Host a party at a historic place
Location: The Solarium at Old Scottish Rite
Date taken: December 31, 2012
Founded in 1919 as the Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children, the building served 50 children from its location in the Oakhurst neighborhood of Atlanta. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the old Scottish Rite hospital was built with sun and light in mind — buildings face South and each wing featured a large sun room/play room. One hundred years later, the hospital campus no longer serves children (Scottish Rite Hospital moved to the north side of the city in the 1970s), but instead is home to a community center, offices, Oakhurst’s seasonal jazz nights and a special events spaces.
Make your way through history
Location: Atlanta History Center
Date taken: January 8, 2013
The sounds of Celine Dion’s “Power of the Dream” fill the Olympic exhibit room at the Atlanta History Center. If you were in Atlanta in 1996 for the Olympic Games, the music and all the memorabilia, including street banners, autographed equipment, uniforms and collectible pins, might take you on a trip down memory lane. Has it really been 16 years? The exhibit is just one of several permanent ones at the city’s primary history center, which is tucked away on West Paces Ferry Road and down the street from the governor’s mansion. If you are in the mood for a traditional museum tour … check out the exhibits on the history of Atlanta, golfer Bobby Jones, the Civil War and Southern folk art. On Tuesday evenings in January, the museum is open for free from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
See how things change
Location: The Margaret Mitchell House and Museum at 10th Street and Peachtree Street
My middle school Social Studies project was titled “When Atlanta’s Past Meets the Wrecking Ball.” One Saturday afternoon, my mother drove me around town in our family’s mini-van so I could take pictures of historic Atlanta buildings that had at one time been threatened to be demolished (like the Fox Theatre) or were currently in such a state (like the house where Margaret Mitchell wrote “Gone With the Wind”). If I remember correctly, I think my project received a decent grade, and fortunately, in the past few decades Atlanta has done a much better job of preserving its historic buildings. This is thanks in part to organizations such as the Atlanta Preservation Center and Georgia Trust and citizens who see value in the city’s historic landmarks.
Touch a sea star … and a stingray
Location: The Georgia Aquarium
Date taken: December 17, 2012
The Georgia Aquarium is the one place in Atlanta (and the Southeast) where you can touch a stingray, sea star, sea urchin or sea anemone. The aquarium remains a top destination for tourists and Atlantans, so I recommend getting there when the doors open to beat the crowds. You’ll get an up close look at otters, whales, jellyfish and those adorable clown fish. Stare awhile at the giant walls of fish. Crawl through a tunnel to see the penguins. Watch dolphins propel themselves through the air. Take a family photo on the moving walkway. And, don’t forget the giant gift shop on your way out — stuffed sea animals are pretty cute, too.
Atlanta Heydays 
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