Booth Western Art Museum

Not only were the exhibits wonderful, the staff here were nothing but kind and helpful. We came for a day trip with our elderly relatives and they made sure everyone was comfortable and that we had good recommendations for places to eat after our trip through the museum. The entire trip was great and I cannot recommend the museum enough.

This is an incredibly beautiful and interesting museum. I visited it with a group of retirees and they were thoroughly satisfied with the trip. The staff is very polite and welcoming. Inside, you'll find a buffet and a souvenir shop with very reasonable prices.

While it was a quick visit, under an hour, we hardly had time to see it all, however the exhibits we were able to explore are top tier. Brilliantly arranged and curated, the pieces were in the RIGHT places so that they were enhanced by their placement. They have a very friendly staff, extremely clean, a packed gift shop, theaters with shows running all day. Will revisit and revisit and revisit. 10x10 recommend

Happened upon the museum by chance while traveling through Georgia. It was wonderful! It has many paintings and sculptures of the American West you have probably seen in books, but not in person. The docent in the split exhibit of Allan Hauser and Harry Jackson was especially informative. She gave a great background history of the artwork. Beautiful art, and the collection of letters from every U.S. president was impressive

Magnificent art collection just miles down the road from the town of my birth. We had a two hour docent tour that was lovely, entertaining and taught us many new things. Gail Smith was fabulous! What a wonderful collection of all things western art, from sculptures to paintings to paper and more. The outdoor sculpture garden is also well worth a stroll. There is a bistro inside if you need a rest stop for food and drink. This is a world class art facility in the small town of Cartersville GA and is not to be missed if you’re in this area.

This is one of my all time favorite museums. Definitely a place everyone should check out, whether they think they like western art or not. The president’s room alone is worth the visit. We also visited during a family night event, and they had lots of fun things available to families!

Everything about this museum is beautiful! The art is spectacular and the statues are mesmerizing. Some pieces did stir up emotions. It was still a good experience.

We really enjoyed this beautiful museum. This museum is very clean, spacious, and offers something for almost everyone to enjoy. We loved seeing many unique pieces of artwork and learning some of the history. One of our favorite rooms was the presidential room. It is absolutely amazing how talented this artist is. If you have children, there is a kids' play area on the lower level. It was very interactive, clean, and fun for even myself as an adult. We did not eat there, but there was a nice-looking coffee/snack shop available. You are NOT allowed to bring in food or drinks to include bottled water.

This museum is a hidden gem. My lovely bride and I have visited several times, and we're always impressed with their collection and special exhibits - one on Andy Warhol's art works with a western theme, another on Georgia O'Keeffe's life in Abiquiu and the Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. We like the Booth's collection of modern art. The museum staff is pleasant and very knowledgeable. Highly highly recommended!

This Smithsonian-affiliated museum is another of Cartersville's surprising museum gems. I had been a dozen or so years back & appreciated it even more this time - even with a 6-yr old grandson along. Haha. Speaking of that, this is a legit art museum so rambunctious kids should be kept close. Also, I comment the staff for creating Sagebrush Ranch in the basement area - a museum play place for kids (with their parents). Grandson loved running back & forth in there to get on & off the life size horse, pretend to ride the stagecoach & do some simple interactive activities. I'd encourage them to continue expanding this area). Otherwise, you have several levels of fabulous Western art & sculptures, Native American sections & the Hall Of Presidents & their memorabilia. Check it out & then eat in one of the very good nearby restaurants.

This museum is amazing. The artwork is outstanding. So many pictures, paintings, statues, displays. You really have to spend most of the day here because there's so many rooms, and outside statues. I love this place. The Kenny Rodgers photo display is cool. A great asset to Cartersville!

The amount of sculptures is just astounding. I am in awe about this museum. Beautiful art and sculptures. I also loved the descriptions that came with the paintings. Very mindful. Definitely will go back to see more exhibits.

