ATLANTA — The National Center for Civil and Human Rights reopened Saturday after nearly a year of renovations and a nearly $58 million expansion.

President and CEO Jill Savitt said the center has added two new wings, including a Civil Rights gallery and another devoted to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The expansion is $57.9 million, officials said.

“What makes America truly a great country are the stories that highlight moments in history when people came together with extraordinary courage to expand human freedom,” Savitt said.

Visitors can take free guided tours with admission. New features include the Action Lab, where guests can explore what kind of changemaker they are and create plans to improve their communities, and a temporary exhibition titled Walk a Mile in My Shoes.

The center’s signature interactive exhibit, which simulates a sit-in at a white-only lunch counter, remains a key attraction. Updated technology now helps visitors learn about voting rights and the history of significant sites around Atlanta.

Savitt said the center’s mission is to tell the stories of those who fought for justice and equality, highlighting moments when people joined together to demand more rights for more people. She added that the goal is to inspire visitors to take action after reflecting on history.

Leaders and supporters gathered Tuesday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Mayor Andre Dickens, Arthur M. Blank, former Mayor Shirley Clarke Franklin, Board Chair Egbert Perry, Co-Chair AJ Robinson, CEO Jill Savitt, and Juneau Construction CEO Nancy Juneau, among others.

“The City of Atlanta was happy to support this expansion with $10 million, in partnership with the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority,” Dickens said. “This expansion was a group project in every sense of the phrase and has made Atlanta proud.”

The reopening marks a major milestone for the center, expanding its footprint by 24,000 square feet to a total of 65,000. Two new wings, six galleries, three classrooms, and several interactive experiences connect lessons from the past to challenges of the present.

The project also doubles the center’s event capacity, adding space for classrooms, community gatherings, conferences, performances, and celebrations. The Franklin Pavilion’s rooftop terrace offers sweeping views of the Atlanta skyline.

“Our reopening arrives at a time when understanding our shared history feels more urgent than ever,” Savitt said. “This center was built to show how history speaks to the present. These new galleries allow people to experience both the courage of those who came before us and the call to continue their work today.”

Franklin, a founding visionary of the center, said the reopening reaffirms Atlanta’s role as a global example of truth and justice.

“I’ve always believed in the center’s mission, in the lessons it teaches and the hope it inspires,” Blank added.

A new gallery designed for children is expected to open next month.