For years, the original World of Coca‑Cola museum in downtown Atlanta was a familiar landmark near Underground Atlanta and the Georgia State Capitol. If you remember visiting it on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW, you might be surprised to see that the old building is now gone.
The former museum site has been demolished, and the space is part of a broader wave of redevelopment in downtown Atlanta. Here’s what Atlantans and visitors often want to know about what happened, what’s there now, and where to go instead.
| Topic | Old Coca‑Cola Museum (Downtown Core) | Current World of Coca‑Cola (Centennial Park Area) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Building demolished | Open to visitors |
| General Area | Near Underground Atlanta / Capitol | Next to Georgia Aquarium / Centennial Olympic Park |
| Experience | Smaller, older-style museum | Larger, updated, interactive attraction |
| Reason for Change | Company relocated museum and redeveloped | Part of Centennial Olympic Park tourism hub |
The original World of Coca‑Cola opened in downtown Atlanta in the 1990s near:
Longtime residents often remember it as being along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW, within easy walking distance of many downtown office buildings, hotels, and government buildings.
That location served as the main Coca‑Cola museum until the company decided to relocate and upgrade the attraction.
The old museum building was eventually closed, left vacant, and later demolished. Several practical and planning-related reasons contributed to this:
For someone returning to Atlanta after several years, this can make the area feel almost unrecognizable compared with the more tourist‑oriented cluster now around Centennial Olympic Park.
The specific uses of the former museum parcel have shifted over time as part of larger downtown plans. As is common in Atlanta, land near major transit and civic centers is often:
If you’re trying to track the exact current use of the site, your best bets are:
🏙️ City of Atlanta Department of Planning
55 Trinity Ave SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404‑330‑6150
They can provide zoning and land‑use information.
🗺️ Fulton County Board of Assessors (Property Records)
235 Peachtree St NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404‑612‑6440
Property lookup tools can show ownership and current classification.
Locals who live or work near Underground Atlanta and the Capitol area will also notice that the broader district continues to evolve with student housing, government offices, and commercial spaces reshaping the streetscape.
The Coca‑Cola museum experience did not disappear—it moved and expanded.
The current World of Coca‑Cola is located in the Centennial Olympic Park / Luckie Street area, a short distance from the original site but in a very different kind of tourism district.
Current World of Coca‑Cola (as of the latest widely known location):
121 Baker St NW
Atlanta, GA 30313
Phone (general info line, subject to change): typically available through Coca‑Cola’s official visitor information.
It sits within Atlanta’s key attractions cluster, near:
For both residents and visitors, this area has effectively become Atlanta’s main tourist core, replacing the role the older downtown core once played for casual sightseeing.
If you’re standing in “old downtown” near the former museum area (Underground Atlanta, City Hall, Georgia State), getting to the new World of Coca‑Cola is straightforward:
Typical walking time from Peachtree Center is about 10–15 minutes through the heart of downtown.
If you’re already in the Peachtree Street corridor (e.g., near the Westin Peachtree Plaza, Ritz‑Carlton, or major office towers):
Common approaches:
The demolition of the former Coca‑Cola museum building is part of a bigger story about how downtown Atlanta is changing:
For residents, this can bring new housing, retail, and streetscape improvements, but it also means the loss of some nostalgic landmarks—like the original Coca‑Cola museum.
Many Atlanta natives and long‑time visitors have strong memories of the former museum—especially:
While the building itself is gone, much of that spirit and content has been reimagined at the current World of Coca‑Cola. The newer location generally offers:
If your goal is to share “what I did as a kid in Atlanta” with your own family, the new museum is the closest equivalent, even though the setting and layout are different.
If you’re specifically interested in what will replace (or has replaced) the old Coca‑Cola museum site, a few local resources are especially useful:
🏛️ City of Atlanta – Department of City Planning
55 Trinity Ave SW, Suite 3350
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404‑330‑6150
Can provide information on zoning, redevelopment proposals, and planning studies for the area.
📜 Atlanta City Council & NPU System
Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs) around downtown often review and discuss redevelopment plans. Attending meetings or reviewing agendas can show you what’s proposed or under review.
🧭 Central Atlanta Progress / Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (business and civic groups)
These organizations frequently share updates on major projects and strategic planning for downtown.
In summary:
The former Coca‑Cola museum building in downtown Atlanta has been demolished, and the company’s museum experience now lives on at the World of Coca‑Cola near Centennial Olympic Park. For anyone living in, visiting, or returning to Atlanta, plan your Coca‑Cola‑themed stop in the Baker Street / Aquarium area—and expect the old site closer to Underground Atlanta to look very different from what you remember.
