Photo Fun #WW #FernbankCHILLS @FernbankMuseum

#WW Dinogirls @FernbankMuseum

Fernbank Museum's Winter Wonderland @FernbankMuseum #holiday #familyfun

I was invited with my family to attend Fernbank Museum of Natural History's Winter Wonderland in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

Pretty much any time we go to Fernbank, we have a lot of fun.  We check out the current travelling exhibit (still the Goosebumps Fear exhibit), any arts and crafts (I made a Snowman puppet), and of course the current permanent exhibits as well.  On the day we went, the Center for Puppetry Arts was out, and they were helping the kids make the puppets (Stanley the Heartsick Snowman).  Being a kid at heart, they let me join in.

When we toured the Goosebumps exhibit, I thought the "best" part of it was the hands on portion.  You could check your fear response to animals, sounds, and falling.  I skipped the falling, I know I have a fear there.  There was also one to see how brave you were at being shocked (yes, by electricity).  Not too bad, but I did jump.  Emory was also on hand with real brains that you could touch.  I didn't touch, just photographed.  My son and I had done that experience at his Elementary school some time ago.  He wasn't eager to repeat it.  Being a volunteer at the Aquarium meant I had to visit the local alligator residents as well.  Too cute.  You can see some of the scheduled holiday activities at the museum here.

Of course, the big draw to the Winter Wonderland (other than the activities) is the trees. Lots of trees. My kids took over my photography for this part. They were competing as to who could take the better picture. I think they both did well. The trees, though, were very nice. Representative of different countries, you could see some of the culture and history through the trees.  There are more than 30 trees on exhibit for you and your family to check out.

As always, Fernbank Museum is a wonderful day out for the family. We don't get to go often, but when we do we always have fun.

Fernbank Museum Announces Holiday Programming, Events and Annual WINTER WONDERLAND Exhibition

ATLANTA, November 13, 2014—This holiday season, Fernbank Museum of Natural History features several ways to celebrate with fun and unique events. Fernbank’s holiday programming includes the Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions Around the World exhibition, a Winter Wonderland Celebration Day, Winter Wonderland evening viewing hours during Martinis & IMAX®, Holly Jolly Activities and holiday shopping in the Museum Store.

Winter Wonderland

On view from November 21, 2014 through January 11, 2015, the fifth annual Winter Wonderland exhibition includes two floors of festive trees and displays decorated by cultural partners to reflect traditions and holidays celebrated by cultures everywhere. Twinkling with lights, glimmering with color and shining with a variety of cultural objects, more than 30 trees and other displays recognize the diversity of celebrations, holidays, traditions and events from around the world. The exhibition highlights cultural celebrations from North America, South America, Africa, Europe, The Caribbean, Mediterranean and Middle East.

Winter Wonderland Celebration Day

Special festivities kick off with a Winter Wonderland Celebration Day on Saturday, November 22 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., where families can enjoy a special day of cultural and holiday-themed performances from The Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker Ensemble, the Chien Hong School of Kung Fu and Peruvian group Apu Inka.

Holly Jolly Activities

The fun continues on weekends from November 29 through December 21 with Holly Jolly Activities, featuring a Puppet Factory hosted by The Center for Puppetry Arts on Saturdays from noon until 2 p.m., winter-themed Tadpole Tales on December 27 and 28 at 1:30 p.m. and classic holiday cartoons every weekend. Films include:

A Charlie Brown Christmas on November 29-30,
‘Tis the Season to be Smurfy on December 6-7,  
A Flintstone  Family Christmas on December 13-14,
How the Grinch Stole Christmas  on December 20-21, and
Disney's Sing Along Songs: Very Merry Christmas every weekend from November 29 – December 14 and daily from December 19–24.

Martinis & IMAX® Evening Viewing Hours

Adults can enjoy music, films, small plates, a nip from a yuletide toddy and more as they enjoy evening viewing hours of Winter Wonderland during Martinis & IMAX® on November 21, December 5, December 12 and December 19 from 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Holiday Shopping

For those searching for a perfect gift, Fernbank’s Museum Store offers a variety of gift ideas, including dinosaur merchandise, jewelry, activity books, science kits, games, toys, ornaments and more. Fernbank also offers gift memberships and gift certificates. The Museum Store’s annual holiday sale offers an additional 10% off store purchases for Museum members on December 6 and 7, 2014.

