Historic Athens Welcome Center

Historic Athens Welcome Center Your first stop in Athens, Georgia! Visitor Information for Athens and the entire State. Let us help you make the most of your visit to our Classic City.

Your Destination for History & Hospitality • Built in 1820 • Operated by Historic Athens (501c3) • Georgia Regional Visitor Information Center

https://linktr.ee/historicathenswelcomecenter We are located in the beautifully restored 1820 Federal Period home of two early presidents of the University of Georgia. Daily Heritage Tours and Special Tours by appointment: Music History, African American

History, Museum Mile, and more. Gift Shop featuring works by local artists, hand-crafted gift items, books and publications, local honey and BBQ sauce.

Yesterday, we hosted a reception here at the house museum to celebrate our new hybrid exhibit, Anne Brumby: Her Life in ...
08/23/2025

Yesterday, we hosted a reception here at the house museum to celebrate our new hybrid exhibit, Anne Brumby: Her Life in Athens, Georgia. We had several special guests in attendance!

The donor of Vinnye Carroll’s 1909 wedding garments attended with her husband, as well as the current stewards of Ellen Crawford’s School for Girls. Anne’s godchildren, their siblings and their spouses shared memories and taught us the origin of her nickname– TeeWee.

The physical component of this exhibit is on view until September 30, but you can view the digital component anytime! Visit www.athenswelcomecenter.com and navigate to the Museum tab.

Happy Friday! It's time for the of the Week. Today's recommendation for the weekend comes from Libba, who is cross tra...
08/22/2025

Happy Friday! It's time for the of the Week. Today's recommendation for the weekend comes from Libba, who is cross trained as a concierge and tour guide.

The Athens Music History self-guided tour is very walkable, and includes 24 points of interest. There are an additional ...
08/21/2025

The Athens Music History self-guided tour is very walkable, and includes 24 points of interest. There are an additional 9 driving points of interest for further exploration. The route begins at the Classic Center, near the Historic Athens Welcome Center, and ends just around the corner from your starting point. Parking is available in parking decks and in metered on-street parking spots along the tour route. There are plenty of dining, shopping, and attractions throughout the area for you to enjoy.

This self-guided tour was initiated in 1998 by Director Laura Straehla with assistance from intern Michelle Williams. With permission, Flagpole Magazine redeveloped the walking tour for inclusion in their 1999-2000 Flagpole Guide to Athens. For this, Flagpole music editor Ballard Lesemann did additional research and interviews with those knowledgeable about the Athens Music Scene ‘back in the day,’ including: John Seawright, Kurt Wood, William Orten Carlton, Greg Reece, Michael Lachowski, Jared Bailey, Jeff Walls, Barrie Buck, Tony Eubanks, and Curtis Crowe, among many others. The tour was revised in 2001, 2008, 2011, and 2023 in its present form with updates and editing assistance from Paul Butchart, Greg Reece, and Van Burns.

Since 1987, Appointments at Five has been an Athens tradition and staple in the community. The shop specializes in Engli...
08/20/2025

Since 1987, Appointments at Five has been an Athens tradition and staple in the community. The shop specializes in English and French antiques, decorative accessories, bridal registry, and a wide variety of gift items. It is a place where old and new coexist beautifully, where English and French country antiques live in perfect harmony with today's sparkle.

The store was opened in 1987 by two antique lovers themselves, Kitty Culpepper and Jenny Sligh. They have spent the last 36 years serving the Athens community although their influence has spread near and far (appointmentsat5.com). You can shop here Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM!

📸: Visit Athens

Andalusia was the home of author Flannery O'Connor from 1951 to 1964. She moved back to Milledgeville, about an hour and...
08/19/2025

Andalusia was the home of author Flannery O'Connor from 1951 to 1964. She moved back to Milledgeville, about an hour and a half from Athens, to live with her aunt after being diagnosed with lupus at the young age of 25. During the 13 years she lived at Andalusia, she completed her 2 novels and 32 short stories centered around the American southern gothic genre. The farm’s environment influenced the setting of many of her writings and the people of Milledgeville often inspired her characters.

