Stroll with us through Oakland’s amazing arboretum and learn from knowledgeable guides about some of our favorite trees!

Did you know that Oakland is home to more than 1,600 trees, from majestic oaks to mighty magnolias, to demure crape myrtles and dogwoods? Oakland’s trees feed and shelter wildlife, help reduce air pollution and provide welcome shade for visitors. Many stand as living memorials to generations past. Stroll with us through Oakland’s amazing arboretum and learn from knowledgeable guides about some of our favorite trees that truly shine in winter!

This tour starts at the main gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the main gate.

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance.

Historic Oakland Foundation Members
Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitor Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb. 

ASL interpreter available if given 3 days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

In Celebration of Black History Month, Oakland Cemetery is offering FREE tickets for our We Shall Overcome and Black Magnolias tours for all of February!

This guided walking tour explores the history, lives, and labors of Atlanta’s African American women. 

Historically, many African American women worked as maids, child nurses, cooks, and laundresses—all while managing their own households. As educational opportunities became available following the Civil War and emancipation, African American women aspired to occupations beyond domestic service. Many sought jobs as educators and nurses. Others with access to advanced education became lawyers and physicians. With increasing economic stability, more African American women became stay-at-home mothers, focusing their efforts on homemaking and children. Many African American women also considered it their duty to serve their communities and churches, and they did so in both professional and volunteer positions. This guided walking tour moves beyond historical stereotypes to explore the history, lives, and labors of Atlanta’s African American women. 

This tour starts at the Main Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the Main Gate. 

Spaces are limited, so we recommend registering for this free event. 

Historic Oakland Foundation Members
Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitor Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb. 

ASL interpreter available if given 3 days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

In Celebration of Black History Month, Oakland Cemetery is offering FREE tickets for our We Shall Overcome and Black Magnolias tours for all of February!

This 60-minute guided tour explores the lives and accomplishments of outstanding and ordinary African Americans in Atlanta. 

“We Shall Overcome” became the anthem of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, but the origin of the song dates back to antebellum days and a spiritual sung by enslaved people, “No More Auction Block for Me.” This tour explores the lives and accomplishments of outstanding and ordinary African Americans who fought to overcome the effects of slavery and discrimination to help shape the history of Atlanta. 

This tour starts at the Main Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the Main Gate. 

Spaces are limited, so we recommend registering for this free event. 

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

In Celebration of Black History Month, Oakland Cemetery is offering FREE tickets for our We Shall Overcome and Black Magnolias tours for all of February!

This 60-minute guided tour explores the lives and accomplishments of outstanding and ordinary African Americans in Atlanta. 

“We Shall Overcome” became the anthem of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, but the origin of the song dates back to antebellum days and a spiritual sung by enslaved people, “No More Auction Block for Me.” This tour explores the lives and accomplishments of outstanding and ordinary African Americans who fought to overcome the effects of slavery and discrimination to help shape the history of Atlanta. 

This tour starts at the Main Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the Main Gate. 

Spaces are limited, so we recommend registering for this free event. 

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

Learn about past and ongoing preservation and restoration efforts at Oakland with a behind-the-stones walking tour!

Join the Behind the Stones tour for an exclusive look at past and ongoing preservation and restoration efforts. This 75-minute walking tour discusses and visits several of types of physical preservation efforts – from the repair of small, badly broken headstones to the stabilization of dangerously leaning obelisks weighing several thousand pounds. Guests will also see examples of restoration, which involves intervening to return a monument, headstone, or structure to its original appearance or condition.

This tour starts at the main gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the main gate.

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance.

Historic Oakland Foundation Members
Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitor Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb. 

ASL interpreter available if given 3 days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

Join us as we explore some of the fascinating epitaphs that grace the monuments of Oakland.

How would you like to be remembered? Victorians gave considerable thought to this concept. An epitaph is described as “a statement commemorating or epitomizing a deceased person.” Join us as we explore some of the fascinating epitaphs that grace the monuments of Oakland. Whether brief or rambling, poignant or humorous, all provide insight into the person’s life. It’s certain you’ll walk away with a favorite!

This tour starts at the main gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the gate.

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance.

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

This 60-minute tour challenges the myth of Southern womanhood by uncovering the true social and personal histories of Atlanta’s women.  

Early Atlanta might have been a man’s world, but this city was built with the labor of women. From writers and domestic servants to reformers and mothers, Oakland Cemetery is home to thousands of women. Some defied social expectations or worked against racial discrimination to become trailblazers. Others created support systems that made change possible. All dealt with the issues, challenges, and social standards of being a woman in their day. Hear their stories of pioneering, producing, and patriarchy-smashing during this guided walking tour of Oakland Cemetery! 

