Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta

Highlights and features of the Fernbank Science Center

The Fernbank Science Center offers a wealth of exhibits, but some of its most popular permanent exhibits make the centre great for children (and their parents) with a love for space exploration or the natural world. The centre features the authentic Apollo 6 Command Module as one of its permanent exhibits, on loan from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

There’s also a NASA Mission Control Room replica, so visitors can re-enact the Apollo missions to the moon. This is on top of the expansive, Jim Cherry Memorial Planetarium, with its 500-visitor capacity. At the time of its opening, this was one of the largest planetariums in the United States, as well as the largest in the state of Georgia. With financial help from Lockheed Martin, the science centre refurbished the planetarium in 2012, for the latest and greatest in educational tech.

Nature attractions at Fernbank Science Center

At Fernbank Science Center, visitors aren’t only encouraged to look up to the stars, but down to the world beneath their feet as well. The nature attractions at the centre are very popular, with live animal exhibits featuring poison dart frogs and other reptiles, insects and more.

Fernbank Forest, an old-growth forest filled with wildlife, provides further opportunities to explore. For those who prefer their nature a little on the tamer side, the gardens at the centre provide educational spaces to enjoy pollinator gardens, edible gardens and perennial gardens – and thanks to Atlanta’s warm summer temperatures and mild winter weather, there’s hardly ever a bad time to visit.

Inside the centre, guests can get even closer to nature, via a Nikon exhibit that features light microscope photography, displaying natural wonders up close and personal, from butterfly wing scales to fish embryos.

Good to know about Fernbank Science Center

Located outside downtown Atlanta, Fernbank Science Center is most easily reached by car. As mentioned, both parking and admission are free, with tickets available for purchase for planetarium shows. Make sure to either eat before you arrive or pack a lunch as the centre does not have a gift shop nor a cafeteria with food available for purchase. If you bring your own picnic lunch, you can eat at the on-site picnic tables.

The centre is wheelchair accessible. For special nighttime observatory hours and events, be sure to check the centre’s website. Make an entire educational day out of your visit to Fernbank Science Center, with a visit to the adjacent Fernbank Museum of Natural History and Fernbank Forest.