King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Atlanta

The King Center serves as a memorial and educational institution dedicated to the life, values, and philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr.. Founded in 1968, the Center occupies a key position within the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park. As you approach the campus from Auburn Avenue, you’ll enter an open, landscaped space that immediately sets a reflective tone before you step inside any buildings.

From the main entrance, walk straight ahead toward the long Reflecting Pool, which runs east–west through the heart of the grounds. At the west end of the pool, you’ll see the Eternal Flame, positioned slightly forward and framed by low stone walls. Just beyond the flame, centered along the pool, stands the crypt where Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, are laid to rest. This outdoor sequence, pool, flame, and crypt, is designed to be experienced in order, encouraging visitors to move slowly and pause along the way.

After taking in the memorial area, turn north and head toward Freedom Hall, the main exhibition building on the campus. Inside, galleries present art, photographs, and historical material tracing the lives and work of Dr. and Mrs. King, while also drawing connections to global figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Rosa Parks, whose ideas and actions intersected with the philosophy of nonviolent resistance. The exhibitions are arranged to guide you chronologically and thematically through the development of the nonviolent movement.

Adjacent to the exhibition spaces, within the same complex, are the library and archives, which house extensive collections of speeches, correspondence, and primary documents related to Dr. King and the broader civil rights movement. These areas are primarily used for research and educational programs, but their presence underscores the Center’s role as both a memorial and a working institution.