The Swan House at the Atlanta History Center has become familiar to viewers of the “Hunger Games” movie franchise as the opulent palace of the perversely bloodthirsty President Snow (played by Donald Sutherland).
The 1928 Italianate mansion, built for the Inman family, will be featured again in the highly-anticipated fourth movie in the series, "Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2,"which opens this weekend.
To celebrate that occasion, the Atlanta History Center is staging a “Storm the Capitol” event, from 1-8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, in which visitors can tour the mansion, learn about the movie-making process, compete in costume contests and pose with characters from the film, including a Katniss Everdeen lookalike.
"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" from 2013 was the first film in the series to use the Swan House as a location, and it is among the many Atlanta landmarks that appear in the movie. In that year the history center launched the Capitol Tour, which has been updated to include information about the filming of "Mockingjay, Part 2." The Capitol Tour will be offered throughout the day Sunday.
Filmmakers used some of the Swan House’s furniture, including the swan console tables that can be seen behind President Snow in several scenes in the series.The Swan House living room, which served as President Snow’s office in “Catching Fire” became a guest bedroom in “Mockingjay, Part 2.”
The dirt-poor peasants of District 12, including Primrose Everdeen and her mother, will also be portrayed at the history center, by impersonators housed in the pioneer-era Wood Family Cabin among the trees adjoining the Swan House.
After 5:30 p.m. visitors can join a party, with a DJ spinning “Hunger Games”-inspired tunes, a cash bar and chicken and waffles from Nana G.’s food truck.
The "Storm the Capitol" program is free to members and included in the cost of admission for non-members; adults: $16.50; seniors: $13; youth: $11.. Regularly scheduled Capitol Tours are available at 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; tickets are $10 plus the price of admission. The Atlanta History Center is at 130 West Paces Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta; 404-814-4000, www.atlantahistorycenter.com/
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