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Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site

Encompassing a collection of different museums and historic buildings within easy walking distance of one another, the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site provides a definitive look at the life of the great native-Atlantan civil rights leader. Start out at the Visitor Center, with its permanent exhibits on the history of the civil rights movement; then move on to the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church (closed for restoration in 2008), where Dr. King, his father, and his grandfather all preached. King's birth home—the simple Victorian house where he was born in 1929—can be visited only with a guided group tour (filled daily on a first-come, first-served basis). In between, you'll wander through the King Center's Peace Plaza, with its spring-blooming rose gardens and its eternal flame marking King's grave.

Tip: Don't skip the historic Fire Station No. 6 (at 39 Boulevard), especially if you have kids—there's a terrific 1927 fire engine on display.

Open daily; Admission and parking free