Visiting the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta
Visiting the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta is a powerful opportunity to learn about the United States Civil Rights movement and human rights movements around the world. Kids in upper elementary school and older will get the most out of an experience at this museum.
The Center will celebrate its grand reopening on November 8, following a major expansion that includes six new galleries, classrooms, event space and interactive experiences.
Exhibits at the Center include:
Rolls Down Like Water. The Center’s signature gallery on the US Civil Rights Movement is updated with doubled lunch counter seats, material on Black Power and a reflection area.
A Committed Life: The Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection. Devoted to Dr. King, this gallery will have a new curated exhibit every six months. The inaugural guest curator is Dr. Bernice King, the youngest child of Coretta Scott King and Dr. King.
Everyone. Everywhere. The Global Human Rights Movement. Experience stories of human rights issues and human rights defenders from around the world in this exhibit. An immersive installation, A Mile in My Shoes, allows visitors to hear other people’s stories while walking in a pair of their shoes.
Action Lab. This space, where visitors can design personal civic engagement plans, addresses the question often asked after a visit: “What can I do?”
Reclaiming History: Selections from the Arnett Family Collection. View the work of Black Southern artists who demonstrate how art confronts injustice, builds solidarity and opens space for change.
Broken Promises: The Legacy of the Reconstruction Era. This gallery about the consequential period after the Civil War features the Without Sanctuary collection and a memorial by artist Lonnie Holley. This gallery will open in December 2025.
Change Agent Adventure. Opening in April 2026, the new gallery for children 12 and younger is designed as a secret headquarters for change agents with interactive activities that build civic skills and curiosity about justice.
Know Before You Go: Kids in upper elementary school and older will get the most out of an experience at this museum. Memberships purchased before the reopening will include three extra months of benefits.
An educator’s guide, available on the center’s website, includes kid-level explanations of concepts like civil disobedience, discussion and reflection activities, an overview of kids’ rights, descriptions of historical heroes and crossword puzzles and a word searches.
The Details:
100 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. NW, Atlanta
678-999-8990
civilandhumanrights.org
Admission: $26-$28; ages 7-12, $20-$22; ages 6 and younger, free.