We had not visited this museum for several years. It is a not-insignificant drive for us, so we needed some extra motivation. They had advertised 2 - 3 small temporary exhibits, at least one of which was closing soon. We had time during the holidays so we made a day-trip up to Cartersville. The museum is located within a block of the small downtown area of the city. However, Cartersville has a lot of development starting a few blocks away also, so if you are looking for places to eat, etc. you can find something local. Parking is in a private lot just up/over a hill from the museum. They also noted that there was handicap-accessible parking in a different lot across a small street. There is a sculpture garden surrounding the museum, but it is divided into 2 parts which you need to access separately on opposite sides. The rear side also has direct access to some downtown shops, in case you want to wander down a block or two and check those out. We didn't have time and many appeared closed due to it being a Sunday or a holiday week. The exhibits are spread over 2 floors. The ground floor houses the 'permanent' collection. My impression was that some of these works are truly permanent, while some smaller % may rotate in or out. There are 4 - 5 rooms of paintings and sculptures in mostly traditional styles. Upstairs there is at least one more room similar to what was on the ground floor. There is also a 'gallery of the presidents where they feature individual exhibits and facts (and in many cases a hand-written letter) for each U.S. president. I think there is an adjacent room with a set of murals depicting all of them as well. Also on this floor is the space for various temporary exhibits. The final area is reserved for more modernist interpretations of 'western' art. We had toured it before but I didn't find it quite as interesting as the other exhibits. Since we were interested in checking out a 2nd museum, we skipped that wing this time. They also have an orientation film (which we may have seen before but skipped this time) and regular guided tours (which looked interesting but which didn't fit our schedule for this visit. This museum succeeds in presenting many facets of western art. It is definitely worth checking out.

What a lovely first class museum. Very well organized for our current situation with timed mobile tickets available on line. Diverse, unique, and beautifully curated. Smithsonian has a hand in this treasure. Even if Western Art isn't usually your thing- this collection is diverse, and well themed, and explained. Much American history in this collection. Well located near both walkable shops and restaurants.

I love it. My kids love it. It's a beautifully curated museum. The cafe is good too. Makes for a very fun day.

Spectacular museum. The Booth museum highlights loads of beautiful art featuring Western subjects; it's really quite overwhelming. They have paintings and sculptures both (including some gorgeous sizable sculptures both inside and outside. The variety of subjects is stunning: they have the cowboys that you've expect, but they also feature the Civil War and lots of focus on Native Americans and Westerners of color, both black and Hispanic. I learned a lot by looking at their exhibits specifically focused on the diverse backgrounds of people in the West. Another fantastic element of their collection is that they have a written document from every president in the history of the United States. Amazing and really awe-inspiring! They have numerous docents around the museum, all of whom were very helpful. Everything about this place is well-done; the restrooms and facilities were clean; the gift shop has some good stuff (not just trinkets); the people were friendly; the cafe had good food; there are lots of benches scattered around; it's a great facility. They even have a coat room with no charge. Parking is easy to access, and the museum is in easy walking-distance of numerous local eateries. I quite recommend it; depending on your stamina, you could easily spend a half-day there and not take in everything. A real treasure. Also: their guest services and group services staff are excellent. They were very communicative with us, were flexible, and even refunded us some money (without us asking) when some of our group didn't make the trip. Great place with great people.

This is by far the best exposition of western art that I have ever seen. It is worth the drive

Outstanding Western museum. Great collection of paintings and bronze in a beautiful building. A must visit.

