Discover What’s New in Madison and Morgan County, GA

Just an hour from Atlanta, Madison seems a world away. It embodies the elegance of historic American design and the pace of a classic Southern novel. Yet, it has a vibrant cultural scene that might be unexpected for such a small town. First-time visitors to Madison will be charmed by the architecture, galleries, museums and thriving historic district. Returning visitors to Madison will find themselves charmed all over again and are sure to discover that small town Madison has seen some big changes since their last visit.

Keep reading to find out what’s new since 2024 and coming soon.

New Attractions

Georgia Safari Conservation Park

The Georgia Safari Conservation Park is now open in Madison, Georgia. This interactive and conservation-minded destination wildlife experience offers guided safari drives, up-close animal encounters, and luxury overnight accommodations. This experience is perfect for families and multi-generational travelers who are looking for a novel educational experience.

Andrews Family Legacy

The Andrews Family Legacy exhibit is now part of the permanent collection at the Madison-Mogan Cultural Center. Located in a stunning 1895 Romanesque Revival building, the Andrews Family Legacy exhibit chronicles the life and work of “Dot Man” George Andrews, his wife Viola, and his sons Benny and Raymond, a noted artist and writer respectively. This collection illustrates what it was to grow up Black in the rural, segregated South.

“Touch Grass” at the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art

Ride out to the ‘real’ Buckhead – just 15 minutes from downtown Madison – to take an exploration into the life’s work of a brilliant Abstract Expressionist whose single artist museum sits atop a hill in the middle of acres of cow pasture. The Steffen Thomas Museum of Art celebrates this prolific artist whose skills cover an array of artistic disciplines. A deep believer in the “brotherhood of man,” Steffen’s work displays passionate insights on the events of his lifetime including two world wars, the civil rights movement and space race. With a permanent collection of over 800 pieces and access to thousands more of his diverse works, it is always a fresh new experience when you visit.

From January to June of 2025, experience the “Touch Grass” exhibit at the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art. This exhibit features the work of Steffen Thomas, painter Raven Waters, and potter Senora Lynch of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe. This collaborative exhibit with the Georgia Writers Museum will explore how artists connect with the natural world through their work.

Georgia's Trail of Legacy & Lore

Launched in 2024, Georgia’s Trail of Legacy and Lore takes visitors on a 90-mile journey through seven historic communities in the heart of Georgia to explore the best of the South’s cultural arts, heritage and architecture. This trail allows you to step back in time and discover legendary stories spanning from the earliest indigenous communities to the iconic music scenes of the 1970s and ’80s. Each community offers a unique window into the people, events, and narratives that have shaped the region’s identity.

When exploring Madison, discover decades of work and community dedication in preserving one of Georgia’s largest historic districts. This small town’s streets are lined with architectural gems, and visitors can learn more about the town’s heritage with a visit to one of four historic house museums, discover the community’s Black cultural legacy at the Morgan County African-American Museum or immerse themselves in a vibrant arts scene at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center and galleries like the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art.

History Sidebars in Downtown Madison

Each year since 2021, the City of Madison’s Historic Preservation Commission has installed “History Sidebars” to the sidewalks in downtown Madison. These plaques help provide visitors with historical context about the area. They answer the questions often asked by residents and visitors alike. “How old is this building?” “Who built it?” “What kinds of businesses have been here in the past?” They’re often installed in May during Historic Preservation Month. In 2025, there will be five new sidebars planned by the commission, in addition to five bonus sidebars funded by a generous donor.

You can find 2024’s History Sidebars at the following locations:

183 S. Main (Laughing Moon)
179 S. Main (Fairway Mortgage)
150 W. Jefferson (Madison Studios)
158 W. Jefferson (In High Cotton)

In 2025, new sidebars will be added here:

184 S. Main (Fleas An’Tiques)
172 S. Main (Amelia’s)
165 S. Main (Pennington/Creative Mark)
159 S. Main (Clover Craft)
155 S. Main (Merrit Law)
137 S. Main (T.J. Bishops)
129 S. Main (Patisserie)
127 S. Main (Zeb Grant Home)
115 S. Main (BB&G)
107 S. Main (Zeb Grant Floral/Franklin Financial)

New Businesses

Clover Craft Studio

Opening its doors in 2024, Clover Craft Studio brings a fun new addition to the downtown historic district. This arts and crafts studio offers hands-on creative workshops for all ages. During their business hours, drop-in to participate in the open studio where you can paint on canvas or wood, make candles, or create mosaics. They also offer an under-5 play area, a craft lab for children under 4, and drop-in crafts. Clover Craft Studio also hosts birthday parties, workshops, and even arts and crafts classes for adults. For families traveling through Madison, this is the perfect opportunity to allow the children to unleash their energy and creativity.

