GREAT EIGHT

If you want to learn about the history of the Atlanta area -- from Native Americans to the Civil War to civil rights to Jimmy Carter -- here are eight sites to check out:

Atlanta Cyclorama. The Civil War Battle of Atlanta rages on at this unusual museum that houses one of the world's few panoramas. The 358-foot round painting depicts the struggle between Union and Confederate forces in July 1864. The base of the painting is a diorama with soldiers, cannon and landscaping. A narration of the battle highlights the painting's details: Kennesaw Mountain, Sherman on horseback, a fallen infantryman who bears an uncanny likeness to Clark Gable. 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily (5:30 during summer). $5; $4 senior citizens; $3 ages 6-12; under 6 free. 800 Cherokee Ave. S.E. (next to Zoo Atlanta). 404-658-7625.

Atlanta History Center. An excellent place to learn about several aspects of Atlanta's history, from its pivotal role in the Civil War to the legend of golf great and native Bobby Jones. Guided tours of the Swan House, a 1928 classical revival mansion, and the Tullie Smith Farm, an 1840s antebellum home and farm, offer glimpses into different eras in the city's life. Special events include Sheep to Shawl day and the candlelight Christmas tours of the mansion and gardens. Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; noon-5:30 p.m. Sundays. $12; $10 over 65 and students over 18 with ID; $7 ages 4-17; under 3 free. Additional $1 per house tour. 130 W. Paces Ferry Road N.W., Atlanta. 404-814-4000, www.atlantahistorycenter.com

Carter Library and Museum. More than 1 million original documents and photographs tell the story of Georgia native Jimmy Carter and his years in the White House. The exhibits include his Nobel Peace Prize. Displays include miniature replicas of gowns worn by past first ladies, a look at Carter's accomplishments and challenges, a reproduction of the Oval Office and cases of gifts the president received from around the world. 9 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; noon-4:45 p.m. Sundays. $5; $4 over 55; under 16 free. 441 Freedom Parkway N.E., Atlanta. 404-331-3942, www.jimmycarterlibrary.org

Etowah Indian Mounds. Long before Atlanta was born, an Indian village thrived along the banks of the Etowah River in Bartow County. The site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was home to thousands of Native Americans from A.D. 1000 to 1500. Though long gone, they left their imprint on the landscape in the form of six enormous earthen burial mounds that rise as high as 63 feet. They surround the outline of what was once a town square. At the river, visitors can view original Indian fishing traps. The site includes a museum with more than 400 artifacts. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 2-5:30 p.m. Sundays. $3; $2 ages 6-18. 813 Indian Mounds Road, Cartersville. 770-387-3747, www.notatlanta.org/etowahmounds.html

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. On its way to Atlanta, the Union army under Gen. William Sherman assaulted the entrenched Confederate forces of Gen. Joseph Johnson at this mountain near Marietta. It was one of the few mistakes Sherman made during the Atlanta campaign, with bloody results. Visitors can hike 16 trails through the grounds, which are part of a 3,000-acre national park. A visitors center provides a video and maps showing the area's preserved trenchworks. A free shuttle takes weekend guests to the mountaintop for spectacular views of Atlanta and beyond. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Main gate open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Free. Old U.S. 41 and Stilesboro Road, Kennesaw. 770-427-4686, www.nps.gov/kemo

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. This 42-acre district on the edge of downtown Atlanta includes the civil rights leader's birth home, his church (Ebenezer Baptist) and his tomb on the grounds of the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change. The National Park Service visitors center has displays on his life and the civil rights movement, as well as traveling exhibitions. Rangers lead free tours of the home and the marble crypt with the famous inscription "Free at Last." 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Free. 450 Auburn Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-331-6922. www.nps.gov/malu

Margaret Mitchell House and Museum. The author wrote most of her famous Civil War novel "Gone With the Wind" while living on the basement level of this apartment house. Tourgoers can squeeze into Mitchell's tiny living room and cramped kitchen to find out why she dubbed it "the Dump." Adjacent to the house is a gallery of Mitchell's letters and photos, a gift shop and the "Gone With the Wind" Movie Museum with a memorabilia collection that includes the front door to Tara, photo stills from the set, news clips from the Atlanta premiere and Vivien Leigh's corset. Tours: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Museum shop: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. $12; $9 senior citizens and students; $5 ages 6-17. 990 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-249-7012, www.gwtw.org

