Powerful Museum: Center for Civil & Human Rights in Atlanta

Beautifully designed, The Center for Civil and Human Rights is a somber reminder of a turbulent time from our not so distant past. This museum features engaging exhibits focused on the American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr’s life through his assassination, and the ongoing Global Human Rights Movement.

Films, artifacts, and multimedia displays are used to tell the stories of the Greensboro lunch counter sit-in, the Freedom Riders, the Montgomery church bombing, and the March on Washington.

For a very vivid experience, visitors can sit at a lunch counter simulation where they hear and feel a tiny bit of what was experienced by those brave souls helping to raise our country above segregation. This experience is recommended for 13-year-olds and older only.

The Global Human Rights exhibit connects visitors to the world of human rights and how everyone is affected. In a short film and several exhibits, visitors can learn about the 30 basic human rights as described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights created by the United Nations in 1948. Visitors learn about the global offenders and defenders of human rights through a visual showcase of the defenders in beautifully rendered portraits.

Modern day activists who are advancing human rights, women’s rights, and LGBTQ rights are featured in the center of this exhibit. I found inspiration in those every day individuals making a difference in the world fighting for what they are passionate about.

There is no question, the Center takes on a tough topic. However, through the use of powerful exhibits the Center’s curators are able to educate visitors and help them gain a better understanding of a disturbing, but very real part of our country’s past.

Given the subject, you should expect a somber tone throughout your visit here. I had a similar feeling when visiting the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. I consider the Center for Civil and Human Rights to be a must-visit site for everyone.

For more info, go to civilandhumanrights.org