High Museum of Art

The High Museum of Art is a stunning and renowned art museum with an expansive collection of art across 7 unique areas spanning several periods. You'll find more than 18,000 works on display, including pieces from legends like Claude Monet, Dorothea Lange, Chuck Close, and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Temporary exhibitions are also frequently held here, so you may even run into something entirely new on subsequent visits.

Everyone can find something interesting at this museum no matter what kind of art you're interested in. Most people tend to stay about 2 or 3 hours, but your visit could easily turn into an all-day affair if you want to take in the sheer amount of artwork on display and read all the accompanying information about each piece that speaks to you.

High Museum of Art - one of the highlights of 10 Best Free Things to Do in Atlanta and 10 Best Museums in Atlanta (Read all about Atlanta here)

High Museum of Art highlights

At the High Museum of Art, the collection itself will always be the star of the show. You'll find a wide variety of works on display in 7 different categories. The American Art section is particularly popular, as it showcases everything from early American portraiture to the more flashy works of the Gilded Age. Of course, the modern age is on display, with many works related to social justice.

Additionally, you can check out the African collection with some works dating as far back as nearly 1,000 years. The European Art collection is similarly extensive, covering 7 centuries of works. Other categories include decorative arts, folk art, modern art, and photography. The photography collection has 7,500 prints making it the largest collection in the museum.

High Museum of Art history

The High Museum of Art was founded more than a century ago in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association. Soon after, the High family donated their home to the museum, increasing its space. The actual exhibition space was increased further when a separate building was constructed next to the old High family home.

It wasn't until the 1980s that the museum finally started expanding closer to the size it is today. The Richard Meier-designed building was a massive 135,000 square feet at the time of its opening, though these days, it serves as the Stent Family Wing, which is just a part of the museum as a whole. The Renzo Piano buildings that were added in 2005 increased the size of the museum by more than double, bringing it to 312,000 square feet.

Good to know when visiting the High Museum of Art

Before you head to the High Museum of Art, there are a few important factors to keep in mind. Accessibility is one of the museum's best features, as the entire collection is wheelchair accessible. While the museum encompasses multiple floors, you'll find it all accessible by either ramp or lift. All mobility assistance tools like scooters, wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and crutches are welcome.

This museum is located in Midtown in the centre of the city's arts district. Because of this convenient location, you'll find easy access to several other fun attractions as well. Just a short distance to the northwest, you'll find the Centre for Puppetry Arts, while the Atlanta Botanical Garden is directly to the east. You can access most of the city, however, from the Arts Centre MARTA station nearby.

Location: 1280 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, USA

Open: Tuesday–Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday from noon to 5 pm (closed on Mondays)

Phone: +1 404-733-4400

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