One of my favorite museums to visit. It is made up of several galleries, and exhibits. Admission was $12 in 2017 but they do have discounts. There is a pamphlet that has some rules like please don't touch, no food or drink, please stand back, no weapons and a photography policy. The Orientation Theatre is a 15 minute film about the American West and runs every 20 minutes. This theatre sits 60 people. My favorite gallery is the Presidential Gallery. It's probably every body's favorite too. It has a picture and display of every President we have had along with a one page signed letter. There is a Civil War Gallery in here too that has some of the best Civil War art works I have seen. These are numerous oil paintings of different scenes of the Civil War. Some are amazing and unbelievable oil paintings. There is also a Cowboy Gallery, an Indian Gallery, Western Movie Gallery. Each show casing it's on oil paintings of Cowboys and Indians. There is also a cafe in here where you can get something to eat. However, they are only open Tuesday through Saturday at the present. They also have special events here. I was lucky to be here during the Cowboy Festival and Cowboy Church. They had plays during the Cowboy Festival inside at theatres similar to a movie theatre with comfortable seats. I saw one reenactment of the shootout at the OK Corral. It was interesting yet entertaining to watch the actors. They had guns going off, arguments, fights and of course the gun fight. In summary, I would visit again. I spent several hours here and didn't have time to see everything. I I would recommend getting here early and see the 1st floor first. Then, take a break and eat at the cafe that is here. Finally, go up stairs to even more spectacular art galleries to see.

World class art in rural Georgia. Named America's top museum two years running by USA Today

Fascinating art collection, you can't get through it all in one day... A great place to visit, and it's hard to believe that Cartersville has such a wonderful museum! Definitely a place everyone should visit!

This museum has something for everyone...even if you are not a "Western Art" enthusiast! There is so much for children of all ages to enjoy!

Fantastic place to come experience Western art forms at its FINEST. Great staff and hours. Located within walking distance of shops and local Mom and Pop restaurants and eateries. Great shopping of all kinds

This might be the first non-restaurant I've reviewed, but it's worth it. A few years ago on San Antonio my family and I went to the Briscoe Western Art Museum and enjoyed our visit, so I was curious to see if this place was just as good and I'm happy to say that it is. It's a spacious museum with photography, digital art, canvas paintings and sculptures. My favorite part of the museum had nothing to do with Cowboys or Indians though. There is a gallery focused on presidents with a letter from each of them in their handwriting (or typed). It was good to read through some of them as they responded to people or just welcomed visitors to the museum. Although this place is about 40 to 60 minutes away from Atlanta, it's a good place to visit.

A must-see in Downtown Cartersville! Don't let the western art turn you off...the facility itself is amazing!

This museum looks pretty unassuming from the outside. Well taken care of and some wonderful sculptures then you go inside. The entire staff were helpful, let you be or offered some knowledge depending on what you were doing it seemed. The galleries were fantastic, art & history and some of the best collections to reflect on the struggles of that period

This review is in reference to a field trip for my 3rd grader. When I say it was the WORST "field trip" I've ever attended, I mean it! AWFUL! I never got to spend time with my child, take pictures, or anything like that. Our "tour guide" wouldn't let the children speak, they had to walk "in a straight line" the entire time, we never got to look at anything inside the different art rooms, we only went to different stations in the hallways, sat for 20 minutes at each station, & listened to our guide read a book. The art itself is beautiful, but they should not offer this institute as a "children's field trip" facility, because they do not allow them to act like children. I was miserable, I could only image how the children felt.

Went with my kids. We didn't do a guided tour, so it was free. We had a great time, and had a chance to check out a lot of neat little things. Our visit ended up being a few hours.

This is an impressive western museum. It is affiliated with the Smithsonian Museum. It has an excellent play area for small kids. Prices are reasonable. Parking was free. Probably spend 1 to 3 hrs there. It also has an excellent civil war room.

Well worth a visit. The museum is first rate and the collection is extensive and well curated. This museum is an unexpected gem and easily one of the top art.museums in the Southeast.

