Marietta’s Gone with the Wind Museum and the Marietta History Center are two of the city’s best known downtown attractions. They draw movie buffs, history fanatics and other visitors from far and near. But hidden off the beaten path within an easy walk of the historic square, several other Marietta museums offer different perspectives on the city’s history and its place in the art world.
We discovered some of these hidden Marietta museums on a meandering weekday museum walk, navigating around the historic city square with a list of destinations, neighborly curiosity and Google maps as our guide. As usual when relying on Google, not everything went exactly as planned. But we did enjoy this journey of discovery as much as the intended destinations.
Now, before you set off on a similar museum walk, check the operating hours of the city’s museums. Many have limited days and hours of operations. We’ve included links to make that easier for you. While we did walk to all these in one morning, it’s not practical to visit all of them in one day if you plan to explore. Instead, pick two for a one day visit. In between, enjoy a relaxing lunch or snack at one of the fabulous restaurants around the square. And one more tip: while there’s plenty of parking around Marietta’s downtown, much of it is limited to two hours. Be aware of your time!
After parking at Mill Street and North Marietta Parkway, here’s the meandering route we traveled on our marvelous Marietta museum walk:
Built circa 1845, the Root House was relocated to the present location in 1990. The neighboring log cabin houses the visitor center and gift shop. It built circa 1830 and also moved to this location. Restored to its 1845 appearance, house tours peer into the daily life of the owners and enslaved people who worked and lived on the property. The museum complex is owned and operated by the Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society.
William Root House Museum and Garden
Old Zion Church Heritage Museum
Founded in 1866 by 88 former slaves, the existing building was constructed 1888. Placed on the National Historic Registry in 1990 and then restored in 1997, the building became a museum in 2003. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find a website with operating hours. A sign outside indicates the museum is open for limited hours on Friday. A video on one of the City of Marietta’s visitors’ pages tells more about the church, its history, restoration and place in the community.
Marietta Fire Museum
This compact fire museum houses multiple historic fire engines plus a Silsby Steamer horse-drawn fire fighting wagon — one of only six remaining in the US. We did a blog post about a previous visit. If you’re lucky, you may get to see present-day equipment parked at the adjacent fire station.
Marietta Cobb Museum of Art
Occupying a renovated historic classic revival building originally built as a post office, the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art houses a permanent exhibit plus changing exhibits. The museum’s website also offers peaks at prior exhibits, plus more history on the building and art contents.
Marietta History Center
Located in the historic Kennesaw House, the building has been a warehouse, hotel, hospital, and morgue before transforming to a museum. A second-floor exhibit highlights the building’s connection to the historic “Great Locomotive Chase.” It also features an array of other galleries that focus on local, military, home life and other historic topics.
And Then, We Drove
While our original museum walk plan was to stroll to our next stop, humidity, temperature and time convinced us otherwise. So, instead, we drove to:
Gone With the Wind Museum
It’s possible to walk here from downtown, and stroll through the Marietta City and Confederate cemetery. We have before, but didn’t on this walk. Regardless of how you go, if you’re a fan of the 1939 movie classic or just a fan of movies, don’t miss this stop. Now housed in historic Brumby Hall, the museum of chock-full of collectibles, costumes and other movie memorabilia. We did a blog post about one of our visits. Also, check Groupon for discounts as the museum offers periodic promotions there.
Gone, But Not with the Wind
As mentioned, our reliance on Google for planning and routing information was not precise. Our original museum walk route included a stop at the Kasimir Musuem on Roswell Street, across from the Marietta National Cemetery. The museum was operated by a prolific family of printmakers and painters, and displayed the works of Luigi, Tanna and Robert Kasimir. The Kasimirs produced a large stream of work depicting scenes from Austria, England, Germany, France and the United States during the early 20th.
We arrived just at opening time, but couldn’t find the museum at the assigned address. Instead, we wandered into Avery Gallery, which now occupies the location. A helpful staff member explained that the museum closed when the former museum proprietor (a Kasimir family member) passed away. Now, Avery Gallery exhibits and sells the work of local artists and more, while focusing on art restoration. Working with the Kasimir family, there are still a few of the Kasimir works on display and available for purchase.
After walking over 1/2 mile from the Marietta Fire Museum, we invested a few minutes looking at the featured artwork on display (and for sale) in the gallery. The large gallery features one room displaying the work of local and contemporary artists. A second blends in more historic works. Among our modern favorites were Victor Zihunov’s “Etruscan Vase,” Gerard Negelspach’s “Women in Spain,” and Davide Puma’s “Fiorito 2019.” On the historic and classical side, we were drawn to an antique sanctioned copy of “The Coronation of the Virgin.” The incredible details on the angelic faces were astounding. We pledged to buy if for our favorite priest when we win the lottery — and you can relay that to Father Mark Starr!
A Somber Stop
Wandering around generally leads us to new discoveries, and this day was no different. While looking for the non-existent Kasimir Museum, we found Joe Mack Wilson Park, home to the Forever Remember memorial. Dedicated in 2010, a bronze casting of a young girl represents the families of first responders and military personnel who sacrifice daily while their loved ones serve, protect and defend us.
