The North Georgia mountains are full of rich history — and not just where gold is involved! Visit these informative exhibits and museums in North Georgia for an impressive look at what has shaped the modern things we see today.

 

Museums and Exhibits in the Georgia Mountains

Learn more about the fascinating history of the area at these museums in the Georgia mountains.

 

Map of North GA Museums and Exhibits

This interactive map of North Georgia museums and exhibits can help to locate unique learning options!

 

Museums and Exhibits in Blairsville, GA

 

Mountain Life Museum

The Mountain Life Museum in Blairsville is located in the 1906 Butt/Mock home and includes several historic buildings: the Mock House and the Civil War-era Payne Cabin, barn, corn-crib, and smithy. Open seasonally from May through December. Admission to the museum is free, but donations are appreciated to help with museum upkeep.

• Phone: +1 (706) 754-0666
• Address: 25 Veteran’s Memorial Pkwy, Blairsville GA
• TripAdvisor: The Mountain Life Museum

 

Old Courthouse Museum

The Old Courthouse Museum is open year-round and offers free admission for everyone (donations are appreciated to help with museum upkeep).

• Phone: +1 (706) 745-5493
• Address: 3 Town Square, Blairsville, GA
• TripAdvisor: Union County Historical Courthouse

Learn more about Blairsville history here:

 

Reece Farm & Heritage Center

Experience early 20th-century Appalachian farm life at The Reece Farm & Heritage Center. The exhibits showcase the early 1900s Appalachian style of farming and include authentic farm buildings, a museum, and farm animals. There is also a gift shop, creek-side amphitheater, and picnic tables. Free admission and printable self-guided tour.

• Phone: +1 (706) 745-2034
• Address: 8552 Gainesville Hwy, Blairsville, GA
• Website: unioncountyga.gov/reecefarm
• TripAdvisor: Byron Herbert Reece Farm and Heritage Center

 

Museums & Exhibits in Blue Ridge, GA

 

Bigfoot Expedition

Explore the world’s largest bigfoot collection at this exhibit located just outside of Blue Ridge. Free admission for active military and children under 5.

• Phone: +1 (706) 276-1861
• Address: 1934 Highway 515, Blue Ridge, GA
• Website: expeditionbigfoot.com
• TripAdvisor: Expedition:BIGFOOT!
  • Ranked #1 Thing to Do in Cherry Log
  • Rated 4.5 (150+ reviews)

 

Museums in Cleveland, GA

 

White County History Museum

The White County History Museum is located in the old courthouse on the Cleveland square. The restored historic courthouse houses a local history museum with exhibits of clay pottery as well as other artifacts of living in the Northeast Georgia mountains. This local landmark is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Free admission.

• Phone: +1 (706) 865-3225
• Address: on the Cleveland Square, Cleveland, GA
• Website: whitecountyhistoricalsociety.com/museum
• TripAdvisor: White County History Museum

 

Museums in Cornelia, GA

Visit these museums in Cornelia to learn more about the history of Habersham County. Read more about the local history in Habersham 200: New Thoughts of Old Things, a book compiled for the celebration of the county bicentennial in 2018.

 

The Cornelia Historic Train Depot Museum

Learn about the famous Tallulah Falls Railway and more of the town of Cornelia’s exciting history! An electric car charger is available.

• Phone: +1 (706) 779-8585
• Address: 102 Grant Place, Cornelia, GA
• Website: discovercornelia.com/depotmuseum

 

Standard Telephone Museum & The Regional African American Museum of Northeast Georgia

Take a step back in time to the dawn of the telecommunications age with the Standard Telephone Company and Historical Society Museum. Then learn more about the culture and heritage of the African Americans in North Georgia with the artifacts on display at the Regional African American Museum.

• Phone: +1 (706) 499-8842
• Address: 353 Chattahoochee Street, Cornelia, GA
• Website: habershamhistoricalsociety.org

 

Museums and Exhibits in Dahlonega, GA

These Dahlonega locations help visitors understand how the town boomed with a gold rush then reinvented itself after the industry declined.

