Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park | VISITOR CENTER AND MUSEUM

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Visitor Center

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Visitor Center

OPERATING HOURS

The Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Visitor Center is typically open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM, except when closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. However, times can always change, so before making travel plans be sure to get the latest schedule on the National Park Service’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for the park.

AMENITIES

  • Ranger-staffed information desk where you can get a park brochure and trail map
  • Park film
  • Museum of artifacts excavated from the Indian mounds in the park
  • Restrooms
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park souvenir store

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park souvenir store

PARK FILM

A 17-minute park orientation film is shown in a small theater upon request, so as long and nobody else is currently watching it, the park Ranger will start it whenever you are ready. The film covers all of the historic time periods and events that took place in the park, including Civil War battles and the excavations of the 1930s. There is no objectionable material, so the film is suitable for all ages.

Movie theater at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Visitor Center

Movie theater at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Visitor Center

MUSEUM

After picking up a park brochure and talking with a park Ranger about what there is to do at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, you can study the exhibits in the lobby area that explain the four anthropological time periods used to describe human habitation in the southeastern United States. Artifacts and information panels that tell the story of life during the periods occupy the four rounded corners of the inside lobby. It takes about 20 minutes to read all of the information.

Lobby exhibits at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Visitor Center

Lobby exhibits at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Visitor Center

Lobby exhibits at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Visitor Center

Lobby exhibits at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Visitor Center

For those interested in early human history in the southeastern United States—Georgia in particular—an extensive museum houses approximately 2,000 artifacts found during an early 1930s archaeological excavation within the park. Using up to 800 workers, the dig at Ocmulgee was the largest ever attempted at that time. As extensive as the artifact display is, more than 100,000 more artifacts are stored in the lower level of the Visitor Center, and a staggering two million-plus are housed at Florida State University at Tallahassee.

Museum at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

Museum at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

Museum at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

Museum at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

Every aspect of human history is covered, including two Civil War battles fought on the property, the excavation of the mounds, the forced removal of the Creek Indians in the early 1800s, and current Creek Indian life in the United States.

Exhibits on the removal of the Creek Indians in the 1830s, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

Exhibits on the removal of the Creek Indians in the 1830s, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

Exhibits on the conflict between the Indians and Europeans, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

Exhibits on the conflict between the Indians and Europeans, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

In addition to information panels and artifacts, multiple video programs can be viewed on demand (push a button to start the video). You can learn how pottery and flint arrow heads are made and witness modern Creek culture in videos from the park’s yearly Ocmulgee Indian Celebration.

Video programs at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park museum

Video programs at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park museum

Creek Indian exhibit at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park museum

Creek Indian exhibit at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park museum

For the average tourist, plan to spend a minimum of 30-45 minutes at the Visitor Center to ask questions, watch the orientation film, and give the lobby exhibits and museum a quick going over. For those truly interested in the early human history of the southeast, it takes about one hour to read through and see all of the information and exhibits in the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park museum. Therefore, plan for a 1.5- to 2-hour visit.

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Last updated on May 3, 2022
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