Freedom Hall at the King Center, part of Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park
The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (originally called the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center and now referred to simply as the King Center) was established in 1968 by Coretta Scott King as a memorial to her late husband and as a center for educational and community programs. In 1970, Coretta had her husband, who was originally buried at South-View Cemetery in Atlanta, reinterred in a tomb on the property next to Ebenezer Baptist Church. In the mid-1970s, construction began on the reflecting pool that now surrounds the tomb and an administrative building (located in the center of the complex); these were completed in 1977. A second building, Freedom Hall, opened in 1981 and was formerly dedicated in January 1982.
West entrance to the King Center complex on Auburn Avenue
For the average visitor, the King Tomb and Freedom Hall are the only places of interest at the King Center. Freedom Hall is located on the opposite side of the reflecting pool from Ebenezer Baptist Church. It houses museum exhibits, an auditorium for films and conferences, and the largest book and souvenir store within Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. Freedom Hall is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and from 9 AM to 5 PM the rest of the year. The facility is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year’s Day. The tomb, on the other hand, is outdoors, so you can visit it at any time. For more information about activities and events, see the King Center web site.
Book and souvenir store inside Freedom Hall
The draw of Freedom Hall is the gift store and the upstairs museum exhibits dedicated to Martin Luther Jr. and Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, and Mahatma Gandhi. The Rosa Parks Room is mainly a collection of historical photographs, while the Gandhi Room has a small collection of Gandhi memorabilia and items the Kings picked up during a 1959 trip to India. King was still a college student when Gandhi was assassinated, so the two never met, but he was very interested in Gandhi’s non-violent methods of combating the British occupation of India.
Rosa Parks Room at Freedom Hall
Mahatma Gandhi Room at Freedom Hall
The main exhibit at Freedom Hall is the one dedicated to Martin Luther Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Timelines of their lives and two video programs provide information, plus there are plenty of actual items owned by the Kings on display. These include Martin’s Nobel Peace Prize, a Grammy award he won in 1970 for Best Spoken Word Recording, international awards bestowed upon Coretta, and clothing worn by both. This is the best museum at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park due to these items. The other park museums are mainly comprised of information panels and historical photographs.
The King Room at Freedom Hall
Timeline and information about the life of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nobel Peace Prize
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Grammy Award
Coretta Scott King’s side of the exhibit area
Awards given Coretta Scott King
The three exhibit rooms are not very large, so you can read through all of the information at Freedom Hall in about 30 minutes.
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Last updated on February 18, 2020