Tickets and Other Information

All Winter Wonderland activities are included with Museum admission and are free for members. Evening viewing hours during Martinis & IMAX® are included with cover charge tickets as well as with IMAX® film tickets. The Museum Store is available for shoppers without the need for a ticket.

Museum admission is $18 for adults, $17 for students/seniors, $16 for children ages 3 to 12, free for children ages 2 and younger and free for Museum Members. Martinis & IMAX® prices are $8 for cover charge or $13 for an IMAX® film ticket, which includes a free cover charge.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Tickets and visitor information are available at www.fernbankmuseum.org and 404.929.6300. Fernbank Museum will be closed on Nov. 27 and Dec. 5 but will enjoy regular, daily operating hours throughout the remaining holiday season.

Winter Wonderland is made possible in part by the Nissan Foundation to support cultural learning.

The Winter Wonderland Celebration Day is sponsored by Publix Super Markets Charities Inc

PSA: Fernbank Museum's Carnival Science Day @FernbankMuseum

Fernbank Museum Continues 97 Days of Play with Carnival Science Day

Enjoy Circus Performers, Science Shows, Games And Much More!

ATLANTA July 3, 2014 – Fernbank Museum of Natural History (fernbankmuseum.org) announces Carnival Science Day on July 26 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. This new family day will embody the fun of a carnival, all while teaching guests a little bit about the science that inspires all of those fun games and tricks.

Big Thinkers Science Exploration will be performing Air Up There at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. This exciting show will feature a hovercraft and a cannon that will launch smoke ring cannons into the audience. This show will amaze guests and leave them more knowledgeable about the world around them.

The Imperial OPA will bring along a stilt walker, a hoop dancer and a strolling musician. These talented characters are sure to amaze as they pose for pictures and perform tricks.

Guests will also have the chance to create their own optical illusion. The Giggy Thaumatrope will teach guests about the persistence of vision using printed images and chopsticks, which will turn into a colorful picture when twirled.

As always, Fernbank will have an exciting array of games to keep guests entertained, including a carnival ring toss, a game of planko and much more.

In honor of this special event, The Fernbank Café will get in the spirit by serving up special carnival-themed treats that will ensure that guests’ taste buds will have fun as well.

Visitors are encouraged to visit the permanent exhibition Sensing Nature to experience various interactives that help guests learn about the relationship between science and their senses in a new and exciting way.

Carnival Science Day activities are included with Museum admission and are free for Fernbank members. As part of Fernbank’s 97 Days of Play, the Museum has made it a goal to provide families with fun activities from Memorial Day until Labor Day.

Upcoming 97 Days of Play activities include Shark Tooth Tuesdays (every Tuesday in July), Safari Hat Sundays (every Sunday in July), Reptile Day (July 12) and Dinosaur Birthday Bash (August 23).

Museum tickets are $18 for adults, $17 for students and seniors, $16 for children ages 3-12 and free for children aged 2 and under. Value Pass tickets, which include Museum admission and one IMAX film, are $26 for adults, $24 for students and seniors, $22 for children ages 3-12, free for children aged 2 and under and $8 for members. The Museum is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Parking is free. For tickets, call 404.929.6400 or visit www.fernbankmuseum.org.

About Fernbank

Fernbank Museum of Natural History, a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization, inspires life-long learning of natural history through immersive programming and unmatched experiences to encourage a greater appreciation of our planet and its inhabitants. 

PSA: @FernbankMuseum of Natural History Announces Fins and Flippers Day

Splash Into Fernbank For A Puppet Show, Crafts, Games And More!

ATLANTA, May 24, 2014 – Fernbank Museum of Natural History continues its summer-long celebration of fun, 97 Days of Play, with Fins & Flippers Day. On Saturday, June 28 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. patrons are invited to come soak up summer adventure inspired by the special exhibition Whales: Giants of the Deep (on view), and the new film Great White Shark, now showing in Fernbank’s IMAX® Theatre.

That Puppet Guy, Lee Bryan will be performing his popular one-man show, Circus Fanta-Sea. Guests of all ages can see Captain Tater Tot, the Pirate Captain and Ringmaster, who loses all his circus cargo in a mighty storm at sea. 