Best art museum in GA. Hands down! Booth houses mostly private art collections on loan focused on western and Native American culture. It also has a gallery on American presidents (photos, letters, signatures, paintings, sculptures). It's located in Cartersville b/c the patrons' and their mentor decided to house their private collection in a single building. Here's the DL. + HUGE collection of western paintings and sculptures + Many paintings of buffalo solders and Asian rail workers contributions to the growth of the West + Traditional artists (Remington, Russell) to current (Falter, Griffing) + Well arranged Native (North) American art (paintings, photos, textiles, pottery... and culture (IMO better than NM of American Indian at The Mall) + Modern western paintings and sculptures (Hollywood, Warhol, other pop artists) + Presidents gallery - unexpected... photos, letters, signatures and some bronze busts (Lincoln) of all presidents by order + Special Exhibit on Edward Curtis "By her hand" - largest collection of Curtis I've seen focused on women. This is on loan from local and nearby collectors - public will unlikely see most of these again. Curtis is largely unknown outside of Pacific NW and he photographed / documented Native Americans for 20+years in the early 1900s. = outdoor sculpture garden = Basement gallery exhibits local photographers' works on display = café - gift shop is mostly kid friendly stuff and was disappointed not to spend money + Modern spacious building with good lighting + Docent led tours were free and often - I didn't participate but spoke with a docent who was very knowledgeable and was happy to share his thoughts. The entrance fee is $10 and is well worth it. I didn't find parking lot for the museum and parked across the street at the church for free. The welcome desk staff was friendly. It took me about 2.5 hours and was not crowded. Mostly adult guests but they all seem to talk throughout the gallery...so I had my earbuds on. The location is geographically challenging and took 45 minutes from Atlanta each way on I-75 with all the construction but I got to discover the museum and historic Cartersville :-) Fabulous art and historic discovery!

This museum is stunning! I could spend hours and hours wandering around. In the basement area they have a great kids spot. My 6 and 8 year old love it.

Great museum for western art, history and presidential history. Great way to spend the afternoon. This is heavy painting and sculpture and may not appeal to smaller children.

Loved this museum since they had the Ansel Adams exhibit a few years ago... Not sure about the volunteers here. Last I was at the museum was August 2018. 90 degrees out that afternoon and I always have my water bottle (in a shoulder bag) with me. Got tickets and walked the entire first floor seeing all the art pieces, past multiple museum workers without any problems with my bottle. Then when we got to the second floor, while enjoying the art, a volunteer came up next to me and said "we don't allow water bottle in the museum". Not until I said "okay... Should I bring it back to my car?!", then he said "you can put it at the front desk." Really not that big a deal, but if you were to tell me water was not allowed, may be followed it up with a solution before needing me to ask. It's less rude and less offensive.

Very surprised by how stunning this whole museum is. Every exhibit left me in awe. I can say that this is the best museum I've ever been to.

"Explore the West without Leaving the South." When a friend first suggested a trip to the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, I scoffed. SURELY YOU JEST? I am from the REAL AMERICAN SOUTHWEST - cowboys & Indians, cactus & diamondbacks, mesas & O'Keeffe, mountains & green chile . . . . what in heavens name would make you think I would enjoy a visit to a two-bit-beside-the-road-tin-horn-pretend western museum? But, she insisted. Even plied me with a promise to visit a Mound Site. So, reluctantly, very reluctantly, I agreed. But, in the back of my mind all I could think of is that NW Georgia is nowhere near anything remotely western. But, it was a Saturday and I love to do weekend trips and explore the areas close to where I live. (Most people don't do that you realize? They live all their lives in one place and don't even know what is just next door.) Well, anyway, I was plied with an archeological promise and a promise of an outstanding lunch and a Saturday adventure. So off we headed. The morning was spent climbing the Mound, listening to the ancient drums & almost catching a glimpse of ghosts of young early Americans pulling fish from the fishtraps. After lunch we headed for the museum. I was hoping that I could at least be polite and not show my disappointment when I saw local "wannabe" western artists work. Well . . . . DID I HAVE TO EAT BOTH MY THOUGHTS AND WORDS!!!!!! Booth Western Art Museum is in Association with the Smithsonian Institution. Not a fly-by-night partner to have. They have some of the most outstanding contemporary western art in the country; plus, exhibit halls that include western movie posters, western illustration, Presidential Portraits & letters, Civil War art & special exhibits. There is an interactive exhibit space for children. All in all there is over 80,000 square feet of outstanding exhibits. The building itself is worth a visit. They have lectures, tours, activities, gatherings. A calendar of all upcoming events is available online. YEP! EAT MY WORDS!!!! I was totally blown away by the quality, quantity and western beauty of this place. In Cartersville, Georgia of all places. You could plop this place down in Santa Fe or Albuquerque or Phoenix and you would be none the wiser . . . . until you stepped out the door into the muggy heat. Oh, the only thing I would say is don't expect to stop in a local restaurant and get a green chile cheeseburger for lunch.You will be disappointed if you do. You're much more likely to be served fried chicken, okra & hushpuppies, with sweet tea to drink. RECOMMENDATION: Never, ever, go to Atlanta, or anywhere in Georgia, without planning a visit to this fantastic museum. A true hidden gem.

