Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History

10/17/2026

📢Coming up next week: Haunted Spirits! 👻🥂Get your tickets: https://southernmuseum.org/event/haunted-spirits/

Join us for a spooky night on Friday, October 23. Settle in for a movie in our theater, mingle with friends and get ready for a night of fun! Sip soft drinks, b**r or a signature cocktail while you experience haunting stories on a tour of the Southern Museum.

Food provided by 1885 Grill in Kennesaw, b**r and spirits provided by Reformation Brewery and fun provided by the Southern Museum staff!

Wear a costume, and you could win a prize in our costume contest.

6 PM - Doors open. Cocktails and Appetizers available. 🍸
6:15 - 7:50 PM - Showing of "The Lady Vanishes," directed by Alfred Hitchcock📽️
8 PM - Costume Contest🧛
8:30 & 9:15 - Ghost Tours 👻

Ages 21+

10/16/2026

The same rail corridor that helped establish Big Shanty in the 1830s remains an active freight line today. More than 190 years later, trains continue to pass through Downtown Kennesaw, connecting the city’s past with its present!

10/15/2026

In 1865, Civil War surgeon Reed Bontecou captured a series of portraits documenting soldiers who had survived battlefield wounds. In many of the photos, a red arrow was drawn to indicate trajectory, helping physicians visualize the path of injury and damages it may have caused.

At the time, medical photography was still a new concept, and Bontecou's unprecedented visual record of battlefield trauma provided medical professionals a way to study wounds, surgical treatment and techniques, rehabilitation efforts and the long-term effects of different kinds of wounds. The photos also aided in the allocation of post-war pension payments.
Today, these portraits remind us of the human cost of the Civil War.

10/14/2026

Reminder: The Southern Museum's front parking lot will be blocked during the Pigs & Peaches Festival on Oct 16 and 17. Museum guests should use Cherokee Street or Big Shanty to 2937 Shirley Drive to access the rear parking lot at the Museum, as access via Main Street will be restricted. Handicap parking is available in the rear lot. For more information, call 770-427-2117.

The City has teamed up with Waze! Download Waze to help navigate around road closures in the City.

10/13/2026

The Southern Museum works to cultivate an inclusive institution devoted to history and education. To aid in this mission, museum staff has developed numerous educational programs for every demographic. Offering more than 10 educational programs, the Youth Programs sector is particularly robust. Read more, and hear from Educator Amy Torrance on what makes the Southern Museum's education programs so unique: https://southernmuseum.org/educating-kennesaws-youth/

10/11/2026

This Wednesday: Homeschool Workshop.
October’s theme is A Morning for Mourning 👻
Come explore the mourning rituals practiced during the late 1800’s.

Discover new train- or history-themed concepts and apply them to your own invention, art project, machine or game. Workshops are multidisciplinary and include hands-on projects, guided activities, tours and demonstrations.

The drop-in program goes from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Every student is given a personalized introduction and detailed instructions before embarking on open-ended activities. A guided presentation or tour every half hour delves deeper into the topic of each workshop.
Recommended for elementary students ages 5 to 12 and their caregivers. It is included in Museum admission and free for Museum members. Registration is not required.

10/10/2026

Did you know the Great Locomotive Chase is the historic event that led to the creation and awarding of the very first Medals of Honor in U.S. history?
Because the raid required profound bravery in enemy territory, Congress authorized the Medal of Honor, with 19 of the participating Union raiders eventually receiving the award. The medals presented to raiders John Scott and Wilson Brown are featured in the exhibit right here at the Southern Museum. Learn more today!

10/09/2026

Weather Update for Friday, October 9:

Cobb County is currently under a High Wind Warning and Flood Watch through 8 a.m. Sunday. Hurricane Isaias is now a Category 3 hurricane and is expected to bring significant weather impacts to our area, including heavy rainfall, strong winds and possible tornadoes from tonight through early Sunday.

City Closures and Cancellations:
All City of Kennesaw events and programs scheduled for Saturday, October 10, are canceled. City facilities, including the Ben Robertson Community Center, Kennesaw Recreation Center, Smith-Gilbert Gardens and Southern Museum, will be closed Saturday, October 10. Emergency services will remain operational.

Stay Safe:
Residents are encouraged to monitor local weather alerts, avoid flooded roadways and take precautions for potential power outages and severe weather.

For the latest weather updates, visit weather.gov/atlanta.

10/09/2026

Join us for a night full of eerie vibes and spooky surprises at Haunted Spirits! 🕸️

Ghost tales come alive, and the atmosphere is chillingly fun. Sip soft drinks, b**r or a seasonal cocktail while you experience haunting stories on a tour of the Southern Museum. Food provided by 1885 Grill in Kennesaw, b**r and spirits provided by Reformation Brewery and fun provided by the Southern Museum staff!

🧛Wear a costume; You could win a prize in our costume contest.
📽️Come at 6 PM and enjoy the 1938 Hitchcock film "The Lady Vanishes" in our theater.
👻Ghost tours of the Museum are at 8:30 PM and 9:15 PM.

Must be 21 years of age or older to attend.

The Southern Museum, in association with the Smithsonian Institution, is a premier metro Atlanta museum. Home to the locomotive General and the Glover Machine Works.

10/07/2026

Every railroad has a story. From steam-powered locomotives to modern transportation, railroads have shaped how Americans traveled, worked and connected throughout the years. Do you have a favorite train memory?