Street Life: Atlanta's Fernbank, More than a Museum

A Fernbank FeaturePhoto byFernbank Museum

By Doc Lawrence

Fernbank Museum is celebrating its 30th Anniversary with a year of exciting special exhibits, giant screen films, themed Discovery Days, nighttime nature adventures in WildWoods: AGLOW, Fernbank After Dark adult science nights and more.

Fernbank’s year kicked off with the new giant screen film, “Fungi: Web of Life.” This film follows scientists to forests in Tasmania and China as they search for unique lifeforms, including bioluminescent mushrooms, that could help solve some of humanity’s most urgent problems. Additionally, “Wings Over Water” opened in February. Audiences "fly" alongside three different types of birds as they defy the odds and migrate to America’s largely unknown but awe-inspiring prairie wetlands. It's a lesson about the science of navigation, flyways, bird behaviors and this unique ecosystem.

On the Big ScreenPhoto byFernbank Museum

Fernbank explores the science of color in the new special exhibit “The Nature of Color,” until early May. “The Nature of Color” offers an in-depth exploration of the way color carries information in nature, including how organisms use it to find food, warn off predators and reproduce. The exhibit also delves into the use of color across cultures, where different colors can signal a wide range of meanings, impact emotions and ultimately influence the society around us.

In early summer, you can meet a variety of live animals in the special exhibition “Survival of the Slowest,” which opens June 10. This exhibit will explore why it’s sometimes better to be slower than faster to survive longer. Learn the adaptations and strategies of animals like the sloth, green iguana and bearded dragon.

In early October, “Vikings: Warriors of the Sea” showcases Viking culture, society and technology. You can discover over 140 authentic artifacts that demonstrate how Vikings traveled, raided, fought, traded and engaged in spiritual practices. Hands-on interactive elements provide an opportunity to row a Viking ship, dress a Viking and write in runes, which are letters in a set of related alphabets.

Family friendly Discovery Days are scheduled all throughout the year including three that celebrate the opening days of Fernbank’s special exhibits. For visitors who are 21 and older, Fernbank Museum hosts its popular adult science night event, Fernbank After Dark, which takes place on the second Friday of every month.

Fernbank’s illuminating, nighttime outdoor experience, WildWoods: AGLOW, is a journey into the magnificent, sometimes hidden worlds of nature. Using captivating illumination, immersive projections and an original musical composition, WildWoods: AGLOW curates an innovative approach to storytelling that immerses participants into a wonderland of biodiversity. Additional special experiences and indoor and outdoor programming are set to be announced throughout the year.

“Fungi: Web of Life” is a K2 Studios release and Stranger Than Fiction Films production.

SK Films, Dorsey Pictures, the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation and Archipelago Films produced “Wings Over Water,” in cooperation with Ducks Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited Canada and The National Audubon Society. The film has been recognized with a variety of awards, including “Best Film, Short Subject” by the Giant Screen Cinema Association, “Best Scientific Communication Film” by the Bejing International Film Festival and “Children’s Award” by the Wildlife Film Festival, Rotterda.

Fernbank is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta, minutes from Emory University, midtown Atlanta and downtown Decatur. FernbankMuseum.org.

NOTE: Fernbank is a nonprofit natural history museum, giant screen theater and old-growth forest, and is not affiliated with Fernbank Science Center, which operates as a division of DeKalb County Schools.