The High Museum of Art, or the High, as Atlanta locals sometimes call it, is one of the most popular art museums in the southeastern U.S. — and one of the most visited art museums in the world.
Founded in 1905, the museum started as the Atlanta Art Association until, close to 20 years later, the High family donated their Peachtree Street residence as the new home for the collection. In 1983, the High Museum of Art opened as a 135,000-square-foot building, which would remain until 2005, when the size of the museum was more than doubled.
Today, the High is home to incredible exhibits totalling more than 15,000 artworks, representing photography, modern and contemporary art, folk and self-taught art, European art, African Art, decorative arts and design, and American art.
Guide to The High Museum of Art
5 Things to See at The High Museum of Art
The High’s photography collection
Featuring works of art by famed photographers Eugene Atget, Harry Callahan, Walker Evans and more, the High boasts one of the country’s most comprehensive photography collections featuring the American South. With more than 6,500 photographs, it’s the largest collection the High has to offer.
Giovanni Bellini's Madonna and Child
Madonna and child were among Giovanni Bellini’s favorite subjects. In this painting, the green cloth is said to symbolize honor, with the bare tree potentially representing the Garden of Eden’s Tree of Knowledge.
Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirrors
“Infinity Mirrors” is an exhibit on display from November 18, 2018 through February 17, 2019, and is the artist’s most comprehensive exhibit. It explores more than fifty years’ of Kusama’s work and takes visitors on a kaleidoscopic journey through her art. There will be six kaleidoscopic rooms on display, in addition to various paintings, film excerpts, and sculptures.
Autumn on the Seine
Love Impressionist work? The High has a collection of Monet’s work, including Autumn on the Seine, which he likely painted in 1873 from a small boat that he turned into a floating art studio.
Mother and Child
Mary Cassatt is often considered to be one of the greatest painters of mothers and children. Her chosen independent lifestyle often caused her peers to look at her as a radical of her time.
Hacks for Visiting The High Museum of Art
- Every third Friday of the month, the High Museum of Art stays open until 10pm for Friday Jazz.
- The Greene Family Learning Gallery is a hands-on gallery for families where kids can explore their creativity, draw, trace, and build sculptures.
- Ask the coat check desk in the Wieland Pavilion for a free Discovery Pack for your kids to tour the museum with art projects, books, games, and puzzles, turning your afternoon at the museum into an interactive experience with your family.
The High Museum of Art: Frequently Asked Questions & Logistics
Admission to the High Museum
Members – FREE
General Admission: Ages 6+: $14.50
Children 5 and under: FREE
Coat Check
Coat check at the High Museum is located in the Wieland Lobby and provided free of charge. Visitors must check large backpacks, umbrellas, and other bulky items. Manual wheelchairs and strollers are available for free use on a first-come, first-serve basis, and may be checked out at coat check.
Contact the High Museum
Phone Number for the High Museum: 404-733-4575
Address: 1280 Peachtree Street, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30309
Dining at the High Museum
There are a number of dining and food options at the High Museum, including coffee, snacks, and elegant dinners. Learn more about the dining options at the High Museum here.
High Museum Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday: Noon – 5 p.m.
Parking at the High Museum
- First 30 Minutes: FREE (weekdays until 5 p.m. only)
- Monday through Friday (before 5 p.m.):
- First 4 hours: $12
- More than 4 hours: $17
- Monday through Friday (5 p.m.–7 a.m.): $16
- Saturday, Sunday, and special events (all day): $16
- Event valet parking: $25
- High Museum Members: $8
Strollers
Strollers at the High Museum are welcome in the permanent collection galleries, but wagons and large jogging strollers are not. Strollers are available for free check out on a first-come, first served basis with an ID at the Wieland Lobby coat check.
What’s Allowed Inside in the High Museum
Food and drink are not permitted in the High Museum’s galleries or in the Hill Auditorium, with the exception of breastfeeding, medical supplies, and baby bottles. Weapons are not permitted in the Museum. Large backpacks and other bulky items must be coat checked at no cost.
Why We Know So Much About The High Museum of Art
Our company, Museum Hack, leads renegade tours of the world’s best museums, including the High Museum! Our guides are experts in the obscure, and collectors of amazing hidden stories about the art and museum; many of which the museum staff isn’t allowed to share.
When you come on a tour of the High Museum of Art with Museum Hack, expect:
- Fun games! Play matchmaker and create love stories for characters from your favorite pieces of art.
- A world of gossip. Wooden legs. Affairs. Revolutions. Oh my!
- Subversive stories. What other museum tour would tell you about DIY catheters made from whale bone?!
- Hidden insights. The museum often leaves out the best, most interesting information, no Museum Hack tour would be complete without spilling some crazy secrets.
- Zany photos. We love museum selfies! Art museums always make great backgrounds. We’ll even challenge you to use your camera to complete challenges and play games during the tour.
No matter how many times you’ve visited the High Museum, we’ll show you the “Un-highlights” you have never seen or heard of before. Bring your team and your insatiable curiosity and experience a side of the museum you’ll never forget. Guaranteed!