This is an unknown gem of a museum, on an unlikely location. We'd heard about it when it opened, but had never been--in fact, I don't think we'd ever visited Cartersville! This northwestern GA city has a destination they can be proud of. The Booth specializes in western art, and it's truly a world class facility, with an impressive collection of statues, paintings and other fine art. We spent a half day there, and reluctantly headed home without having seen the entire collection. If you're in the area and love art, GO. If you're a fan of western art but don't live in the area, PLAN A TRIP. You won't be disappointed.

I would be hard pressed to think of how the Booth could improve; it's a fabulous local resource with hundreds -- maybe thousands -- of paintings, sculptures and artifacts depicting virtually every aspect of western life. We went yesterday to see the Saturday Evening Post exhibit, which was so well done, I walked through it twice. The original painting was presented next to the magazine cover. I, like many of us, thought Norman Rockwell was the magazine's premier cover artist ... but there were so many more: Hughes, Falter, Clymer -- excellent artists I never before heard of! We pick up a different nugget of information from the Hall of Presidents, every time we go. (Did you know that President Garfield was able to write Greek with one hand, while writing Latin in the other? I'm talking simultaneously!!!) The building's architecture is beautiful, the staff is friendly and helpful -- and admission is only $10 for adults. (Less for students and seniors.) If you haven't yet visited the Booth, what are you waiting for??? Go!

Fellow Yelper Beth E. organized a field trip to the Booth Museum to see the Ansel Adams exhibit. My expectations were exceeded upon entering the Museum. It is much larger than I envisioned. The Ansel Adams exhibit was fantastic. Over 130 photographs were on display. I also spent time in the Presidential Gallery which was tastefully done and interesting. I hope to go back and spend time viewing the Civil War art and Western art. It was definitely worth the drive and is a good day trip with boutiques and restaurants to visit after being cultured.

This exceptional jewel in small town Cartersville is amazing. Had been seeing a Ansel Adams bill board and went to check out a traveling exhibit. Oh my, amazing architecture and huge museum with collection of prints, paintings and sculpture. Looking forward to bringing my Dad who lived out west to see this museum!

This is such a cool museum! Completely underrated! All the history and the art work, even for the "non artsy type" still a fun stop! I loved all the presidential letters and fun acts about them! Completely engaging and enjoyable for the family. It's a bit far out but well worth the drive!

