Millennium Gate Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Millennium Gate Museum |
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The Millennium Gate Museum
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| General information | |
| Type | Triumphal arch Art museum |
| Architectural style | New Classical |
| Location | Atlanta, United States |
| Construction started | 2005 |
| Completed | 2008 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Hugh Petter Rodney Cook Jr. ADAM Architecture |
The Millennium Gate Museum, often called The Gate, is a special building in Atlanta, Georgia. It looks like a giant arch, similar to famous ones in Europe, and it's also a museum! You can find it on 17th Street in the Atlantic Station area of Midtown. This amazing monument celebrates peaceful achievements and important moments in history. Its design was a team effort by Rodney Mims Cook Jr. and Hugh Petter.
Contents
The Millennium Gate Museum: A Grand Arch in Atlanta
Building History: From Idea to Reality
The Millennium Gate Museum first opened its doors on July 4, 2008. It cost about $20 million to build. The arch was actually first planned for Washington, D.C., but it didn't get enough support there. Luckily, Atlanta welcomed this grand idea!
The Arch's Special Design and Message
The arch is decorated with beautiful sculptures by a Scottish artist named Alexander Stoddart. These sculptures tell stories about peaceful accomplishments from the last 2000 years. Stoddart's "Peace and Justice Gates," which stand on either side of the arch, even won a special award called the Palladio Prize in 2006 for their design.
On the arch, there's a message written in Latin. It says: "This American monument was built to commemorate all peaceful accomplishment since the birth of Jesus Christ in the year of our Lord, MM." This means it honors all the good things people have achieved since the year 2000. When it first opened, some people weren't sure if the design fit the area, but over time, more and more people have come to appreciate its beauty.
The monument's base also lists the names of 10 winners from a design competition held in 2000. These talented people helped shape the vision for the Millennium Gate.
Inside the Museum: Exploring Georgia's Past
The museum inside the Millennium Gate has a huge space, about 12,000 square feet, filled with galleries. These rooms are set up to look like old Savannah parlors, guiding you through different centuries of history. The journey ends with a large bronze statue of President George Washington.
Journey Through Time: Galleries and Exhibits
You can start your visit by learning about pre-Columbian Native American history and the first Spanish settlements in Georgia. The 18th Century Georgia Pioneer Gallery focuses on James Oglethorpe and how he created the Colony of Georgia. This gallery shows old documents and items from Native American, Spanish, British Colonial, and American Revolutionary times.
The 19th and 20th Century galleries tell the story of Atlanta and Georgia's early days. You'll see old photographs and items from many of Atlanta's first families. There's also a cool 21st Century Interactive Gallery, created with Georgia Tech. Here, you can explore how people's generosity has helped change Atlanta over the years.
Step Back in Time: Period Rooms
The Millennium Gate also features three special rooms that look exactly as they would have in different historical periods:
- An 18th-century study from Lyman Hall, who signed the Declaration of Independence for Georgia.
- The 19th-century office of Thomas K. Glenn, a powerful businessman who led Coca-Cola and Atlantic Steel.
- A 20th-century drawing room from a famous home called Pink House, designed by well-known architects.
Gallery
