One last look inside Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth home ahead of years-long closure for repairs

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is officially closed to the public.

The National Parks Service says the inside of the home, located at 501 Auburn Avenue, is undergoing major rehabilitation.

Marty Smith with the parks service said the house has undergone repairs but nothing like this.

“When people walk through this house, they actually are walking back into time, walking back into 1930s. Everything is preserved.”

The historical home was purchased by King’s grandparents in 1909.

The National Parks Services acquired the property in 2018.

Smith said the timeless character of the two-story, Queen Anne-style home will go untouched.

He says the repairs are maintenance-focused.

“We’ve been in the works of trying to figure out how we were going to stabilize the structure and fixture the structure,” Smith said.

Some of the work includes electrical and plumbing upgrades, HVAC, fire suppression and cementing the foundation.

Historical pieces throughout the home will be housed off-site while the renovations take place.

The National Parks Service will host virtual tours during the closure.

King’s home is set to reopen to the community in November 2025.

Copyright 2023 WANF. All rights reserved.