One of the country’s best art museums is just north of Atlanta
The Booth Western Art Museum sits 42 miles north of Atlanta in Cartersville.Photographer: Courtesy of Booth Western Art Museum5 of 5
The Booth Western Art Museum sits 42 miles north of Atlanta in Cartersville.Photographer: Courtesy of Booth Western Art Museum1 of 5
You'll have plenty of options when visiting The Booth Museum: you can go on your own, take a guided tour (which is excellent for families with kids), or attend one of their many special events.Photographer: Courtesy of Booth Western Art Museum2 of 5
The Booth is the only museum of its kind in the Southeast and, for three years in a row (2020, 2021 and 2022), was named USA Today's 10 Best People's Choice Award for the best art museum in the country.Photographer: Courtesy of Booth Western Art Museum3 of 5
Panorama of Booth Western Art Museum.Photographer: Courtesy of Booth Western Art Museum4 of 5- The Booth Western Art Museum sits 42 miles north of Atlanta in Cartersville.Photographer: Courtesy of Booth Western Art Museum5 of 5
- The Booth Western Art Museum sits 42 miles north of Atlanta in Cartersville.Photographer: Courtesy of Booth Western Art Museum1 of 5
If you’re looking for a trip to the American West but don’t have the time or money for a cross-country vacation, we’ve got good news: you can see it all right here in Georgia. And we promise it’s worth the quick road trip!
The Booth Western Art Museum sits 42 miles north of Atlanta in Cartersville. The museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is dedicated to the art and history of the Western United States and is listed among “The South’s Best Museums” by Southern Living. The museum opened in 2003 and has been adding to its collection ever since.
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You’ll have plenty of options when visiting The Booth Museum: you can go on your own, take a guided tour (which is excellent for families with kids), or attend one of their many special events.
In addition to events, visitors can “See America’s Story” — the land, people, struggles, dreams and legends — in paintings, sculpture, photography and artifacts in The Booth’s permanent collection of Western art, Presidential portraits and hand-signed letters, and Civil War art.
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The museum also welcomes its guests to special exhibits, including “Conserving America’s Wildlands: The Vision of Ted Turner—Photography by Rhett Turner,” which will be on display until March 26, 2023. It features nearly 50 selected color images made during Rhett’s visits to the wilderness areas preserved by his father. Other special exhibits on display now include “Booth Photography Guild Annual Exhibition” through Nov. 12, and “The Shirt Wearers: The Plains Indian Art of Cathy A. Smith,” through Jan. 8, 2023.
The Booth is the only museum of its kind in the Southeast and, for three years in a row (2020, 2021 and 2022), was named USA Today’s 10Best People’s Choice Award for the best art museum in the country. And at 120,000 square feet and three stories high, The Booth is an architectural wonder in itself — designed to resemble a modern pueblo and constructed from Bulgarian limestone.
Other awards and accolades include:
- “Best Western Museum in America” – 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards, True West Magazine
- 2016 Escape to the Southeast Travel Attraction of the Year – Southeast Tourism Society
- Member, Museums West Consortium – The 15 most important Western-themed Museums in North America
However, some things are better experienced than explained. So saddle up and head to The Booth for your own adventure. Advance tickets are recommended but are not required and can be purchased online. Use discount code “accessatlanta” at check out and receive a $2 discount per ticket for up to four people!
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Once you arrive at the museum, there is plenty of free parking and a café perfect for lunch or a snack—its Chicken Salad was named “1 of 9 dishes to try in Cartersville.”
For a one-of-a-kind experience, check out the endless possibilities Cartersville offers below:
Booth Western Art Museum
Location: 501 Museum Dr.Cartersville, Georgia, 30120; Hours: Closed Monday, Tuesday-Wednesday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun: 1-5 p.m.; Admission: Adult $13, Senior $11, Student $10, Child (12 and under) free; Website: boothmuseum.org; Contact: 770-387-1300
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