Downtown Atlanta is getting some stars and stripes to go with its beluga whales and Coca-Cola. The National Museum of Patriotism —- which salutes everything America from the founding fathers to heroes who stepped up after the Sept. 11 attacks —- is moving this fall to the ground floor of the Hilton Garden Inn across from the Georgia Aquarium.

"If you walk out the aquarium and trip, you'll be at our front door," said Pat Stansbury, marketing director of the museum.

Since closing its Spring Street location in October, the institution primarily has taken its collections on the road while waiting for its new space, Stansbury said. The Hilton site will offer about 10,000 square feet initially but may expand to 60,000 square feet over the next few years, she said.

The move to downtown will put the museum in what is emerging as Atlanta's tourism heart, a triangle that includes the aquarium, Centennial Olympic Park, the World of Coca-Cola, CNN Center and Imagine It children's museum.

"Everyone will benefit from having the Patriotism Museum moving closer to the other attractions," said Mark Vaughan, an executive vice president for the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It certainly fits in with our vision of Atlanta being an easy city to do business with."

Using ACVB calculations, Stansbury said as many as 500,000 people a year could visit the museum.

 JEMAL R. BRINSON / Staff
Map locates the Patriotism museum near the Georgia Aquarium. Inset map outlines area of detail in metro Atlanta.