This tour starts at the Main Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE before meeting at the Main Gate. 

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. 

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

Visit Oakland’s three Jewish burial sections and learn about Atlanta Jewish history during this 60-minute guided tour! 

Oakland Cemetery is home to three Jewish burial sections, including the second oldest Jewish burial ground in Georgia. This tour examines notable residents, Jewish burial customs, and symbolism found throughout these grounds. Hear stories of adversity and triumph as waves of Jewish immigrants and families arrived in Atlanta, adapted to the culture of Victorian America, and created a vibrant and active community. 

This tour starts at the Main Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the Main Gate. 

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance.  

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

Discover stories of hometown heroes and sports legends during this 60-minute guided tour of Oakland Cemetery! 

Go team! Atlanta is home to five major sports teams, several powerhouse universities, and diehard fans who celebrate buzzer beaters, photo finishes, home runs, and hole-in-ones. Discover the origins of some of Atlanta’s most beloved sports teams and hear stories of professional athletes, passionate amateurs, team builders, Olympic supporters, and sports fans of every kind. Don’t forget to bring a golf ball for a special visit to the final resting place of Bobby Jones! 

This tour starts at the Main Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the Main Gate. 

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance.  

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

Discover stories that defy explanation during this 60-minute guided tour of Oakland Cemetery! 

With more than 70,000 souls interred in its hallowed grounds, it’s no mystery that Oakland Cemetery has its share of the surreal. Hear the stories that defy explanation, from mysterious murders to tragic events that have passed into local legend. 

This tour starts at the Main Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the Main Gate. 

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. 

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

People have sought to honor the memory of departed loved ones since ancient times, but the 19th century ushered in a new era of funerary art. Innovative building materials came available and styles changed to reflect the popular architecture of the day, such as Egyptian and Gothic Revival. New money meant bigger and bolder memorials to reflect the social status and power of prominent families. This tour explores the origin and use of popular Oakland grave markers, including tombs and towering monuments, obelisks and angels, and many magnificent mausoleums. Discover how architectural and design choices made during life created a lasting and eternal legacy for many Oakland residents. 

This tour starts at the Main Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the Main Gate. 

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. 

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

From angels to anchors, learn all about grave symbols and death culture during this 60-minute guided tour of Oakland Cemetery!

The Victorians were obsessed with death. From rules on mourning outfits to post-mortem photography, the Victorians had elaborate rituals and traditions to grieve and process death. The ornamentation and symbols found in cemeteries reflect this death culture. From sleeping lambs to weeping angels, every symbol has a different meaning. Discover the many botanical, secular, and religious symbols at Oakland, and interpret their meanings on this wandering walk through the cemetery.

This tour starts at the Main Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (located in the Bell Tower inside the cemetery) before meeting at the Main Gate. 

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. 

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

On May 12, 1866, the Gate City Nine and the Atlanta Baseball Club took to the field to play the first baseball game in Atlanta.

Imagine looking west beyond the main gates of Oakland to a lush patch of green grass complete with a baseball diamond. Beyond the playing field is a city devastated and still emotionally smoldering from General Sherman’s fires. Red flags hang from the doors of homes housing people with smallpox. It is May 12, 1866, and the city desperately needs something to celebrate. On this day, the Gate City Nine and the Atlanta Baseball Club took to the field to play the first baseball game in Atlanta. Join us for a tour that recaptures the spirit of the day and examines the lives of several of the players taking part in that historic game.

This tour starts at the Front Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 AM. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE).

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. 

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.

Crimes of passion, embezzlement scandals, premeditated murders, and cons that exposed city-wide corruption – Oakland Cemetery holds the history of crimes that rocked the city of Atlanta. Crime Through Time explores our understanding of crime, criminals, and justice.

This tour starts at the Main Gate (main entrance at Oakland Avenue and MLK Jr. Drive) at 11:00 a.m. Please arrive a few minutes early to check in at the volunteer desk inside the Visitor Center (374 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, SE) before meeting at the Main Gate. 

Spaces are limited, so we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. 

Historic Oakland Foundation Members

Historic Oakland Foundation memberships include free tickets for special topic tours. Check your membership level before you purchase. Individual members receive one (1) ticket, dual members two (2) tickets, and family memberships four (4) tickets. Membership status will be confirmed before the tour.

Accessibility

Not all areas of Historic Oakland Cemetery are wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need an accessible route when purchasing your ticket. There is designated parking for vehicles with a disability permit by the Visitors Center. This is the best option for parking as the main entrance is paved with cobblestones, and both the East Gate and Memorial Drive Gate entrances have either a step or curb.

ASL interpreter available if given three days (72 hours) notice before the start of the tour.