High Museum of Art

The High Museum of Art is a major art museum in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, and a central institution within the Woodruff Arts Center. Its architecture includes a Richard Meier building and a later expansion by Renzo Piano.

Permanent collections focus on American art, European paintings, modern and contemporary works, and photography, shown across multiple gallery wings. The museum also presents temporary exhibitions, education programmes and public events throughout the year.

The site’s two principal buildings provide distinct gallery sequences and visitor facilities, with parking and transit access in Midtown Atlanta.

The museum developed from Atlanta’s early 20th-century art associations and moved into the purpose-designed Richard Meier building in 1983; a major expansion by Renzo Piano opened in 2005 to increase exhibition and education space.

Located in Midtown Atlanta on Peachtree Street as part of the Woodruff Arts Center, the High sits in Atlanta’s cultural district and is reachable by public transit and road from downtown Atlanta.

• Location and affiliation: Part of the Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown Atlanta and sited on Peachtree Street close to other cultural institutions.
• Buildings and exhibitions: The museum occupies architecturally distinct buildings by Richard Meier and Renzo Piano, which house rotating special exhibitions as well as permanent collections.

What to See #

• Richard Meier building (1983): A 1983 building by Richard Meier that forms the museum's original modernist core, characterised by white facades and natural-light galleries.
• Renzo Piano wing (2005): A 2005 expansion by Renzo Piano that added gallery space, a street-level entrance and facilities for education and community programmes.