Oakland Cemetery. Some of Atlanta's most noted citizens are laid to rest in this 88-acre parklike setting, just minutes from downtown skyscrapers. Visit the graves of Margaret Mitchell, golfer Bobby Jones or department store founder Morris Rich, and note the elaborate Victorian architecture and statuary. The cemetery, established in 1850, includes a pauper's corner, an African-American section, a Jewish section and the resting places of more than 3,700 Confederate soldiers. Guided 90-minute walking tours are offered March through October at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. $5; $3 senior citizens, students and children. 248 Oakland Ave. S.E., Atlanta. 404-688-2107. www.oaklandcemetery.com

MORE WORTH SEEING

William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum. The largest Jewish museum in the Southeast explores local Jewish history. Exhibits include "Creating Community: The Jews of Atlanta From 1845 to the Present," "Absence of Humanity: The Holocaust Years" and changing exhibits. Also an archives and genealogy center and hands-on activities. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Fridays; 1-5 p.m. Sundays. $5; $3 senior citizens and students; under 6 free. Selig Center, 1440 Spring St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-870-7684, www.atlantajewishmuseum.org

Bulloch Hall. Antebellum 1840 home of Theodore Roosevelt's mother and Eleanor Roosevelt's grandmother, Mittie Bulloch, serves as a cultural center with photographs and documents from the Bulloch and Roosevelt families, plus gardens. Guided tours on the hour: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 1-3 p.m. Sundays. $6; $4 ages 6-16. 180 Bulloch Ave., Roswell. 770-992-1731.

Erskine Caldwell Birthplace and Museum. Displays and video chronicle Caldwell's significance in American literature. 1-4 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. $2; $1 ages 6-12. Moreland Mill, downtown Moreland. 770-251-4438.

Chieftains Museum. Preserving and interpreting the Cherokee Indian heritage, with a diorama of a 16th-century Indian village, artifacts, a 1790s log cabin, a Cherokee planter's house and a mill village. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays; closed holidays. $3; $2 senior citizens; $1.50 students. 501 Riverside Parkway N.E., Rome. 706-291-9494.

DeKalb Historical Society. Civil War exhibits and 100 years of DeKalb County history. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Free. 101 E. Court Square, Decatur. 404-373-1088, www.dekalbhistory.org

Funk Heritage Center. Includes the John H. Bennett Sr. and Ethel C. Bennett History Museum as well as the Appalachian Settlers Village. The center focuses on the history and art of the Southeastern Indians and European settlers. Hours: Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays, 1-5 p.m. Adults (18 and over), $6; senior citizens, $5.50; children (under 18), $4. 7300 Reinhardt College Parkway, Waleska. 770-720-5971, www.reinhardt.edu/funk.htm

Georgia Archives. Discover little-known facts of Georgia history, find missing branches in your family tree, view images of Georgia or learn how state government works. Family papers, maps, photographs, county records and state records date back to 1732. Hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tours: 11 a.m. Tuesdays-Fridays. Free. 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow. 678-364-3700, www.georgiaarchives.org

Georgia Mountains History Museum at Brenau. Northeast Georgia history and folklife, Ed Dodd's "Mark Trail" cartoon collection and decorative arts. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays. $5; $4 senior citizens and students; $10 family. 311 Green St. S.E. at Jesse Jewell Parkway, Gainesville. 770-536-0889.

Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The music museum showcases more than 450 artists. Also the Bill Watson Music Factory, a new children's wing, a video theater, memorabilia, listening rooms, and re-created theater stages and moonlit streets. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 1-5 p.m. Sundays. $8; $6 senior citizens and students; $3.50 ages 4-16. 200 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Macon. 1-888-427-6257, www.gamusichall.com

Governor's Mansion. Thirty-room Greek Revival mansion furnished with 19th-century paintings and porcelain, containing one of the nation's finest Federal-period furniture collections. Guided tours 10-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays. Free. 391 W. Paces Ferry Road N.W., Atlanta. 404-261-1776.

Gwinnett Historic Courthouse. The 1885 structure, boasting three eclectic architectural styles, ceased its official functions in the late 1980s. It was restored as the headquarters of the Gwinnett Historical Society in the early 1990s. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays- Fridays; Saturdays by appointment. Free. 185 Crogan St., Lawrenceville. Courthouse: 770-822-5450. Historical Society: 770-822-5174, www.gwinnetths.org

Gwinnett History Museum. Historical and folk artifacts related to the history of Gwinnett County and its residents; memorabilia from schools, farms and the 1896 Atlanta Exposition. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; noon-5 p.m. Saturdays. $1 admission. Lawrenceville Female Seminary, second floor, 455 Perry St., Lawrenceville. 770-822-5178.

