Discover the Marietta Museum of History in Marietta Georgia - This museum is housed on the 2nd floor of the historic Kennesaw House. Originally a cotton warehouse built in 1845, it was remodeled to become the Fletcher House Hotel in 1855. Stay and Play in GA!
General Info & Mission
During the Civil War the hotel temporarily served as a makeshift hospital and morgue. For this reason, the building has become the subject of many stories and local ghost folklore.
Today the museum houses four galleries featuring collections from Local History, Home Life and the Military. Unique to our museum is the Civil War collection featuring the history of the Georgia Military Institute, the story of the only slave buried in the Marietta Confederate Cemetery and the distinction of involvement in the infamous Union plot to steal the Confederate Locomotive called The General.
The Marietta Museum of History is dedicated to preserving the history of Marietta and Cobb County by providing an educational, enlightening, and engaging experience. Join us in preserving our past at the Marietta Museum of History!
Our Mission - The Marietta Museum of History is committed to preserving the history of Marietta and Cobb County by providing an educational, enlightening, and engaging experience for all visitors.
Amenities: Parking, Public Restrooms, Accessibility for mobility-impaired
Special Exhibits
A Century of Adventures: Scouting in Cobb County
We have put on display several Boy Scout and Girl Scout items from the 1910s to the 1980s, and will soon be working on a Campfire Girls exhibit as well.
The Military Gallery, embodies the spirit of our museum. This gallery contains military displays from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I and II, Korean War, Vietnam War and both Gulf Wars. Stories of bravery are the heartbeat of this gallery from Pearl Harbor, to German Concentration Camps to Sherman's March to the Sea. Visitors can see local battlefield relics, an extensive gun collection and uniforms of the men and women who have served our country.
The Homelife Gallery houses the Museum's collection of vintage items that were popular to everyday life in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Visitors will find a variety of inventions that were once used for entertainment and pleasure during this time period. Of special significance is our working music box collection with the earliest piece dated as 1885.
Local History Gallery - This eclectic gallery features exhibits on the local Native American culture, the early gold mining industry of our state, some military history vignettes and influential local businesses.
Native Americans were plentiful in the Cobb County area when early Americans settled in Marietta. The gallery houses a collection of original pottery found in Cobb County , a unique collection of arrowheads (also called Bird Tips) and a rare bible dated 1860 written in the Cherokee language.
Andrews' Raiders Room - The Raiders Room tells the Civil War story of the daring plot by Union raiders to damage Confederate supply lines. The twists and turns that occurred during the theft of the locomotive called The General had all the makings of an adventure movie.
The Kennesaw House - Built as a cotton warehouse by John Glover in 1845, the Kennesaw House is one of Marietta's oldest buildings. Dix Fletcher purchased the warehouse in 1855, and after remodeling it, opened the Fletcher House Hotel in its place. During the early years of the Civil War, the hotel was used as a Confederate hospital and a morgue. In addition, Andrews' Raiders stayed in a second floor room on the evening prior to their theft of the steam engine, "The General."
Educational Guide
The Marietta Museum of History has recently updated all of its educational materials to more directly enhance the students visit to the museum. The new guide has more than 70 pages divided into six chapters, each with a variety of handouts, exercises, and additional learning materials specifically chosen to expand the tour into your classroom.
