Discover Atlanta
Atlanta Educational Tours
Atlanta’s location at the crossroads of the North and the South makes it a rich mixture of cultures. This city’s dramatic and robust history make it the perfect destination for educational school trips! Atlanta is steeped in Civil Rights history, with numerous landmarks and museums dedicated to the movement and its leaders.
Atlanta Overview
Atlanta, Georgia is an excellent destination for educational school trips, offering a robust history and diverse cultural experiences for students. Students can visit places like the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and the King Center, a memorial dedicated to his life and work. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a museum that tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and shows how that period is related to human rights struggles around the world today. At the APEX Museum visitors, can get a complete view of African and African American history and culture from the only museum in Atlanta solely dedicated to telling the often untold story of people of the African Diaspora.
In addition to its Civil Rights history, Atlanta is home to many other noteworthy attractions. A visit to places like the World of Coca-Cola or the Chick-Fil-A Headquarters can teach students about the junction of business and culture. The Georgia Aquarium is another popular destination for visitors to Atlanta. As one of the largest aquariums in the world, it’s an experience students won’t want to miss! Museums of note include The High Museum of Art, the Jimmy Carter Library and Presidential Museum (featuring a full-scale replica of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s White House Oval Office), and the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.
In 1996 Atlanta proudly hosted the Summer Olympic Games; Centennial Park is the legacy of those games and has been the spark for downtown revitalization efforts. Students will enjoy meandering through this 22-acre green space that features fountains, sculptures, and a water garden – the park is also a great spot to stop for a picnic lunch! Right next to the park, SkyView Atlanta offers a comprehensive look at the city from a 200-foot ferris wheel.
When it’s time to grab a bite to eat, visitors can choose from a great selection of restaurants and eateries. Originally built by Sears & Roebuck Co. in 1925, the current Ponce City Market building now offers extensive shopping and a food hall with everything from Indian street food to French chocolate. Restaurants considered iconic in Atlanta include Busy Bee Cafe, The Colonnade Restaurant, Mary Mac’s Tea Room, and The Varsity.
A Center for Civil Rights History
In Atlanta, Georgia, the legacy of one of America’s most prominent champions for social reform is condensed into a few short blocks along Auburn Avenue. Born in this neighborhood in 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. spent his childhood and part of his adult life here. His story is chronicled and his legacy honored in various locations of the city, making Atlanta the perfect destination for educators seeking to introduce (or reintroduce) the American Civil Rights Movement, as well as topics like human rights, racial equality, and social justice. Visit our Civil Rights Tours page to start planning your trip!
The Georgia Aquarium
Containing more than 11 million gallons of water, the Georgia Aquarium is one of the largest in the world. Students can see thousands of aquatic creatures right up close across the aquariums seven major galleries. The Georgia Aquarium is one of few aquariums in the world large enough to house the gargantuan whale shark; visitors can sit and enjoy watching these gentle giants glide through the water from behind an enormous wall of acrylic in the Ocean Voyager exhibit. The aquarium also offers several interactive opportunities for students such as a dolphin and sea lion presentation.
