Free & Affordable Activities in Atlanta

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park honors American Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King Jr., established as a unit of the National Park Service in 1980 to preserve several Atlanta sites related to King's life and legacy.

Attractions within the site include King's boyhood home, which may be explored as part of limited-availability free guided tours, and the preserved Ebenezer Baptist Church, where both King and his father served as pastors. A visitor center at the site offers free exhibits and video programs on King's work and the Civil Rights Movement, with more free civil rights exhibits and public special event programming offered at nearby Freedom Hall.

Outdoor attractions include the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame, which honors prominent historical social justice figures. Though parking at the site is only free to group tour buses, the site is easily accessible via MARTA public transit from the nearby King Memorial Transit Station and King Historic District subway stop.

450 Auburn Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30312, Phone: 404-331-5190

The Atlanta BeltLine is a major former Atlanta Belt Railway Company track path throughout the city that is currently under development as a planned multi-use trail connecting many of the city's landmarks and neighborhoods.

The project originally received federal funding to begin construction in 2013, developed in 1999 as part of a master's thesis by a student at Georgia Tech. Currently, the trail is open in portions, with some areas in the process of development but walkable to the public in an unfinished state. When finished by 2030, the project will span more than 22 miles throughout the city, focused around a three-mile stretch near the city's central business district. Currently completed trails include the Eastside Trail, which spans between Piedmont Park and the Old Fourth Ward, and the West End Trail, which stretches between Westview Cemetery and White Street.

112 Krog St NE #14, Atlanta, GA 30307, Phone: 404-446-4404

Centennial Olympic Park is one of Atlanta's premiere downtown public parks, originally developed in honor of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games. The 2

1-acre park is maintained by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority and showcases attractions such as an interactive Fountain of Rings, which uses computerized lighting and water jet synchronization to present periodic daily fountain shows. A collection of flags honor the host countries of previous Summer Olympics, with prominent sculptures honoring important Olympic figures throughout history.

Annual public special events at the park include the Wednesday WindDown summer concert series and a Fourth of July fireworks display. Access to the park's attractions is free every day of the year, with both the Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena and Peachtree Center MARTA stations servicing the park. The park is also serviced by the low-cost Atlanta Streetcar circulator service, which stops at Centennial Olympic Drive.

265 Park Ave W NW, Atlanta, GA 30313, Phone: 404-223-4412

Atlanta Contemporary is one of the American South's leading contemporary arts complexes, originally founded in 1973 as the Nexus grassroots artist cooperative.

Today, the nonprofit, non-collection organization offers a permanent facility in Atlanta's West Midtown neighborhood, which is open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays during the afternoon hours. Works by more than 100 local, regional, and international artists are highlighted in 6-10 rotating exhibitions throughout the year, with a specific focus on new artists and artists who have not had significant exhibition showcases in the region in the past. Affordable artist studio space is offered as part of the center's Studio Artist Program, which fosters collaboration between local working artists.

More than 50 public educational programs are also presented each year, including children's programming and artist talks. Free parking is available for visitors at the Bankhead and Means Street parking lot, with free shuttle service available from Georgia Tech's city shuttle.

535 Means St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, Phone: 404-688-1970

Piedmont Park is one of Atlanta's most prominent public parks, originally designed for the Piedmont Exposition of 1887 and reimagined in 1895 by legendary Central Park architect Frederick Law Olmsted to connect with the city's Ansley park system.

As one of the city's largest athletic centers, the park offers a swimming center, a tennis center, and an Active Oval area featuring soccer, softball, and beach volleyball courts for public use. The Clara Meer Dock provides opportunities for permit fishing in the park, while two playgrounds incorporate unique modernist design elements, including the accessible Mayor's Grove Playground. During the summer months, park visitors can enjoy a number of major free festivals, including the Atlanta Pride Festival, the Dogwood Festival, and an annual outdoor summer film series. MARTA service to the park is provided via the city's red and gold lines at the Midtown and Arts Center subway stops.

P.O. Box 7795, Atlanta, GA 30357-0795, Phone: 404-875-7275

Atlanta Monetary Museum is the official monetary museum of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, showcasing a variety of artifacts and exhibits related to the history and development of currency in the United States and around the world.

Interactive multimedia exhibits showcase the history of American banking and the role of the Federal Reserve in the national and world economy. Exhibits also showcase rare American currency and bank-related artifacts. Individuals and groups of 10 or less may explore the museum at their leisure Mondays through Fridays between 9:00am and 4:00pm, with free guided tours for groups of up to 30 participants available with advance reservation at several scheduled times throughout the week. Though the museum does not offer free parking on site, it is easily accessible from MARTA's Midtown Transit Station, which is located directly across the street from the Federal Reserve building.

1000 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, Phone: 404-498-8500

Cheap Family-friendly Activities in Atlanta:

The National Archives at Atlanta holds a public collection of civic and genealogical records created by federal agencies and courts throughout the American South, including records held by the states of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, and both Carolinas.

The archives are open to the public Monday through Friday during business hours, with the exception of major federal holidays, though visitors should note that records cannot be retrieved later than 4:00pm daily. In addition to genealogical records, all public visitors are welcome to research and retrieve materials from the archives' significant collection of civic and political records, including holdings related to American history, government, civil rights, technology, public health, community life, and military conflicts from the 18th through the 21st centuries. More than 180,000 cubic feet of materials are available, including documents, photographs, maps, and architectural blueprints. Several other archival resources are located adjacent to the facility, including the Georgia Archives and the archival studies program of Clayton State University.

5780 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, Georgia 30260, Phone: 770-968-2100

Fernbank Science Center is a public family science center museum that is overseen by the DeKalb County School System, offering free admission and parking for all visitors Mondays through Saturdays during the morning and afternoon hours.

The museum was originally opened to the public in 1967 and is intended to supplement the science education curriculum for located pre-K through 12th grade students, showcasing hands-on exhibits related to nature and technology, including collections and exhibits related to dinosaurs, microbiology, and the American space flight program.

Major artifacts and facilities on display include a preserved Apollo spacecraft from the Saturn V test flight and an Aeronautics Education Laboratory. The museum is also home to the Jim Cherry Memorial Planetarium, a 500-seat planetarium theater utilizing a 70-foot projection dome and presenting periodic public shows related to nature and the night sky.

156 Heaton Park Dr, Atlanta, GA 30307, Phone: 678-874-7102

The Georgia Capitol Museum is located at the National Historic Landmark-listed Georgia State Capitol building, which serves as the primary headquarters for the state's executive and legislative government offices.

The building's fourth floor has been home to a civic history museum since 1889, which may be explored as part of guided or self-guided tours Monday through Friday during business hours. The museum overlooks the state's legislative chambers and showcases significant artifact collections related to the state's natural, cultural, and social history, including native flora and fauna holdings and artifacts related to the region's indigenous groups.

All of the Capitol building's public facilities are free and available for the public to explore, including its Hall of Valor, which showcases historic battle flags, and a collection of portraits of state governors and civic figures.

206 State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334, Phone: 404-463-4536