Spelman College is a historically black institution (HBCU) that cultivates creative and intellectual development. Fortunately, the school is open to sharing the talents of its student body with the public.

The Spelman College Museum of Arts collects and displays locally and globally-sourced visual art, including paintings and sculptures. Accepted works come from newer and seasoned artists, making it a great place to discover pieces created by black women at any stage of their careers.

In addition to having artwork, the museum hosts events, including gallery walks and panel discussions, where visitors are encouraged to engage further with the pieces.

Since its inception in the studios of Atlanta, this hip-hop subgenre has amassed a fanbase that spans the globe. The Trap Music Museum is an ode to the culture of the art form and the struggles and successes of early artists who created this sound. Not only can visitors learn its history, but emerging artists can also find a platform for their work.

The TMM also includes a bar, escape room, and art gallery.

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights Museum commemorates the fight for equality for and by African-Americans during the mid-20th century. Though the focus is on the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, the museum also features information about other important human rights campaigns from other parts of the world.

One installment you should keep an eye out for is the Lunch Counter Sit-In. Visitors can experience what activists felt and heard while protesting segregated dining seating by sitting at counters designated for whites only.

In addition to the visual pieces, there are other events that visitors can enjoy, like book talks, performances, and lectures to dive more deeply into global injustice.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday, is celebrated on the third Monday of January each year, but anyone one can learn about the impact the late MLK had on the world at the King Center. The center serves not only to memorialize the sacrifice the Civil Right leader and his family, but it also functions as a resource and community center for events and volunteering opportunities.

Some hallmark points of the grounds and tour route visitors can enjoy include MLK’s birth home, the couple’s crypt, and Ebenezer Baptist Church where he co-pastored.

The High Museum of Art is always an excellent choice for calmer recreation activities. Visitors can find a collage of mediums, including: sculptures, paintings, and photography, anything from prehistoric artifacts to contemporary and modern art. This criterion is especially favorable for those interested in consuming more work from the American South.

In addition to curating and displaying art, the museum also holds events where visitors can create some of their own. Families with little ones can enjoy Toddler Thursdays and Saturdays, where children 15 months to 3 years old can complete themed art projects each month. The museum also invites thinkers from multiple disciplines to lead talks to bring lookers deeper into art pieces and the cultures that each comes from.

Located in Atlanta’s West End, Hammonds House Museum aims to increase public awareness of the contribution of visual artists across the African diaspora to world culture.

The museum is in the renovated home of Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds, an Atlanta physician and art patron. He led an impressive career during his life and thus earned recognition as the National, Georgia, and Atlanta Medical Association’s “Man of the Year”. Upon his death, his home was converted into a museum to hold all his collected art.

Today, the HHM’s focus has expanded to prioritize “artistic excellence, culture, and community” for artists at any stage of their career. It has 450 pieces of art dating back as far as the 19th century, 250 of which are from Dr. Hammonds’ original collection.

In addition to the visual art, visitors can enjoy book readings, panel discussions, workshops, and other engaging events to delve deeper into the history and meaning of art pieces and exhibits.

Founded in 1978 by veteran filmmaker Dan Moore, APEX Museum is the oldest black history museum in Atlanta. The name is an acronym meaning “African-American Panoramic Experience,” signifying the museum’s mission of providing a thorough story of all people across the diaspora.

This museum is a great place to visit for a telling of history from the perspective of black people and to gain an appreciation of the contributions of African-Americans to American and global history.

Exhibits are rotated quarterly, but Africa: The Untold Story, which has been arranged to provide a new beginning for African history that does not begin with slavery, is one to watch out for.

The Atlanta History Center is the best place to learn about history through various mediums.

The AHC has one of the nation’s largest history museums, and the Kenan Research Center, Goizueta Gardens, and McElreath Hall are onsite. These additional buildings make resources, like primary sources, archives, and horticulture practices, available to the public.

Visitors can enjoy any of the centers on campus at their pace. For a more guided or interactive experience, however, public programs, author talks, and community engagement events are available each month!

The permanent collection features pieces from world cultures such as Africa, the Americas, Asia, Egypt, and more. Each region’s section features textiles, ceramics, masks, sculptures, jewelry, and even metalwork.

In addition to exhibitions held throughout the year, workshops, lectures, roundtable discussions, and other events are also hosted in the museum.

Traveling through the past can be achieved through more mediums than pen and paper. How people express themselves in their wardrobe can be just as revealing as a complex painting. SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film encapsulated this idea in how they celebrate fashion as a medium and universal language. Visitors can be part of the magic through the diverse films, exhibitions, performances, installations, and events offered to enliven and inspire the greater community year-round.