Discover Middle Georgia: Tubman Museum

MACON, Georgia. (41NBC/WMGT) – Macon’s very own Tubman Museum holds a lot of history within its walls and pays tribute to African American art and culture.

With 49,000 square feet of space, the Tubman is the largest museum of its kind in the nation.

George Crawley, Coordinator of Education and Outreach at the Tubman Museum, says the brick masonry work on the outside of the building is representative of the traditions of basket weaving work by African Americans in Middle Georgia.

He also says “the crown at the top of the building pays tribute to the kings and queens of ancient Africa.”

The museum is named after Harriet Tubman, known as the “Black Moses,” who led hundreds of slaves to freedom.

Stefan Sims, an out-of-town visitor,  was expecting to see a lot about Harriet Tubman but was surprised by the variety of work by other African Americans. “Once I got in there I saw a lot of stuff about our soldiers that fought in different wars,” he said.

The museum features an exhibit specifically dedicated to Macon’s own African American history including the state’s first African American congressman, woman leaders in Bibb County’s education system, artifacts from times of segregation and the journey from slavery to civil rights.

The museum’s collection also includes a 55 foot long mural portraying African American heritage, an inventor’s gallery displaying inventions by African Americans and numerous pieces of artwork from black artists in Georgia.

Throughout the month of June, the Tubman Museum will be celebrating African American Music Appreciation Month with a variety of special events.

To start off the month, the museum re-installed the “King of Soul, Otis Redding in Photographs” exhibit.

Every Friday in June, there will be food trucks set up on Cherry Street Plaza and special admission to the museum – $5 per person from 11 a.m to 2 p.m.

To plan your visit or check out the schedule of special events, visit tubmanmuseum.com.