December 2007   View Previous Out and About Articles 

Travel Back in Time at the Cyclorama

The sheer volume of Civil War memorabilia at the Atlanta Cyclorama will make your head spin. Literally. Well, actually what’s spinning is the platform of the Cyclorama’s main attraction, which offers a panoramic view of the 1864 Battle of Atlanta.

The 42-foot tall painting provides a dramatic backdrop of the sprawling battle scene, containing countless soldiers, horses and beautifully rendered landscapes. The foreground features a three-dimensional diorama of dried-up creek beds, soldiers wincing in pain and toppled pines, with narration and music adding to the scene’s grandeur.

After the show, you’ll have a chance to explore two floors of Battle of Atlanta history. In addition to displays featuring the soldiers’ wool uniforms and General Hood’s battle plans, you’ll learn about the “Texas,” a massive locomotive from the famed Great Locomotive Chase of 1862 that dominates the main floor. Interactive computer kiosks and short historical films dot the galleries and keep things interesting.

And for your little ones with short attention spans, you can pick up a scavenger hunt at the front of the museum that both entertains and informs.

On your way out, be sure to visit the gift shop, which offers pop guns, Civil War coloring books and Abe Lincoln beards, among other things.

From veteran Civil War buffs to fledgling history students, the Cyclorama offers an engaging tour about a tragic time in American history..

View Previous Out and About Articles