lab and an area for a traveling exhibit that changes two-three times per year.  Exhibits are geared towards guests 8 years and younger. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lunch to eat at the indoor or outdoor picnic tables. There are vending machines with healthy options in the mezzanine section of the museum, but no other food sales available on site. It is recommended you leave the strollers at home as there is limited stroller parking available.

Children’s Museum of Atlanta, GA

High Museum of Art, Atlanta
Located in Midtown on Peachtree Street in the City's Arts District, the High Museum of Art features more than 15,000 permanent works of art in its collection. The museum recently renovated and opened a custom-made family space for interactive, creative play. This family-friendly museum offers Weekend Family Tours and Toddler Thursdays where a new theme is explored each month with related art projects, stories, and artwork. Dining options are available on site with a children's menu. 

 The Greene Family Learning Gallery at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, GA

College Football Hall of Fame, Atlanta
Located near Centennial Olympic Park, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame is an interactive attraction devoted to all things college football. Explore the Quad to find your favorite team's helmet on a three-story wall or get your game on at the indoor interactive playfield. If you get hungry while visiting, you can order from inside the Hall through the Chick-fil-A app for a pick-up on their field. Save 29% on an All-Access Pass to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, Atlanta, Georgia

Tellus Science Museum, Cartersville
Located off of I-75 in Cartersville, Tellus Science Museum is a world-class 120,000-square-foot facility that aims to ignite a passion for science. Stand underneath a massive T-rex bone structure, check out the full-size replica of the Wright Brothers' flying contraption, experiment with light and sound or dig up fossils and pan for gems in Collins Family My Big Back Yard. The museum also features a digital planetarium and an observatory with a state-of-the-art telescope. Outside food and drinks are not allowed, but there is a cafe on site for food and drink purchases. 

T-Rex at Tellus Science Museum, Cartersville, GA

Atlanta History Center
Located in Atlanta's vibrant Buckhead neighborhood, the Atlanta History Center features 33 acres of exhibitions, historic houses, gardens, interactive activities, year-round family programs, and summer camps for kids. The Center's Magic Monday program for toddlers and preschoolers includes new themed activities for their youngest visitors each month. The Center offers a variety of on-site dining options, including a coffee house, tea room, and soup shop.

Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)
Located in the midtown Arts District across from the High Museum of Art, Atlanta's premiere design museum, MODA, features hands-on classes, activities and camps for kids interested in design. The second Sunday of every month is Family Free Day at MODA where the whole family can participate in design and STEAM activities that are educational and fun. 

Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)

Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville
Ranked as one of “The South’s Best Museums” by Southern Living, Booth Western Art Museum is the world's largest permanent exhibition space for Western art. Their galleries tell the story of America's past. The Miller Presidential Gallery displays a portrait and an original hand-signed letter from each of the U.S. Presidents, from George Washington to Donald Trump. The Museum's annual Chuck Wagon Gathering in the spring is a one-day celebration featuring music, cowboy poetry, children's activities and more. Free parking is available on site.

Chattahoochee Nature Center, Roswell
Situated on 127 acres in Roswell, the Chattahoochee Nature Center's mission is to connect people with nature. The Center features hiking trails, gardens, an animal rehabilitation center, and a discovery center featuring interactive exhibits, live animal habitats and hands-on fun. Family fun days are held four times a year along with other kid-friendly events, camps, classes and festivals throughout the year. Bring a sack lunch and enjoy a picnic at one of several outdoor, uncovered picnic areas. Parking is free.

Chattahoochee Nature Center, Roswell, GA

World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta
Learn all about the world's most famous beverage at the 20-acre World of Coca-Cola complex located at Pemberton Place in downtown Atlanta’s Centennial Park District. Get up close to the vault that houses the secret formula to Coca-Cola, go behind the scenes of the bottling process, and taste test more than 100 beverages from around the world. Kids will love meeting and having their pictures taken with the lovable Coca-Cola Polar Bear. 

The Vault at World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta, GA

National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Atlanta
Located in downtown Atlanta, the purpose of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is to "create a safe space for visitors to explore the fundamental rights of all human beings so that they leave inspired and empowered to join the ongoing dialogue about human rights in their communities." The museum's interactive and engaging exhibits provide kids in upper elementary school and older a great opportunity to learn about the United States Civil Rights movement and the human rights movement around the world. 

National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Atlanta, GA

Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta
Located in Atlanta's Arts District, the Center for Puppetry Arts is the largest organization dedicated to all things puppets! You can't get much more kid-friendly than that! The Center hosts regular puppet performances for both adults and children, and is also home to a museum where you can transport yourself to the world of Jim Henson and view his iconic puppets, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. The Center offers a slew of family-friendly programs and educational programming, including Create-A-Puppet Workshops where children ages 4 and up (ages 2 and 3 welcome if accompanied by adult puppet builder) create a puppet to take home and put their puppet into performance on the Center's classroom stage! There is limited free parking on-site. Strollers are not permitted.

Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta, GA

Delta Flight Museum, Atlanta
Standing in the heart of Delta’s Atlanta headquarters, the 68,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art attraction, Delta Flight Museum makes for a great place to take your budding aviator. Check out the interactive exhibits and rare aviation artifacts. Visitors can walk on a wing of the first Boeing 747, have a training session in a flight simulator, and explore historic aircraft. Parking is free.

Delta Flight Museum, Atlanta, GA

Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Atlanta
Walk on the wild side as you experience 75 acres of indoor and outdoor nature activities filled with dinosaurs, live animals, hands-on science explorations and cultural artifacts at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Explore award-winning permanent exhibitions, watch educational and entertaining films on the largest screen in Atlanta, or venture through the Wildwoods and Fernbank Forest for an immersive trail experience. The Fernbank Café is located on the property and has plenty of kid-friendly dining options.

Looking for more family fun in Atlanta? Read all about Atlanta's best indoor water parks for families.

Tags: Atlanta museums kid-friendly family fun activities kids

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