Fins & Flippers Day will feature a biofacts table, where guests can see a shark jaw, fish skeleton and much more. Fernbank educators will be available to answer questions and provide fascinating facts.

Keeping with the ocean theme, guests can also see a life-size inflatable right whale calf provided by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Fernbank staff members will be available to provide interesting facts and information about these magnificent creatures.

Guests will be wowed by giant bubbles from The Georgia Bubbleman. Additional activities include a special appearance by Domino, the Georgia Aquarium’s whale shark mascot, temporary tattoos, a special shark craft and more.

Fins & Flippers Day activities are included with Museum admission and are free for Fernbank members. Visitors are encouraged to take in the films and special exhibitions that inspired Fins & Flippers Day, including the new film Island of Lemurs: Madagascar showing at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. (requires the purchase of an IMAX ticket); Great White Shark, showing at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. (requires the purchase of an IMAX® ticket); and the special Museum exhibition Whales: Giants of the Deep, on view from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (included with Museum admission).

Upcoming 97 Days of Play activities include Shark Tooth Tuesdays (every Tuesday in July), Safari Hat Sundays (every Sunday in July), Reptile Day (July 12), Carnival Science Day (July 26) and Dinosaur Birthday Bash (August 23).

Museum tickets are $18 for adults, $17 for students and seniors, $16 for children ages 3-12 and free for children aged 2 and under. Value Pass tickets, which include museum admission and one IMAX film, are $26 for adults, $24 for students and seniors, $22 for children ages 3-12, free for children aged 2 and under and $8 for members. The Museum is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Parking is free. For tickets, call 404.929.6400 or visit www.fernbankmuseum.org.

About Fernbank

Fernbank Museum of Natural History, a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization, inspires life-long learning of natural history through immersive programming and unmatched experiences to encourage a greater appreciation of our planet and its inhabitants. 

@FernbankMuseum opens Whales: The Giants of the Deep

I was invited to attend the opening of Fernbank Museum's new exhibit "Whales: The Giants of the Deep".  
Featuring a unique blend of science and culture, this interactive and critically-acclaimed exhibition is filled with whale songs, beautiful artifacts, enormous whale skeletons up to 58-feet-long, and unique experiences, including the opportunity to climb through a life-sized model of a whale heart that's as big as a car.

As with most of Fernbank's events, they had a lot on display and activities to do before you even entered the exhibit.  This was a NOAA display of a juvenile right whale.  The size was close to what would be expected of a 5year old whale.

This is a sample of one of the fossils on exhibit.

This is a Killer Whale skull.  There were several there to view so that you can get an idea of what the differences are.  There were samples of baleen whale skulls and baleen as well on exhibit.

In the history of whales and whaling, items were made from both the bones and the teeth of whales.  There was a gallery of items (some antique, some not as old) that displayed this.  This is a hair comb.

A necklace of whale teeth.

At the end is the opportunity to take a picture.  My daughter and I stopped long enough for this one.

There was quite a lot to see and do that I didn't get photos of.  There was a sound chamber where you could listen to the sounds that whales make. You could learn about echo location.  There was quite a bit on the evolution of whales.  From cast skeletons to interactive displays, there is plenty to occupy even the younger ones wandering through.

Of course, if you're visiting the Museum, you can't forget about the other exhibits.  The interactive displays upstairs to learn about science, the history of Georgia itself in the Walk Through Time, and of course the NatureQuest area.  You can preview most of that on Fernbank Museum's web site as well as get more information about IMAX and the travelling exhibit.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Fernbank was having a "Space" weekend this past weekend. My husband has been wanting to go see the Hubble Imax movie and it was one of the things being shown. Since we hadn't had the chance to check out the Darwin exhibit yet, we headed out there on Sunday. I was somewhat disppointed in what was presented, though it was a reasonably thorough look at his life. I'm not sure what I was expecting, so I can't say exactly what was disappointing.

Some of the highlights from the exhibit

We visited the Georgia exhibit as well

At the end of our visit, I wanted to visit the rose garden as well. This is located at the top of the second parking lot by the museum. If you get a chance to visit while the flowers are in bloom, it's definitely worth the time.