Hay House. Macon's National Historic Landmark house museum is a fully furnished Italian Renaissance Revival mansion built in 1855-59 on four levels. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 1-4:30 p.m. Sundays; closed holidays. $8; $7 senior citizens; $4 students; $3 under 11; under 6 free. Fees for special events extra. 934 Georgia Ave., Macon. 478-742-8155, www.georgiatrust.org/hay.html

Herndon Home. Built in 1910, the National Historic Landmark 15-room mansion features furnishings, artwork, silver, Roman and Venetian glass, and photographs of the Herndon family. Former home of Atlanta's first black millionaire, Alonzo Herndon, one-time slave and founder of Atlanta Life Insurance Co. Guided tours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. $5 adults; $3 students; 587 University Place N.W., Atlanta. 404-581-9813, www.herndonhome.org

History Center. Artifacts and documents about Georgia's Cherokee Indians and life in Georgia, 1800-1950. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. $3; $2.50 seniors; $2 students. 13 N. Wall St., Cartersville. 770-382-3818, www.notatlanta.org/historycenter.html

Life University's 19th-century village. The rustic village and serene setting along a creek is for families who appreciate life's simple pleasures. Village trail and cabins open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; cabins open for tours 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; free. 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta. 770-426-2600, www.life.edu/newlife/geninfo/historicvillage1.html

Marietta Museum of History. Located in the 1854 Kennesaw House, originally a cotton warehouse. Displaying Native American items and exhibits on the history of the Piedmont section of Georgia and the Civil War era in Marietta. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 1-4 p.m. Sundays. $3; $2 seniors; $1 children 6 to 12; free for children under 6 and members. 1 Depot St., Marietta. 770-528-0431, www.mariettahistory.org

Museum of Aviation. Ninety historic aircraft and missiles, aviation memorabilia and photographs. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Free; movies about flying offered Wednesdays-Saturdays are $2; $1 children 4-12. Ga. 247 at Russell Parkway, Warner Robins. 478-926-6870, www.museumofaviation.org

Oak Hill at Berry College. Tour an antebellum mansion, circa 1847, its gardens and nature trails, and the Martha Berry Museum. Oak Hill was the 170-acre home site of Martha Berry, founder of Berry College. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. $5; $3 ages 6-12. Martha Berry Highway and Loop 1, Mount Berry, outside Rome. 706-291-1883, www.berry.edu/oakhill

Picketts Mill Battlefield Historic Site. One of the best-preserved Civil War battlefields in the nation, it is the site of a battle on May 27, 1864, in which 2,100 soldiers lost their lives. 9 a.m.--5 p.m. Tuesday--Saturday; Noon--5 p.m. Sundays. $1.25--$2.50. 4432 Mount Tabor Church Road, Dallas. 770-443-7852, www.gastateparks.org

Rhodes Hall. Historic mansion on Peachtree Street houses the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. Built in 1904 for Atlanta businessman Amos G. Rhodes and reflecting his admiration of German castles along the Rhine River, the building has parquet floors, ornate woodwork and stained-glass windows depicting Civil War scenes. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; noon-3 p.m. Sundays. $5; seniors children 6-12 $4. 1516 Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-885-7800, www.rhodeshall.org

Road to Tara Museum. "Gone With the Wind" book and movie memorabilia. 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. $5; $4 seniors and students; under 6 free. Old Train Depot, 104 N. Main St., Jonesboro. 770-478-4800, www.visitscarlett.com

Roselawn Museum. Restored Victorian mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places; former home of evangelist Samuel Jones. Houses writings and memorabilia of Jones and Rebecca Latimer Felton, the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. 10 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays. Admission: Adults, $2; children, $1; 224 W. Cherokee Ave., Cartersville. 770-386-1527, www.roselawnmuseum.com

Archibald Smith Plantation Home. One of the best-preserved antebellum homes in Georgia, circa 1845, features original furnishings and 11 outbuildings, including a slave cabin and cookhouse. Tours: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. Saturdays. $6; $4 children. 935 Alpharetta St., Roswell. 770-641-3978.

Southeastern Railway Museum. Displays include railroad memorabilia; President Warren G. Harding's 1911 private car, named Superb; a World War II troop kitchen car; plus 70 vintage steam locomotives and historic wooden cars. Train rides on full-size restored cabooses and in the locomotive cabs. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. $7; $5 senior citizens; $4 ages 2-12. 3595 Peachtree Road, Duluth. 770-476-2013, www.srmduluth.org

Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History. Formerly the Kennesaw Civil War Museum, it reopened after a renovation that made the gallery space 10 times larger. The centerpiece remains the General, one of the steam engines involved in the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862. 770-427-2117, www.southernmuseum.org

State Capitol. Gold-topped Capitol building completed in 1889 features museum exhibits and legislative offices. 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; tours 10 and 11 a.m., 1 and 2 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Free. 206 Washington St. S.E., Atlanta. 404-656-2844, www.sos.state.ga.us

Stately Oaks Plantation. Restored 1839 plantation home built in Greek Revival style is open for tours. Also rustic outbuildings. 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; open most Saturdays. $6; $5 senior citizens; $3 under 12. 100 Carriage Lane at Jodeco Road, Jonesboro. 770-473-0197.

