Visit Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birth Home, Family Church & Final Resting Place at This Atlanta District

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

Atlanta holds some of America’s most important civil rights history, and nowhere tells the story better than the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park.

From MLK’s birth home to the church where he first preached, this site brings his legacy to life.

Here are some highlights of this historic Atlanta neighborhood.

Begin Your Journey at the Info-Packed Visitor Center

You’ll want to kick off your trip here to get the full story. The main exhibit “Courage to Lead” breaks down King’s life into six key areas with tons of photos and info.

Don’t miss the 28-minute film “New Time, New Voice” that shows major Civil Rights moments. You can also check out the actual horse-drawn wagon used in Dr. King’s 1968 funeral.

The center opens at 9 AM daily and closes at 5 PM, giving you plenty of time to soak it all in.

Step Inside the Church Where King Preached

This red brick church on Auburn Avenue was central to Dr. King’s life from day one. He was baptized here as a child, gave his first sermon at 19, and later worked as co-pastor with his dad in 1960.

The church has been fixed up to look just like it did when King preached here. You can sit in the old wooden pews and listen to King’s own words play through the sound system.

The 1922 building still has its rich stained glass and pipe organ that filled the space with music during King’s time.

Take a Look at the House Where King Was Born

This Queen Anne style house at 501 Auburn Avenue is where Dr. King spent his first 12 years. His grandpa, Rev. A.D. Williams, bought it for $3,500 back in 1909.

While the birth home is closed for work until November 2025, park staff still give talks about King’s early life here. The two-story wooden home has a front porch where young Martin played and a parlor where he first learned piano.

Even from the outside, you can feel the history of this place.

Drop By the Fire Station King Knew as a Boy

The red brick Fire Station No. 6 on Auburn Avenue has been there since 1894 and ran until 1991, when new fire trucks got too big for its doors. Young Dr. King played ball behind this station and watched fire trucks zoom out on calls.

Now you can go inside to see a shiny 1927 American LaFrance fire truck, old brass fire poles, the watch desk, and the bell that once called men to action.

The old truck still has its hand-crank in place, just as it did when King was a boy.

Browse the King Center for Deep Civil Rights Insight

Mrs. King started this center in 1968 after Dr. King’s death, and it’s been at its spot on Auburn Avenue since 1981. In Freedom Hall, you can see Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize, Grammy Award, and other items he and Mrs. King owned.

In Freedom Hall, you can see Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize, Grammy Award, and other items he and Mrs. King owned.

The main hall has a grand round room with wood from Africa lining the walls. The King Center sits right next to the church where King gave some of his most moving talks.

Pay Your Respects at the Kings’ Peaceful Tomb

The Kings’ tomb sits in a calm spot with a blue pool flowing around it. Made of Georgia marble, the tomb holds both Dr. King and his wife, who was laid to rest with him in 2006.

The mound-shaped tomb has words from Dr. King’s famous “Drum Major” sermon carved into it. Many folks find this site deeply moving.

You can walk all the way around the tomb on smooth stone paths, and at night, soft lights give it a warm glow.

Watch the Flame That Burns for King’s Dream

Just a few steps from the Kings’ tomb burns a flame that never goes out. This fire shows that Dr. King’s dream of a world with peace, fairness, and care for all lives on.

The flame sits in a round stone bowl with a gas feed that keeps it lit day and night, rain or shine.

When the sun sets, the light from the flame casts warm shadows and draws many to sit and think about King’s work for a better world.

Smell the Roses in the Peace Garden

Right in front of the King Center, you’ll find a garden with 185 roses set in a star burst shape. It’s one of just five World Peace Rose Gardens on earth.

The reds, pinks, whites, and yellows of the roses make for a bold sight when they’re in bloom. Stone paths wind through the beds where you can read signs with peace quotes from world leaders.

In spring and summer, the sweet scent fills the air and gives you a chance to pause and think.

Marvel at the Bronze "Behold" Statue

This big bronze work by Patrick Morelli shows a man lifting a baby to the sky.

It comes from an old African rite where a dad lifts his new child up and says, “Behold the only thing more grand than you.” Mrs. King first showed this piece to the world in 1990.

The life-size bronze has fine details in the face and hands, and looks toward the church. Words on the stone base praise Dr. King’s “moral courage and noble spirit.”

Learn More in Freedom Hall’s Packed Rooms

Found at 449 Auburn Avenue, Freedom Hall has shows on Dr. and Mrs. King, Gandhi, and Rosa Parks.

Here you’ll find more of Dr. King’s things, like his Nobel Prize, a Grammy Award, and clothes he wore.

The big room has a stage for talks and events, plus a shop with books on civil rights.

The Grand Foyer shines with art from Africa and the U.S. South, and side rooms hold more art from all over the world.

Find Out How Gandhi Shaped King’s Path

A bronze statue of Gandhi sits near the Walk of Fame, and shows thanks to the man who helped shape Dr. King’s views on non-violent change. King drew much from Gandhi’s fight for India’s rights from Great Britain.

The bronze Gandhi wears his plain wrap and holds a staff as he seems to walk with eyes fixed ahead.

Small signs tell how Gandhi’s work for peace through non-force helped form Dr. King’s own way of making change.

Trace the Steps of Rights Heroes in the Walk of Fame

Made in 2004, this walk has foot marks in stone and bronze to note those who fought for rights and gave much to make life fair for all.

It runs along the path to the Visitor Center and leads to the Gandhi area.

Each set of prints has the name and deeds of a civil rights hero. The walk now has more than 30 sets of prints, with new ones added each year.

You can find the marks of John Lewis, Rosa Parks, and other brave folks who stood up for what’s right.

Stroll Down the Street That Shaped King’s Youth

Auburn Avenue was the heart of black life in old Atlanta when King grew up.

The Sweet Auburn area holds sites like the Kings’ grave, row homes, fine old Queen Anne houses, and the brick Fire Station No. 6.

From the main park, you can walk west down Auburn Avenue to see more kept-up spots, such as the Sweet Auburn Curb Market.

The old brick shops, homes, and church halls show what the street was like when Dr. King was a boy.