The Central Hub

In 2024, The Central Hub opened in downtown Madison, just across from Madison Town Park. This new business offers Pack and Ship services as well as in-house and mobile notary services, wedding officiant services, gift wrapping, virtual mail and document printing services, meeting room space rental, free Wi-Fi, and free fresh brewed coffee daily. The shop also carries a variety of products including The Central Hub Coffee, Lifeboost Coffee, local honey, Madison swag, stationary, envelopes, boxes, bubble wrap and greeting cards.

Brookshire BBQ

In December 2024, Brookshire BBQ opened its doors at 270 West Washington Street in the train caboose in historic downtown Madison. This new business is serving up Southern comfort staples like mac and cheese, collard greens, and baked beans alongside authentic Southern barbecue.

New Events

Rutledge Community Depot

The Rutledge Community Depot is a community center located in the old railroad depot building in the heart of downtown Rutledge. The depot houses a community library and hosts a variety of arts and crafts, yoga and meditation classes. This community hub embodies the “Small but Special” spirit of Rutledge, offering visitors a perfect chance to connect with locals. Be sure to check their calendar of events to experience it for yourself.

Open Mic Night at the Hall on Foster

Located behind the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, you’ll find The Hall on Foster. This event venue now hosts an Open Mic Night on the first Monday of each month from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Performers attend the event for free, and spectators pay a small cover charge. Open Mic Night at The Hall welcomes singer/songwriters, musicians, poets, storytellers, comedians and more to the stage.

Main Street’s Fifth Fridays

In months that contain a Fifth Friday, Main Street Madison hosts a late-night shopping event. Participating retailers stay open until 7PM to give visitors more time to shop. Each month has a theme and special related prizes or events. Check out Main Street Madison’s calendar of events for more information.

Movie Nights at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center

The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center has introduced movie nights to the community. The first movie night was hosted in October 2024 on the Front Lawn with a showing of Hocus Pocus and concessions included soda, water, popcorn and cotton candy. These movie nights will continue with dates to be announced throughout the year. Events are free for members of the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center and for children. Adults pay a small fee to attend.

New Lodging

Coming Soon: Fairfield Inn

In mid to late-2025, a new Fairfield Inn will be opening in Madison. This will be Madison’s first Marriott hotel and will include 84 rooms and a meeting space. It will provide visitors to Madison with another accommodation option in addition to our area inns, bed and breakfasts, and existing hotels.

New South Motor Inn

In 2024, New South Motor Inn, a former 1960s-era “motor court” style motel, opened its doors for a fun new place to stay for visitors. Just minutes from Madison’s historic downtown, this completely transformed vintage mid-century modern motor lodge offers 15 reimagined rooms representing a throwback to the roadside lodging style popularized in the 1960s. Room configurations include Classic Queen, Classic King, Deluxe King with Daybed, Double Full Bed Jr. Suite, and The Owner’s Suite.

New Places to Recharge

Electric Car Charging Stations

In 2024, five new electric vehicle charging stations were added to Madison’s historic downtown, making it more convenient than ever for EV travelers to recharge. These curbside stations are located behind the United States Postal Service on Hancock Street, just steps from the Welcome Center, shops, restaurants and more. As part of the EnviroSpark network, the charging stations feature Level 2/J1772 electric vehicle charging.

Madison Greenway Trails

Cars aren’t the only thing that might need recharged. Escape to peaceful, small-town Madison, and discover the new Madison Greenway Trails downtown. In 2024, the greenspace expanded to add the Preservation Path, Gateway Path, and Collegiate Path. Each of these paths extend from the Welcome Center and are accessible paths that cover 2.5 miles. Free maps with more detailed information are available inside the Welcome Center.

And Madison’s trail network is continuing to grow with exciting plans for future phases! The City of Madison plans to begin the Greenway trail at the Central of Georgia Depot and connect it to Round Bowl Springs Trail, Cemetery Loop, and Pritchard Loop.

Ready to make your escape?