We thought we might spend ~1 hour browsing through the Booth on the way home to Nashville from a weekend trip to Atlanta. Instead, I think we stayed more than 3 hours and they practically had to throw us out at closing time. This would be a phenomenal art collection in any big city. The fact that this world-class museum exists in a small town like Cartersville, Georgia is mind-blowing. I asked around, but folks in Atlanta didn't seem to know anything about this place. They don't know what they're missing. Incredible artistry beautifully presented inside a lovely modern building. The museum mostly focuses on art - sculpture, paintings, prints, movie posters, etc. - but there are also some Western artifacts and a collection of letters from every U.S. President. We also caught up with a guided docent tour (included in the admission price) that was informative and a lot of fun. The docent clearly had a lot of enthusiasm and passion for the art, which really came through in the tour. The Booth also gets some great temporary exhibits. There's an exhibit of animal art on display until September 7, 2014 (http://boothmuseum.org/exhibitions/temporary-exhibitions/). If I lived within 100 miles, I'd definitely become a member. If you're visiting Atlanta or just driving by on I-75, I'd strongly encourage you to make a little detour and stop by. Just make sure to leave at least a couple of hours, because you probably won't want to leave. PS - I think the museum has a cafe (http://boothmuseum.org/visit/#cafe), but we ate at Swheat Market (http://www.yelp.com/biz/swheat-market-cartersville?hrid=zLpbaFUNC6nlmtaYEZMvUQ), which is a lovely local sandwich shop about a 2-minute drive from the Booth. Highly recommended!

Like the other reviews, I thought my grandparents were bonkers asking me to go to this museum with them. Westerns? Me? All I know about Clint Eastwood is what I learned from watching the Bird Cage, and trust me, that ain't much. I piled in the car anyway and what a shocker; the museum is fabulous! Lots of art which is, obviously, western themed but it's very well done. Artists from long ago to modern day hang on the walls, and there's a fun kiddie exhibit that I let my inner child explore as well. I had such a great time here looking at all the art, playing around, and exploring the gift shop that I never realized hours had gone by. The building and grounds are also great, with gorgeous bronze statues dotting the walkways with scattered benches to sit and enjoy a sunny day on. What a great place, and well worth a trip to the boonies of Cartersville for!

What a delight to have a delicious lunch in a splendid building with exemplary Western art. Amy suggested the chicken salad, which we both had, mine in a wrap, hers in a croissant, at the museum's lovely cafe.

WHERE DID YOU COME FROM? This place is absolutely the best kept secret in Cartersville, because it took us this long to realize that it is actually here. This museum is tucked away in the historic section of downtown Cartersville past the historic depot. When we arrived, we were easily transported to the Smithsonian because this is truly a first class museum. Don't let the location and price of admission fool you! Admission is only ten dollars for adults and it is money well spent. If you really like to take your time to see and read everything, allow four hours total to be included in two hour increments. I say browse for two hours, eat lunch in the cafe and then browse some more. It can be exhausting but there are several benches throughout so that you may sit and take a break. I loved looking at the beautiful sculptures that are first seen in the courtyard outside of the museum. They depict cowboy and Native American culture. They are very detailed and often capture their subject in motion, (in various positions), and brings them to life. The sculptures continue inside where you will see additional sculptures made of paper. One such sculpture was completed by a husband and wife team over eight months. Be prepared to be blown away! Again, the detail, artistry and talent is just mind-blowing! You must examine these sculptures from every single angle so that you can really appreciate the phenomenal talent that goes into each and every piece. Additional displays include artifacts such as traditional and ceremonial dress, jewelry, boots, saddles and other articles that are unique to Native American and Western culture. Before viewing the Ansel Adams exhibit, you will want to view the film about his life and influences. It only takes about 20 minutes but it is great to see him on film along with the renowned artist Georgia O'Keefe. The exhibit not only show cases Adams' work but it also show cases the photography of other renowned artist such as Imogen Cunningham and others who have been influenced by his work. Looking at the creativity that is reflected in his work, clearly indicates why Ansel Adams is still relevant today. The Presidential gallery is another exhibit that I enjoyed. Along with each photo of the president, there are key facts along with a sample (in the form of a letter), of the President's handwriting. There is also a typed copy of the handwritten letter so that you are able to understand what is being written. Some of the facts were really eye-opening for example President James Madison was only five feet and four inches tall while President Andrew Jackson is the only former prisoner of war to become president. The mural located outside of the gallery gives a great opportunity to name as many of the former (20th century), presidents as you can before you have to look at the key. As I walked through the gallery looking at drawings, I found myself repeatedly looking at the work and reading the bio of the artist because I am looking at paintings that look like photography and I am reading that the artist, (C.L. Ballantyne), is self-taught. WHAT?? Ridiculous! This woman is the Picasso of colored pencil drawings. Her work is truly "off the charts". The Civil War Exhibit (War is Hell), consists of a series of paintings that highlight key aspects of the war such as major battles, Sherman's "March to the sea" following the destruction of Atlanta and Robert E. Lee (with his troops), following the surrender. We must talk about The Café which is a little café on the main level that is open for lunch and serves as a great way to break up your visit. The food is super affordable, and consists of very large servings. My husband's burger was so big in circumference that he had to eat it with utensils. My chicken quesadilla was so big that I thought that she had accidentally given me a double order, but she hadn't. This thing would definitely feed two people. We had a shared order of fries and I had orange juice. The food was good and very filling. It was after 8:00 pm before I even thought about eating my next meal! Whoo! Finally, don't forget to stop by the gift shop on your way out. They have everything from books to jewelry to the traditional t-shirt.

