Madison is a one-day trip from Atlanta: about 60 miles east, with a National Register historic district you can walk for free and four small museums that charge $3 to $15 a head. Plan on Tuesday to Saturday: all four museums are closed on Mondays, and on Sundays they open only in the afternoon, if at all.
The town is the seat of Morgan County, and its historic district has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia. Below are the admission prices and hours each museum publishes (checked September 18, 2026). Where an operator publishes nothing, we say so.
What the Madison museums cost and when they open
| Stop | Adult admission | Hours | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison-Morgan Cultural Center (1895 school building) | $5; seniors $4, students $3, ages 5 and under free | Tue–Sat 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sun 1–4 p.m.; closed Mondays and holidays | Free on-site parking; the center says it is fully accessible |
| Morgan County African-American Museum (Horace Moore House, 156 Academy St.) | $5; children $3 | Tue–Fri 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; 1st and 3rd Saturday noon–4 p.m.; closed Sundays and holidays | Only two Saturdays a month, so check the date |
| Heritage Hall (built 1811, 277 S. Main St.) | $15; students $10; under 12 free* | Tue–Sat 11 a.m.–4 p.m. (last tour 3 p.m.); Sun 1:30–4:30 p.m. (last tour 3:30 p.m.) | Guided tours only, about 50 minutes, on the hour (half hour on Sundays) |
| Rogers House and Rose Cottage (built c. 1809, 179 E. Jefferson St.; county-owned since 1992) | $10; students $7; under 12 free* | Tue–Sat 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun 1:30–4:30 p.m. | Docent tours, about 50 minutes; book on (706) 342-9627 |
*The Morgan County Historical Society, which runs Heritage Hall and whose phone line books both house tours, publishes hours but no admission price on its own site. The prices marked * come from visitmadisonga.com, which describes itself as Madison’s official tourism site. Call (706) 342-9627 to confirm before you go.
A one-day plan that fits the opening hours
- 10 a.m.: Start at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, which opens at 10 a.m. and has a free parking lot. (The Rogers House also opens at 10 a.m.)
- 11 a.m. or noon: Take the Heritage Hall tour. Tours leave on the hour and last about 50 minutes, so arriving a few minutes early matters more than booking.
- Lunch: Walk the downtown square and Main Street. Looking at the houses in the historic district costs nothing, but most are private homes, so stay on the sidewalk.
- Afternoon: Choose the Rogers House and Rose Cottage tour, or, on a weekday or the 1st or 3rd Saturday, the Morgan County African-American Museum, which closes at 4 p.m.
For two adults, all four stops add up to $70 at the published adult prices ($10 + $10 + $30 + $20). Children under 12 are free on both house tours and pay $3 at the other two museums, and the Cultural Center is free for ages 5 and under.
Did Sherman really spare Madison?
Partly. The New Georgia Encyclopedia says Joshua Hill, a U.S. congressman who resigned when the Civil War began despite opposing secession, “reportedly” convinced General William T. Sherman not to burn the town during the 1864 March to the Sea. The Union army spared the center of town, but it still burned a number of public buildings and some surrounding plantations. Downtown burned anyway five years later: a fire on April 9, 1869 destroyed 42 stores and several other buildings and houses.
When to go
The museums are open from Tuesday to Saturday (the African-American Museum on only two Saturdays a month), and the Cultural Center and the two house tours also open on Sunday afternoons. In autumn, our fall-color timing page gives Madison, at 718 feet, a usual peak window of November 1–15. That is an estimate from elevation, not a forecast.
FAQ
How far is Madison, Georgia from Atlanta?
About 60 miles east of Atlanta, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia, which makes it an easy day trip.
Is Madison, Georgia free to visit?
Walking the historic district is free. The museums charge: $5 at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center and the Morgan County African-American Museum, and $15 for Heritage Hall and $10 for the Rogers House and Rose Cottage tour according to Madison’s tourism site (checked September 18, 2026).
Is Madison, GA really the town Sherman didn’t burn?
Partly. The Union army spared the center of town in 1864, reportedly because Joshua Hill persuaded Sherman, but it burned some public buildings and nearby plantations. The “too pretty to burn” line is local folklore, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia.
Are Madison’s museums open on Sunday and Monday?
All four museums are closed on Mondays. On Sundays the Cultural Center opens 1–4 p.m. and the Heritage Hall and Rogers House tours 1:30–4:30 p.m. The African-American Museum is closed on Sundays.
Do I need to book the house tours?
No. Heritage Hall and the Rogers House take walk-ups on the hour, and you can also book ahead on (706) 342-9627. Tours last about 50 minutes.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- New Georgia Encyclopedia — Madison
- Madison-Morgan Cultural Center — Visit (hours, admission, parking)
- Morgan County African-American Museum — Hours & Directions
- Morgan County Historical Society — Tours (hours)
- Visit Madison — Heritage Hall (admission)
- Visit Madison — Rogers House (admission, hours)
- City of Madison — Attractions
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
