Get Started

Explore Historic Oakland Cemetery, where Atlanta’s history lives.

Enjoy Oakland’s beauty, art, and history by attending our special events.

Learn about history, nature, art, architecture, and civil rights.

Help us preserve, protect, and share Atlanta’s oldest historical and cultural landmark.

Upcoming Events & Tours

Events
Homeschool Day: Society, Symbolism, and Stories
May 13
Homeschool Day: Society, Symbolism, and Stories

Join us in May as we highlight the cultural traditions of Oakland & Atlanta with full day of homeschool programming to learn more about the history of Atlanta and the rich tapestry of cultures that are represented across the city.

An Afrocentric History of Gravestones, Epitaphs, and Symbols at Oakland and South-View Cemeteries
May 17
An Afrocentric History of Gravestones, Epitaphs, and Symbols at Oakland and South-View Cemeteries

Historian and author Dr. D L Henderson explores the gravestones, epitaphs, and symbols in Oakland’s historically Black burial ground and South-View’s oldest historic section.

History, Mystery, and Mayhem
May 17
History, Mystery, and Mayhem

With more than 70,000 souls interred in its hallowed grounds, it’s no mystery that Oakland Cemetery has its share of the surreal. Hear the stories that defy explanation, from mysterious murders to tragic events that have passed into local legend. 

Victorian Symbolism
May 18
Victorian Symbolism

From angels to anchors, learn all about grave symbols and death culture during this 75-minute guided tour of Oakland Cemetery!

Oakland’s Music Makers
May 24
Oakland’s Music Makers

Discover the stories of prodigies, bandmasters, a dance club DJ, a beloved family songbird, and more on this musically-inclined tour!

Epitaphs: The Immortality of Words
Jun 1
Epitaphs: The Immortality of Words

How would you like to be remembered? Victorians gave considerable thought to this concept.

Summer Camp: Simple Machine Scientists
Jun 2
Summer Camp: Simple Machine Scientists

Oakland’s summer camps give kids a fun, educational, outdoor experience in one of Atlanta’s oldest historic sites.

Love Stories of Oakland
Jun 7
Love Stories of Oakland

Love never dies at Oakland Cemetery! Grab your love for a unique outdoor date at Oakland Cemetery.

Summer Camp: Active Adventures
Jun 9
Summer Camp: Active Adventures

Oakland’s summer camps give kids a fun, educational, outdoor experience in one of Atlanta’s oldest historic sites.

Oakland’s All-Stars: Sports Legends of Atlanta
Jun 15
Oakland’s All-Stars: Sports Legends of Atlanta

Discover stories of hometown heroes and sports legends during this 75-minute guided tour of Oakland Cemetery! 

Summer Camp: Nature Detectives
Jun 16
Summer Camp: Nature Detectives

Oakland’s summer camps give kids a fun, educational, outdoor experience in one of Atlanta’s oldest historic sites.

Summer Camp: Outdoor Art Studio
Jun 23
Summer Camp: Outdoor Art Studio

Oakland’s summer camps give kids a fun, educational, outdoor experience in one of Atlanta’s oldest historic sites.

Summer Camp: Oakland Rocks Geology
Jun 30
Summer Camp: Oakland Rocks Geology

Oakland’s summer camps give kids a fun, educational, outdoor experience in one of Atlanta’s oldest historic sites.

Summer Camp: Eco Explorers
Jul 7
Summer Camp: Eco Explorers

Oakland’s summer camps give kids a fun, educational, outdoor experience in one of Atlanta’s oldest historic sites.

Summer Camp: Garden to Table
Jul 14
Summer Camp: Garden to Table

Oakland’s summer camps give kids a fun, educational, outdoor experience in one of Atlanta’s oldest historic sites.

Summer Camp: Atlanta From Above
Jul 21
Summer Camp: Atlanta From Above

Oakland’s summer camps give kids a fun, educational, outdoor experience in one of Atlanta’s oldest historic sites.

About Oakland

Historic Oakland Cemetery is Atlanta’s oldest public park and the final resting place of many of the city’s most noted citizens. Less than a mile from downtown, its 48 acres are full of treasures – history and gardens, sculpture and architecture, ancient oaks and magnolias.

Support Oakland 

Latest News

Digging Deeper Blog
Get to Know Director of Education and Youth Programs Ted Ward
Get to Know Director of Education and Youth Programs Ted Ward

Meet Oakland’s Director of Education and Youth Programs and learn more about exciting 2025 Summer programs for kids!

Video: “More Than Just a Cemetery”
Video: “More Than Just a Cemetery”

Oakland is a cemetery, and so much more. With the opening of our Visitor Center and launch of our refreshed brand, we invite you to experience Oakland as a place for both remembrance and discovery.

illumine 2025 Featured in Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Rough Draft Atlanta, and ArtsATL
illumine 2025 Featured in Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Rough Draft Atlanta, and ArtsATL

Opening weekend of illumine 2025, presented in partnership with Cat Eye Creative, drew thousands of visitors to historic Oakland Cemetery—and it’s been lighting up the press ever since!

Historic Oakland Foundation Officially Opens New Visitor Center
Historic Oakland Foundation Officially Opens New Visitor Center

On April 3, 2025, Historic Oakland Foundation officially opened the new Visitor Center, located at 374 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr SE.

5 Reasons Oakland Cemetery is a Perfect Place for Kids and Families to Learn 
5 Reasons Oakland Cemetery is a Perfect Place for Kids and Families to Learn 

Oakland Cemetery is more than just a historic site—it’s also an outdoor classroom and learning lab filled with stories, nature, and opportunities for discovery. Learn more about educational programs available at this unique historic green space.

Spring Plant Sale Brings Rare Finds to Oakland this April – Trees, Perennials, Edibles & More!
Spring Plant Sale Brings Rare Finds to Oakland this April – Trees, Perennials, Edibles & More!

Learn more about the Spring Plant Sale from Oakland’s Gardens Team!

Remembrance and Renewal: Cemeteries and Art, Old and New
Remembrance and Renewal: Cemeteries and Art, Old and New

Burial grounds have long served as cultural and artistic gathering spaces. Oakland’s upcoming event illumine will modernize this tradition by illuminating the cemetery with art installations.

Meet the Artists of illumine 2025
Meet the Artists of illumine 2025

Announcing the artists of illumine 2025, in partnership with Cat Eye Creative: Vanna Black, Kevin Chambers, FRKO, Bojana Ginn, Angie Jerez, Navin June Norling, and VAYNE.

In the Final Stages of Completion, Oakland Visitor Center Prepares for Grand Opening
In the Final Stages of Completion, Oakland Visitor Center Prepares for Grand Opening

Historic Oakland Foundation is thrilled to share that the new Visitor Center across from the cemetery’s western gate is near completion and has “soft opened” to the public.