Stone Mountain Antique Car & Treasure Museum. Stone Mountain Park museum features antique and classic cars from 1902-1982, including a 1948 Tucker and a 1931 Plymouth rumble seat roadster. Also memorabilia, motorcycles, carousel animals, gas pumps and jukeboxes. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; until 8 p.m. in summer. $5.35; $4.30 children 3-11. $7 parking. Stone Mountain Park exit off U.S. 78. 770-413-5229, www.protsman-antiques.com

Stone Mountain Museum. The renovated museum, in Stone Mountain Park's Memorial Hall complex, explains the carving on the mountain and displays exhibits on the Civil War and farm life during the 1800s. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. $6.40 (included in all-attractions pass). Annual vehicle parking permit $30; daily permit $7. Stone Mountain Park exit off U.S. 78. 770- 413-5087, www.stonemountainpark.com

Tubman African American Museum. "From Africa to America," 67-foot-long mural by Wilfred Stroud, featuring a panel with Secretary of State Colin Powell as the central image. Also eight galleries of African-American art, history and culture. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 2-5 p.m. Sundays. $3; $2 under 16. 340 Walnut St., Macon. 478-743-8544, www.tubmanmuseum.com

William Weinman Mineral Museum. Minerals from Georgia and the world, plus gold-panning and fossil-digging activities. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 1-4:30 p.m. Sundays. $4; $3.50 senior citizens; $3 ages 6-11. 51 Mineral Museum Drive off U.S. 411, I-75 at Exit 293, Cartersville. 770-386-0576, www.weinmanmuseum.org

Robert C. Williams American Museum of Papermaking. Trace the history of papermaking around the world from 200 B.C. to present day. Rotating art exhibits and intermittent Saturday hands-on workshops. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Free. Institute of Paper Science and Technology on Georgia Tech campus, 500 10th St. N.W. 404-894-6663, www.ipst.edu/amp

Williams-Payne House Museum. Restored Sandy Springs farmhouse from 1870s, with period furniture and artifacts. Tours by appointment only. $3; $2 senior citizens and ages 12-18. 6075 Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs. 404-851-9111, www.sandysprings.org/ssc

Westville. The 1850 museum village features crafts demonstrations and tours of 25 historic buildings. Also, vintage baseball game on first Sundays. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 1-5 p.m. Sundays. $10; $8 seniors; $4 grades K-12. U.S. 27, half-mile south of Lumpkin. 1-888-733-1850, www.westville.org

Wren's Nest. Restored Queen Anne Victorian home of Joel Chandler Harris, author of the "Uncle Remus" stories. Tours: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; closed major holidays. $7; $6 senior citizens and teens; $4 ages 3-12. Storytelling for groups of 25 or more. 1050 Ralph D. Abernathy Blvd. S.W. 404-753-7735.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SITES

These sites run by the National Park Service are excellent places to learn more about Georgia's history. For more information, see www.nps.gov

Andersonville National Historic Site. National Prisoner of War Museum honors all U.S. prisoners of war and the 13,000 who died at the infamous Civil War prison in Andersonville. Exhibits include a reconstructed portion of the prison, videos, prisoner artifacts and displays on life as a prisoner of war. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Free. Andersonville National Historic Site, Andersonville. 229-924-0343, www.nps.gov/ande

Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. The first and largest of the country's national military parks, the area was the site of two Civil War battles in 1863. The park has two separate areas and visitors centers. 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m. daily. No charge to visit the Chickamauga center; the Lookout Mountain center costs $3. U.S. 27 in Fort Oglethorpe. 423-821-7786, www.nps.gov/chch

Jimmy Carter National Historic Site. Jimmy Carter's hometown of Plains has opened a visitors center honoring the former president. Housed in the town's refurbished school for all grades built in 1921, the center features memorabilia, photographs, exhibits and a documentary on the presidency. Also the Jimmy Carter boyhood farm, two miles west of Plains in Archery. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Free. 300 N. Bond St., Plains. 229-824-4104, www.nps.gov/jica

Ocmulgee National Monument. Archaeological museum and burial mounds of American Indians who occupied the site for 10,000 years. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Free. I-16 at U.S. 80, 1207 Emery Highway, Macon. 478-752-8257, www.nps.gov/ocmu