As the title says, this is Part 3, in my series on Atlanta's FREE attractions! If you missed either Part 1 or Part 2 you can check them out by clicking on the links below:

Atlanta's FREE Attractions! Part 1!

Highlights - MODA (Museum of Design Atlanta), Underground Atlanta, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site!

Atlanta's FREE Attractions! Part 2!

Highlights - Woodruff Park, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the Georgia Governor's Mansion!

I hope you will find something that peaks your interest! Remember, Atlanta also has some wonderful attractions that charge admission (i.e. Stone Mountain Park or Atlanta Braves Baseball Game) and are also worth checking out! Now on with the freebies.

First up is the High Museum of Art! Some of you might be wondering how this world class art museum can be free? The easy answer to that question is it is only free on the first Saturday of each month and then only to those who are Fulton County residents and who arrive before 4pm. It is always free to active duty service members with a military ID. Click HERE for a breakdown of regular admission prices.Though this definitely places limitations on the free aspect, it allows visitors who might not be inclined to visit an art museum the opportunity to take a chance on art for free! The High Museum of Art has 11,000+ pieces of art in its permanent collection and it the only major museum in the United States with a department dedicated to folk and self-taught art. The museum is currently in the midst of an art exchange called Louvre Atlanta wherein pieces of art from the Louvre in France come to Atlanta to be exhibited. This current exhibit, entitled The Louvre & The Ancient World, will run through September, 2008. In October, 2008 the third exhibit in this series, The Louvre of Today & Tomorrow, will begin its run. The High Museum of Art is centrally located in midtown Atlanta and can be quickly accessed via MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) or by car or bus. (Click HERE for driving directions)!

Next up is the Georgia State Capitol building! This beautiful, neo-classical structure was specifically designed to be reminiscent of the nation's capitol building in Washington, D.C. Completed in 1889, the Georgia State Capitol Building was meant to herald the New South with Atlanta as its capital. The entire dome and lantern is covered in Georgia gold leaf. The statue atop the dome is called Miss Freedom and she holds a sword by her side and a lantern aloft. Also from Georgia are the marble floors throughout the building and the oak paneling in both the State House of Representatives' and the State Senates' chambers. This beautiful structure is listed on the National Park Service's, National Register of Historic Places. Guided tours are available Monday through Friday year round for groups up to 50 people. The hours vary based on Congressional sessions. Click HERE to get info on specific times and to schedule a tour. Getting here is easy! You can always take MARTA or for bus and car info, click HERE!

Finally, the magical Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta! This beautiful greenspace sits on 20 acres and is filled with memorials, monuments, and the Fountain of Rings (Due to Georgia's Severe Drought, the Fountain of Rings is Closed). The park was originally constructed for the 1996 Olympics. After the Olympics the park was briefly closed and aspects of it were changed to accommodate a more useful day-to-day park. There are free evening concerts every Wednesday from April through September at 5:30 pm in the Southern Company Amphitheater. In addition, there are free lunchtime concerts in the Southern Company Amphitheater every Tuesday and Thursday from noon until 1:00 pm. Centennial Olympic Park is easily accessed via MARTA or by bus and car (Click HERE for Map). As beautiful and fun as this park is during the day, in the evening it sparkles so brightly you will think you went through Alice's looking glass or just entered Dorothy's Emerald City! Just look at the picture above to get a glimpse!

I leave you with a quote from another Georgia original. Though they hail from Macon, Georgia which is about an hour south of Atlanta, The Allman Brothers Band are embraced by not only the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia but internationally as a unique voice from the American landscape.

I said, other people can write songs, let's see if I can.

So the first 400 or 500 wound up on the floor somewhere.

Then I wrote one called Melissa.

-Gregg Allman

About the Author

If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loan officer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact Danny or Rich of the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approved in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@homeamericamortgage.com or call us @ 770-998-1964.