Never mind that you find yourself in Cartersville, Georgia to view the largest collection of western art on exhibit in the United States. Hands down the Booth is one of the best museums in metro Atlanta. Highly recommend.

History near here science note here anybody who loves anything to do with history or science absolutely awesome about it

LOVE this museum, stunning Western artwork everywhere, a feast for the eyes! Gorgeous oils and sculptures that tell a story through the ages...spent about 3 hours here and can't wait to return! 5 stars!!!

I'm not the kind of guy to be into History. I don't know why the school made us when we all didn't care.

I thought I had seen enough cowboy paintings and Remington statues in offices, but the Booth Museum was a refreshing and exciting introduction to every kind of Western art -- and multiple side exhibits that would have been the featured exhibits in most metropolitan museums. Marlowe, our guide, brought the paintings, statues and western relics to life. What a pleasure to be treated to someone who clearly loves the art and can convey his appreciation to a group. See the Booth Museum and all the cultural activity in Cartersville makes me want to move there.

The Booth Western Art Museum is, in my humble opinion, a First Class Museum with an excellent and large section of works from numerous artist in the Western Art genre. Frankly, I didn't know I loved "western art" so much but, with the well constructed exhibits the Booth Museum provides, you can immerse yourself in this genre all day long. So many of the works are exquisite examples of our American story; created by some of the most well known artist in America. One section you really should see is the Presidential Gallery. Handwritten letters by the presidents; other articles of interest too - it was extremely interesting to me to read, see and take in the, sometimes personal, world of each and every president of the US. The Booth Museum is located in Cartersville, GA - about 45+ minutes NW of Atlanta and, throughout the year, has special events and programs. Best to check their website for details. My friend and I visited on a Saturday early afternoon. The Museum is situated on a less traveled street and the parking lot we used was right across the street from the main entrance. No lines, no wait; we walked right in and paid a small fee and enjoyed ourselves. I HIGHLY recommend a visit.

