By Matt Speer
Staff Writer ’05

So you think Atlanta is boring? Think again. Beneath all the traffic, smog, and bustle of everyday life lays a vast amount of cultural activity, something from which even high school students shouldn’t exempt themselves.

First there are the museums. If you are in the mood for some new and exciting artwork created by fellow Georgians, you can visit the Museum of Contemporary Art, or MOCA. This museum is one of the first to specifically feature the work of Georgia natives. When there are little children that need to be taken care of, the hands-on children’s museum called Imagine It! is absolutely fantastic. Here, kids have the chance not only to learn but to have fun. Imagine It! strives to “make the line between learning and fun invisible.” And who can forget the High Museum of Art? The leading art museum in the southeastern United States offers African, American, decorative, European, folk, modern and contemporary arts, as well as photography to suit all tastes.

Next there are the musical aspects of downtown Atlanta. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is always a treat, and if you want to hear soon-to-be-famous musicians before they hit it big, the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra will be a delight to your ears. The choirs that can be heard in downtown Atlanta include the Gay Men’s Choir and the Robert Shaw Choir. Spivey Hall often houses such choirs in addition to the appropriately dubbed Spivey Hall Children’s Choir. In addition to music for the classically inclined, Atlanta offers a selection of venues that present jazz and rock acts. Blind Willy’s offers live blues/jazz concerts while Dark Horse allows patrons to hear the songs and styles of new bands in the area.

Theatres cover the Atlanta area. From the Alliance to the Horizon, one can find many styles of theatre in the big ATL. The Alliance offers one of the highest artistic standards and is on a mission to create a powerful “experience of shared theatre for diverse people.” The Seven Stages Theatre seeks to offer intellectual plays to all who wish to come. Its international collaboration helps characterize it as one of Atlanta’s most unique theatres. Many more theatres inhabit Atlanta, such as Dad’s Garage and the Fox Theatre, so there are plenty of places to choose from when deciding on a night out on the town.

While visiting all these exciting places, you’re sure to work up an appetite. Don’t worry; Atlanta is filled with a variety of ethnic foods. You can enjoy French food at the Bistro at Andrew’s Square or Thai delights at the Baitong-Thai Restaurant. When you’re in downtown Atlanta, be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to try new and exciting foods.

So if you thought that downtown Atlanta was just a typical crowded metropolitan area, I dare you to step outside the box this weekend, and change your mind. Go make a day of it, and enjoy all the rich cultural aspects of Atlanta.