Museums & Galleries in Athens

Confined to plutonium-powered DeLoreans and unwieldy telephone booths, time travel is a dangerous and mischief-baiting activity. Instead, let history repeat itself as often as you can stand it with today’s Groupon: $42 gets two adults and up to four children or grandchildren (under 18) a yearlong family membership to the Fernbank Museum of Natural History (an $85 value). Individuals can purchase solo museum membership, including admission and member benefits for one person, for $30 (a $60 value).

The day's admission for two includes the self-guided audio tour, allowing you to explore the museum at your own pace. The Friend Membership guarantees admission for one or two adults for one year (including complimentary use of audio tours), Member Day Special Exhibition previews, a subscription to the museum e-newsletter, a 10% discount in the museum bookshop, two one-time guest passes, and free or discounted admission to museum workshops, lectures, and films. The Family Membership includes admission for two adults and their children, as well as all of the Friend Membership benefits plus family-oriented extras, such as advance notice of children's programs, four tickets to each Emory Chamber Choir performance, and discounted priority registration for Camp Carlos.

What began as fewer than 30 paintings hanging in two rooms has since grown into the Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery, a collection of more than 400 baroque paintings displayed in 30 galleries. The paintings—works by Rubens, van Dyck, and Murillo that date from the 14th through 19th centuries—are thoughtfully displayed in context, surrounded by furniture, sculptures, tapestries, and popular emoticons from their respective time periods. Architectural elements also add texture to the various galleries, flooding them in colorful light from stained-glass windows or framing their walls with the carved corners of fireplace mantels.

At Heritage Green, a satellite location boasts special exhibits of works pulled from the main galleries or on loan from private and public collections. Up on the second floor, interactive exhibits educate visitors of all ages on works by the old masters.