Fernbank's Mythical Creatures exhibit

After visiting the new Nature Quest area at Fernbank, my kids and I had to go downstairs and take a look at the mythical creatures exhibit that just opened. With kids like mine, the first thing (other than the huge dragon at the entrance) that caught their eye was this.. imagine their surprise on seeing a pokemon as a mythical creature.. it was being compared to this guy, the ahuizotl. One friendly, one not, but both having the same basic features.

Of course, all the 'standards' were there. The Roc..

The Pegasus..

The unicorn..

The dragon..

I tend to think the most 'exotic' of them was this rare find that looks amazingly like my daughter..

There was also a small area that my son enjoyed which discussed how some myths might have been formed from (what is now) archaeological finds of animals, just rearranged. Now, whether they were arranged to fit a myth or a myth was created to fit the find, no one really knows. But it was an interesting way of looking at it.

Fernbank's New Nature Quest

Being members at Fernbank's Museum of Natural History, we had a chance to preview the new Nature Quest before it opens to the public. We took advantage of it and went this morning to check it out. As you enter the area, you're "under the sea" with some cool interactive games on screen, some magnet animals to put back on the pier and more.

You move up the 'river' which is an interactive video on the floor to a shack on the coast. On one side of the river is the shack itself which has lots to explore.

You then go further up the river to the forests and "water fall". Another interactive video on the floor of the river, a tree to climb, bridges to cross and more.

This replica of a dug out log canoe is across the 'river' from the shack.

A rope ladder to climb up the inside of a tree to get to the bridge.

Baby American Alligators. My camera didn't want to cooperate very much on this. Located just inside the entry, in the coastal area of the gallery.

In the 'forest' area is a 'waterfall' made up of vapor cascading down. Behind the waterfall were these guys. Mole Salamanders.

There's a lot that's interactive scattered around the whole gallery. From microscopes that zoom in on bugs, to an archaeological dig where you can piece together pottery. This was a 'nightscope' that showed the gallery as it might be if it were real and it were 'night'. Watch out for those nocturnal animals!

My kids had a lot of fun. I was half afraid they'd consider themselves too old to enjoy it. Instead, we spent around 1.5 hrs in there just checking it all out. My son was done before my daughter, but that wasn't wholly surprising. If I remember correctly, this opens to the public in two weeks. You'd have to check the Fernbank web site to make sure, though.

Fernbank Science Center

I've been going to Fernbank's Science Center since I was in elementary school at Stone Mountain Elementary. Over all it hasn't changed a huge amount, but it has changed some. When I first started going, the displays were primarily static.

Now they've added a science/space lab, have displays that change, and have even added live animals.

My kids and I went out there Monday with a group from the Georgia Cyber Academy. We saw one of the current planetarium shows (not one of my kids' preferred ones) and then had a scavenger hunt with some of the other students. THAT part my kids enjoyed. My daughter even decided that she needed to be the first to finish (and she was).

If you've never visited, it's worth the effort to get there. The center itself is free. The planetarium show has a small fee (about $3). You can spend a couple of hours exploring the center and the attached Forest (with trails). We didn't do the trail due to rain, but still had fun.

Fernbank's Water exhibit

Over Thanksgiving break we went to Fernbank's Museum of Natural History to check out the new water exhibit. Actually, hubby had wanted to see a particular IMAX movie which had apparently left the week before. We didn't discover that until we got there, so we went ahead and explored the new exhibit anyway.

I have to admit that compared to many of the other exhibits we've gone to, I wasn't as impressed with this one. I understood the point it was making, but I think they've done better. Of course, it may be that the fact that we were there when a couple of bus loads worth of school kids were there as well had a distinct effect on my attitude too. I was, however, glad we're members and didn't pay 'extra' to go see it.

Name that Gecko

My family went and checked out the new Gecko exhibit at Fernbank's Museum. This is only a sampling of the geckos that you can see..

Really Cool Program

A friend of mine from Cub Scouts made me aware of Fernbank's Science Night Out last year. My kids enjoyed it, so I'm sending them back tonight. It's a few hours out for the kids doing hands-on science projects. The topics vary by night. Your kids do have to be in 3rd-6th, though, so it's not for the little guys.

Trip to Fernbank Museum

My son had a boy scout merit badge event at Fernbank Museum the day before Easter. I took my daughter along to do the activities they were sponsoring and to tour the museum itself.