Neat! lol, too short and simple? I'll elaborate then. some friends were visiting and they wanted things to do.. so a quick google search of west ATL turned up this gem of a place. I'd never been to Cartersville, so after talking it over my friends and I took the short trip up there down the part of cobb pkwy that's actually quite scenic, into downtown Cartersville. The ride getting there was refreshing, a stark contrast from the rather run down parts of cobb pkwy near Marietta, and the upscale areas in Acworth, this was natural and filled with mountainous views... the ride alone made it worth the trip. When we arrived were were surprised by a few things.. Cartersville is a quaint little town, it's clean and doesn't appear run down at all compared to oh say Douglasville or Villa Rica that look like a junkyard for old buildings.. We were also surprised by what appeared to be a massive overpass not even 2 feet from the front of some businesses as we approached the museum. How odd that is! Finally, we were surprise to find a western art museum with such modern architecture! The building is stone white and rigid and entirely modern. Inside you are met with marble and chrome with glass railings and elevators.. it's very clean and artistic, but seemed a bit out of place for a western art museum? A few tickets and we were on our way. I was impressed with all of the works here, from the paper sculpture to the bronze and stone, down to the oil based paintings. I spent a good bit of time in the war is hell exhibit, being a bit of a history nerd, this was the place for me. Some wonderful works in here that really show what it must have been like for these young men to trapse across the eastern side of our country, their boots filled with holes and their pants torn, patched the pieces of cloth seeming to come from the trousers of their opponents. The number of characters alone in a painting is a daunting task for someone who has only recently taken up art like myself, so it was truly an honor to stand among the works that not only captured 30+ individuals, but did so without replicating a single person's face or facial expression.. and doing it in oil paints no less on canvas.. why.. I can barely take a pencil and a sticky note and produce a recognizable human face.. We continued on, finally ending our tour at the presidential area where original letters (and their interpretations thank you!!) lay along with pictures and fun facts about each president. It was truly amazing to see George Washington's hand writing on a piece of paper here. The grounds were beautiful and all in all, this was a wonderful sunday afternoon for us. I recommend you go!

I must be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this museum the first time we went. I was drawn in by the Ansel Adams exhibit a few years ago. I expected that to be the highlight of the trip, but we really enjoyed the rest of the museum much more! It was a treat to find such neat artifacts and art in such an unexpected location (a small town in Northern Georgia). My husband and I spent the entire day there and really enjoyed our trip. We just returned yesterday for a National Geographic photography exhibit on life in the Western US. This time, we skipped the rest of the museum since we'd seen it previously. There was a very cool cowboy cooking exhibit going on as part of "Cowboy Days" (?) or some special cowboy event. The cooking demonstration featured about 6-8 chuck wagon teams cooking over a campfire, mainly in cast iron skillets, dutch ovens and kettles. The food looked delicious and it was so cool to see the chuck wagons and the campfire cooking configurations!

Several well written reviews of the Booth. I will not repeat but I would add that there are some huge paintings that you need to to allow time to appreciate like stampede and burial. No one pointed out that the Cafe is really good and reasonably priced. Also, allow time to find all the treasures you might miss because you are in a hurry!

I have to agree with others that the museum building looked brand new and the western art collection was immense and amazing. This art museum is something that you would expect to find in Atlanta, not Cartersville. This is a perfect place to tour on a weekend, and they have ample free parking space. The basement also has a lot of exhibits geared towards children. For those traveling on 75, this museum is worth the detour. After touring the museum, you can walk the main square and get a bite to eat.

Cartersville, GA. I WILL BE BACK. I miss Santa Fe and Taos very much. I am a huge fan of The West. The vast open spaces and huge vistas. The contrast of muted earth ones set against an intense blue sky. I miss Canyon Road. I miss Maria's Restaurant. I miss Geronimo, Ten Thousand Waves, Taos Ski Valley, and all the places I love. Being here for a couple hours reminded just how much. While not a fan of cowboy art or Indian paintings, the landscapes just slay me. It was like being back in the places I love most. I liked the big spacious rooms, the modern facility, the well lit paintings... It is a good museum and a great experience. If you're a fan of The West, this is a really unique and very unexpected cultural experience.

I've become a big fan of the Booth Museum. It's not that I'm a huge fan of western art, although the Booth has expanded my horizons in that regard. But I'm thrilled with their commitment to showing large and small photography exhibits and seeing photograpy incorporated into temporary exhibits. It was an Ansel Adams photography exhibit that first drew me to the Booth three years ago and it's photography that keeps me coming back. Along the way, I discovered the Booth Photography Guild's annual fall exhibit and make a special trip to check it out. I desperately want to purchase something from these talented amateurs. Take a chance on the Booth. You won't necessarily like everything you see, but you'll find something you like that will make a visit worthwhile.