Originally built in the 1850s, the house has additions that reflect the family's need for more space during different periods of occupancy. Today, the home functions as a house museum, outfitted with many furnishings and other artifacts that belonged to the O'Connors. Also on the site is a house known as the Hill House, which was historically occupied by farm workers, and a pair of peacocks- Flannery's favorite animal.

Downhill from the house, at the entrance to the site, you can visit their Interpretive Center. Here, you can browse their gift shop, purchase tour tickets and enjoy rotating exhibits in their gallery space. You can visit Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Sundays from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM! *The farmhouse is currently closed for improvements, but the interpretive center remains open*

For this , here's a little throwback to when Gary and Kim from Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts paid us a visit...
08/18/2025

For this , here's a little throwback to when Gary and Kim from Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts paid us a visit to document four early southern pieces in our collection! Our documents chest, sugar chest, corner cupboard, and a bench on extended loan from Athens First Presbyterian Church were all added to their digital archive of over 20,000 examples of early southern decorative arts.

It's time for the of the Week! Today's recommendation for the weekend comes from Chris, who is cross trained as a tour...
08/15/2025

It's time for the of the Week! Today's recommendation for the weekend comes from Chris, who is cross trained as a tour guide and concierge.

Yesterday, Caitlin joined Hannah from Visit Athens and several other regional tourism professionals to explore the north...
08/14/2025

Yesterday, Caitlin joined Hannah from Visit Athens and several other regional tourism professionals to explore the northern portion of Georgia's Trail of Legacy & Lore! The group started in Madison, with a guided driving tour of historic homes and a tour of the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center. Then, they headed to Watkinsville for a visit to the Eagle Tavern and the William-Daniell House. Finally, they arrived here in Athens to visit the Georgia Music Collections at Akins Ford Arena and the Lyndon House Arts Center.

When you visit us at the Historic Athens Welcome Center, be sure to ask about Georgia's Trail of Legacy & Lore!

Explore some of the best preserved historic houses in Athens with the self-guided Museum Mile tour! This tour begins at ...
08/14/2025

Explore some of the best preserved historic houses in Athens with the self-guided Museum Mile tour! This tour begins at the home of the Historic Athens Welcome Center and the oldest of Athens' four house museums, the c.1820 Church-Waddel-Brumby House. From here, we suggest visiting the other houses in chronological order beginning with the T.R.R. Cobb House (c.1834-58), followed by the Taylor-Grady House (c.1844) and finally the Ware-Lyndon House (c.1845).

We are open 10:00-5:00 seven days a week, and the Ware-Lyndon House is open Tuesday and Thursday 10:00-8:00, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10:00-5:00. Please be sure to contact the T.R.R. Cobb House and the Taylor-Grady House prior to planning your visit! You can find this self-guided tour, and more, on our website at www.athenswelcomecenter.com.

Treehouse Kid and Craft is a small business run by parents, artists, educators, activists, and dreamers-- and they are a...
08/13/2025

Treehouse Kid and Craft is a small business run by parents, artists, educators, activists, and dreamers-- and they are all total kids at heart. Their greatest passion is finding time to create and play every day! They hope that their shop inspires families to do the same.

They find joy in filling their shelves with unique, kindly-made products from all around the world that encourage critical thinking, problem solving, and imaginative play. Treehouse is fueled by a love of design and a focus on quality. Many of the companies that they carry are small and independent just like them; they love to get to know them and the story behind their goods (treehousekidandcraft.com)

You can shop here Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sundays from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM!

📸: Red & Black, Samantha Hurley

The Museum at Capricorn in Macon, about two hours from Athens, interprets the history and impact of Capricorn Records an...
08/12/2025

The Museum at Capricorn in Macon, about two hours from Athens, interprets the history and impact of Capricorn Records and Capricorn Sound Studios in the context of Macon’s rich music heritage. More than 1,200 square feet of artifacts, murals and interactive digital kiosks featuring music, video and text bring Capricorn’s story to life.

Friday through Sunday, visitors can enjoy a 10:00 AM tour of the iconic recording studio, which retains much of its historic 1970s character. Stepping into the studio feels like stepping back in time! The museum is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Admission is $7 for the museum and $10 for studio tours.

Address

280 E Dougherty Street
Athens, GA
30601

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

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