High Museum of Art, Atlanta (must see)

The leading art museum in the Southeastern U.S, 'the High' is much larger than usually expected, with beautiful and varied collections inside the modern, sculptural, enamel-clad building. Founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association, it has evolved into one of the best curated art museums in the country where one can easily spend half a day.

With more than 14,000 works of art in its permanent collection (more than one-third of which were acquired at the turn of the 21st century), it's a great place for 19th- and 20th-century American art; European art (including Tiepolo, Monet, Matisse, Renoir, Degas, Pissarro, Rodin), decorative arts (especially from the late 1800s and early 1900s), as well as modern and contemporary art and photography. Among special highlights are the eclectic chairs and object art found throughout the galleries, Deborah Butterfield's "Horse Sculpture", and pretty much the contemporary collection in general.

The High places special emphasis on supporting and collecting works by Southern self-taught artists, such as Howard Finster, and includes a contextual installation of sculpture and paintings from his Paradise Gardens. Curiously enough, a curatorial department is specifically devoted to the field of self-taught art, a distinction unique among North American museums. What the artists lack in formal training they make up for in invention and a lot of it is just plain fun.

Tip:
The museum excels in showcasing rotating collections, so it's recommended to visit their website to see what's currently on display. Additionally, visitors should consider taking the daily "Highlights Tour" guided by docents, which starts at 1pm and doesn't require any reservations.