A house says a lot about its owner, as evidenced by Galileo’s solar-system bed sheets and Lincoln’s vast collection of presidential action figures. Take a peek inside the mind of a historic figure with today's Groupon: for $8, you get two admissions to the Wren's Nest House Museum in West End (up to a $16 value).
Since opening in 1913, the Wren's Nest has dedicated its decades to preserving the literary, journalistic, and storytelling contributions of Joel Chandler Harris. Credited with using his position as associate editor of the Atlanta Constitution to advocate for racial reconciliation during the turbulent years after the Civil War, Harris also brandished the popular pen. His stories recorded and preserved African-American and Southern oral-folk narratives, telling the tales of characters including crafty Brer Rabbit and fabling Uncle Remus. Visitors in search of these well-spun yarns can listen to the museum's tale-weavers during Storytelling Saturdays, learning lively traditional lessons about friendship, honor, and not getting tricked out of apple pie by wily mailmen. Adopt your own narrative from the on-site gift shop containing work by both Harris and the museum's contemporary publishing wing.
History buffs can explore 10 nooks and 12 crannies of Reconstruction-era grandeur in Harris' Queen Anne Victorian mansion, marveling at the intact furniture and decorative accoutrements found in the author's bedroom or trying on period mustache wigs in the mansion's lavatory. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962, the Wren's Nest continues to harbor its namesake avian tenants, with the nesting mailbox wrens providing rustic charm and reduced postage rates with their courier service.
The museum is open 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Tuesday–Saturday. Call ahead to schedule your tour.
Reviews
Four Yelpers and six Google Mappers give the Wren's Nest House Museum a perfect five-star average. It also has more than 1,400 Facebook fans:
- The staff is young, smart and interested in finding JCH's place in modern Atlanta – JWAIII, Google Maps
- Believe me, there is more to this place than you ever would imagine. Do yourself a favor and check out this West End gem. – Starr D., Yelp
Groupon Says
The Groupon Guide to: Road Trips
Break parole in the best way possible with these road tips for road trips:
Destinations: Nowhere to go? Pick where you're going at random by playing spin the bottle with maps instead of people. Once you've french kissed your destination, it's time to hit the road, literally. Now bandage up your hand and drive away.
Pit Stops: When fueling up, take an extra few minutes to fill your trunk up with gas so you don't have to stop again. Before doing this, make sure to move your lit candles and sun-dried fireworks to the backseat so they don't accidentally get wet.
Friendships: Bond with fellow passengers by playing a game of Celebrity Toll Booth, in which everyone in the car places toll booth operators into the categories of either John Goodman or Whoopi Goldberg.
Note: If you are by yourself, don't even bother going on the trip. The open road is no place for self-discovery.
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