 

Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site

Stop at the Dahlonega Gold Museum in the middle of Dahlonega’s town square and learn more about America’s first major gold rush in Georgia’s oldest existing courthouse! View local artifacts and see displays of gold coins that were minted in Dahlonega. This attraction at the center of the Dahlonega Square opens daily at 9:00 a.m. (10:00 a.m. on Sundays) and closes at 4:45 p.m.

• Phone: +1 (706) 864-2257
• Address: 1 Public Square, Dahlonega, GA
• Website: gastateparks.org/DahlonegaGoldMuseum
• TripAdvisor: Dahlonega Gold Museum State Historic Site

 

George E. Coleman, Sr. Planetarium

Experience a realistic simulation of the night sky — as seen from anywhere on the surface of the Earth from the ancient past and into the far future!  After the planetarium show (and weather permitting), visit the observatory to view the night sky through the research-grade telescope!

The free, one-hour public planetarium show happens most Fridays at 8 p.m. Doors open for seating at 7:30 pm and the show begins promptly at 8:00 pm. Get there early because there is no admittance after the show begins.

• Phone – Planetarium: +1 (706) 864-1471
• Phone – Observatory: +1 (706) 864-8642
• Address: 82 College Circle, Dahlonega, GA
• Website: ung.edu/planetarium

NOTE that all Coleman Planetarium events have been on hold due to COVID-19 — please confirm the weekly event is happening before you travel!

 

The 1884 Lumpkin County Jail and Museum

This museum does not stay open with regular hours, rather it is opened in conjunction with Dahlonega’s festivals such as Bear on the Square (April), Fourth of July Family Day (July), and Gold Rush Days (October). You may send an email request to LCHSociety@Gmail.com if you would like to visit the museum at another time.

• Phone: +1 (706) 864-0743
• Address: 75 Enota St, Dahlonega, GA
• Website: lumpkinhistory.org/jail-museum

 

Learn more about Dahlonega’s exciting history before your visit!

 

Museums in Ellijay, GA

 

Tabor House and Civil War Museum

Originally built in 1870, the Tabor House is the oldest family home in the city of Ellijay. The Gilmer County Historical Society’s Tabor House and Civil War Museum houses over 200 books and several videos about the Civil War from both points of view. Free admission.

• Phone: +1 (706) 276-1861
• Address: 138 Spring Street, Ellijay, GA
  • Located behind the Gilmer County courthouse
• Website: gilmercountyhistoricalsociety.org
• TripAdvisor: Tabor House and Civil War Museum

 

Museums in Helen, GA

 

Helen Arts and Heritage

Helen Arts and Heritage is a non-profit organization founded to promote the appreciation of the arts and local history through educational instruction, workshops, exhibits. Since 2007 it has been showcasing the special talents of local artists and historians. Be sure to visit regularly as the gallery at the Helen Arts and Heritage Center changes six times a year.

Open to the public daily from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Free admission.

• Phone: +1 (706) 878-3933
• Address: 25 Chattahoochee Strasse, Helen, GA
• Website: helenarts.org

 

Museums in Mountain City, GA

 

Foxfire

from the Foxfire website:

In 1966, a new teacher at the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School was struggling to engage students in his high school English class. In frustration, he asked them what they thought would make the curriculum interesting. They decided to create a magazine, honing their writing skills on stories gathered from their families and neighbors, and producing articles about the pioneer era of southern Appalachia as well as living traditions still thriving in the region.

They called it “Foxfire” after the glowing fungus that clings to rotted wood in the local hills. This spark of an idea, and the work that followed, has turned into a phenomenon of education and living history, teaching readers, writers, visitors, and students how our past contributes to who we are and what we can become – how the past illuminates our present and inspires imagination.

This Rabun County attraction is open Monday – Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed Sunday). Regular adult admission is $8.00.

• Phone: +1 (706) 746-5828
• Address: 98 Foxfire Lane, Mountain City, GA

 

Exhibits and Museums in Sautee Nacoochee, GA

 

Hardman Farm Historic Site

Hardman Farm Historic Site boasts over a thousand years of history on 170 acres. This historic site includes 19 buildings and is the home of the second most recognized feature in Georgia, the Nacoochee Indian Mound.

