The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw is built around one famous machine: the General, a steam locomotive that was stolen at Big Shanty, the town's earlier name, on April 12, 1862, by Union raiders hoping to cut the Confederate supply line from Atlanta. A Confederate crew chased them, first on foot, then on handcars and other locomotives, in the episode known as the Great Locomotive Chase. The engine is the museum's main attraction and has been on display since the museum opened in 1972 as the Big Shanty Museum. Around it, the museum covers the broader story of railroads in the Civil War and in the New South. Permanent exhibits include Railroads: Lifelines of the Civil War, The Great Locomotive Chase and Glover Machine Works: Casting a New South, which interprets the locomotive-building collection the museum acquired from Marietta's Glover Machine Works in the mid-1990s and includes a full-scale reproduction of a locomotive assembly line. Other displays cover Reconstruction, a recreated late-nineteenth-century railroad workers' family home, and, when on view, temporary exhibits such as a loan from the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum on the Railway Mail Service. The Jolley Education Center adds a lighter note, with model trains, interactive learning stations, a pre-K play area and the Georgia Merci Boxcar, a gift from the French people after World War II. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday and closed on a few holidays, so check the visit page for the current schedule, admission and ticketing before you go.
Why it is worth the drive
Atlanta owes its existence to the railroad, and this museum tells that story more directly than any other in the metro area. The raid, the chase and its consequences are full of drama, and the General itself, restored and displayed in a purpose-built hall, gives the history a physical center. Even visitors who do not think of themselves as rail enthusiasts tend to find the assembly-line exhibit and the scale of the engines impressive.
Making the most of a visit
Allow a couple of hours, begin with the Great Locomotive Chase exhibit so the story is clear, then explore the Glover Machine Works displays and the Jolley Education Center. Children enjoy the trains and interactive stations, and school-age visitors tend to engage with the chase narrative, which reads like an adventure story. The museum website provides tour scheduling information for groups.
Practicalities
The museum is at 2829 Cherokee Street NW in downtown Kennesaw, with parking available behind the building. The town is about 25 miles northwest of Atlanta, and Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is nearby, so the two make a natural history-and-hiking day. Check the visit page for hours, which run Tuesday through Saturday, and for admission rates, which include discounts for seniors, military, students and children.
Parents of younger children should know that the Jolley Education Center is designed to hold their attention, so you can let them play with trains while adults finish the exhibits.
Teachers, scout leaders and group organizers can use the museum's tour scheduling to arrange a visit. And if you enjoy the story of the chase, it is worth reading a short account of it before you arrive, so the displays land with more force.
What to expect
The experience
A museum of Civil War and railroad history centered on the General locomotive, with exhibits on railroads, locomotive building and Reconstruction.
Best time
Any day it is open, Tuesday through Saturday; A good rainy-day option.
How long
About two hours.
Tips
Begin with the Great Locomotive Chase exhibit, check opening days before you go and park behind the museum.
Quick picks
- Best for
- History buffs, rail fans and families with school-age children.
- Families
- A strong choice: trains, interactive stations and a pre-K play area in the education center.
- Couples
- A quiet, interesting stop for couples who like history.
- Pair with
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, or a meal in downtown Kennesaw.
- Time needed
- About two hours, a half day with Kennesaw Mountain.
Good questions
What is the General?+
A steam locomotive stolen in 1862 in the Great Locomotive Chase, now the centerpiece of the museum.
When is it open?+
Tuesday through Saturday, with a few holiday closures. Check the visit page for current hours and admission.
Where is it?+
At 2829 Cherokee Street NW in Kennesaw, about 25 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta, with parking behind the building.
Is it good for children?+
Yes. The Jolley Education Center has model trains, interactive stations and a pre-K play area.
What can I combine it with?+
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is nearby and suits a history-and-hiking day.