Closed each year from January 2 – February 28/29. Open daily from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

• Phone: +1 (706) 878-1077
• Address: 143 Highway 17, Sautee Nacoochee, GA
• Website: gastateparks.org/HardmanFarm
• TripAdvisor: Hardman Farm

 

Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Center

The Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Center hosts 3 museums that share the history of the Sautee and Nacoochee valleys. Enjoy the Folk Pottery Museum, the African American Heritage Site, and the Nacoochee History Museum!

• Phone: +1 (706) 878-3300
• Address: 283 Highway 255 North, Sautee Nacoochee, GA
• Website: snca.org/snc/museums

 

Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia

Explore the historical importance and changing role of folk pottery in southern life at the Folk Pottery Museum. Regular adult admission is $5.00, but admission is free for teachers and military members (ID required).

• Open daily
  • Monday – Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Website: snca.org/folkpotteryWebsite/fpm

 

SNC African American Heritage Site

In 2002, a slave cabin that was built around 1850 was discovered still standing on private property in Sautee Nacoochee.  The landowners donated the cabin to the Heritage Site for historical preservation and a restoration effort soon followed. The restored slave cabin serves as an educational tool, focusing on the story of slavery in Nacoochee Valley. Locally collected antebellum artifacts supplement this teaching exhibit, which candidly and genuinely tells the story of African American life in the area during 1822-1865. Free admission for everyone.

• Open daily from dawn until dusk
  • Note that the cabin is locked
  • Request access to the cabin by calling the Folk Pottery Museum (706) 878-3300 x307
• Tours by appointment only
• Website: snca.org/snc/museums/heritage

 

SNC History Museum

Discover the colorful history of the Sautee and Nacoochee valleys through the SNC History Museum’s collection of maps, articles, artifacts, and photographs.

• Open daily
  • Monday – Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Website: snca.org/snc/museums/history

 

Museums in Toccoa, GA

 

Currahee Military Museum

The Currahee Military Museum in Toccoa, Georgia, holds special military history from events including the Civil War, WWI, and WWII, with a focus on the Paratrooper Infantry Regiment that trained at Camp Toccoa in the early 1940s. The camp was dismantled soon after the war, but memorials have been erected to Camp Toccoa, the paratroopers, and Colonel Robert F. Sink.

This Stephens County attraction is open Monday – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Adult admission is regularly $10.00. Free admission for active military.

• Phone: +1 (860) 870-3563
• Address: 160 North Alexander Street, Toccoa, GA
• Website: toccoahistory.com

 

Traveler’s Rest State Historic Site

Explore the Traveler’s Rest historic stagecoach inn (built in 1815) and its numerous artifacts and furnishings.

• Phone: +1 (706) 886-2256
• Address: 4339 Riverdale Road, Toccoa, GA
• Website: gastateparks.org/TravelersRest

 

Museums and Exhibits in Young Harris, GA

 

Rollins Planetarium

Rollins Planetarium is located in the Maxwell Center on the campus of Young Harris College. The planetarium system projects immersive and engaging images of astronomy and the night sky over the entire dome surface and creates a powerful experience for the audience.

See the online schedule of public shows at Rollins Planetarium. Note that shows are on hold for 2021 due to COVID-19 precautions.

• Location: Maxwell Center of Young Harris College, Young Harris, GA
  • See their online parking directions for helpful information
• Website: yhc.edu/academics/math-science/rollins-planetarium
• TripAdvisor: Rollins Planetarium

 

Young Harris College Observatory

The Young Harris College Observatory is located 1.5 miles from the college campus at Twiggs Overlook. At an elevation of more than 2,000 feet on the flanks of Brasstown Bald, the observatory benefits from the dark skies of northern Georgia. On special evenings / after planetarium shows, the Young Harris College Observatory is open to the public for telescopic viewing (if skies are clear).

• Location: Twiggs Overlook (on the exit road leading from Brasstown Valley Resort), Young Harris, GA
  • Maps to the location should be available at Rollins Planetarium
• Website: yhc.edu/planetarium-observatory

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Be sure to check and see when/if these locations participate in the Smithsonian Museum Day or Super Museum Sunday to see when you could get free admission into these museums!