Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Encyclopedia
Fernbank Museum of Natural History, in Atlanta, is a museum in that presents exhibitions and programming about natural history
that are meant to entertain as well as educate the public. Its mission is to encourage a greater appreciation of the planet
and its people. Fernbank Museum has a number of permanent exhibitions and regularly hosts temporary exhibitions in its expansive facility, designed by Graham Gund
Architects. Giants of the Mesozoic
, on display in the atrium
of Fernbank Museum, features a 123 feet (37.5 m) long Argentinosaurus
(the largest dinosaur ever classified) as well as a Giganotosaurus
. The permanent exhibition, A Walk Through Time in Georgia, tells the twofold story of Georgia's natural history and the development of the planet. The nearby Fernbank Science Center
, operated by the DeKalb County
Board of Education, hosts additional exhibits and educational activities, as well as a planetarium
, telescope
, and Fernbank Forest
, a 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) natural forest.
created Fernbank Science Center, which led to a desire to share Fernbank's resources with the general public.
Following master planning and designs by the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based architectural firm, Graham Gund
Architects, ground was broken in 1989, and on October 5, 1992, Fernbank Museum of Natural History opened to the public. The new building is carefully located behind a row of historic houses, and features a glass-enclosed atrium overlooking Fernbank Forest. Fernbank Museum now stands on 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) of the largest old-growth urban Piedmont
forest in the country.
Theatre. All films are presented on a screen measuring five stories high and 72 feet (21.9 m) wide. Selection changes throughout the year.
One of Fernbank’s most popular events, Martinis & IMAX, is presented by Turner Broadcasting System
and runs every Friday evening, January through November, and features IMAX films, drinks, food and live music.
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
that are meant to entertain as well as educate the public. Its mission is to encourage a greater appreciation of the planet
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
and its people. Fernbank Museum has a number of permanent exhibitions and regularly hosts temporary exhibitions in its expansive facility, designed by Graham Gund
Graham Gund
Graham de Conde Gund is an American architect and the president of the Gund Partnership, an American architecture firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and founded by Gund in 1971...
Architects. Giants of the Mesozoic
Mesozoic
The Mesozoic era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the age of reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates of the time...
, on display in the atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
of Fernbank Museum, features a 123 feet (37.5 m) long Argentinosaurus
Argentinosaurus
Argentinosaurus is a genus of titanosaur sauropod dinosaur first discovered by Guillermo Heredia in Argentina. The generic name refers to the country in which it was discovered...
(the largest dinosaur ever classified) as well as a Giganotosaurus
Giganotosaurus
Giganotosaurus is a genus of carcharodontosaurid dinosaur that lived around 97 million years ago during the early Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period. It included some of the largest known terrestrial carnivores, slightly larger than the largest Tyrannosaurus, but smaller than the...
. The permanent exhibition, A Walk Through Time in Georgia, tells the twofold story of Georgia's natural history and the development of the planet. The nearby Fernbank Science Center
Fernbank Science Center
The Fernbank Science Center is a museum, classroom, and woodland complex located in Atlanta. It is owned and operated by DeKalb County School System...
, operated by the DeKalb County
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
Board of Education, hosts additional exhibits and educational activities, as well as a planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
, telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
, and Fernbank Forest
Fernbank Forest
Fernbank Forest is a 65-acre mature mixed forest located at the Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta, Georgia. It has one of the few remnants of original forest vegetation in the Georgia Piedmont; as such, it has been extensively studied by scientists. Large specimens of white oak and tulip poplar,...
, a 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) natural forest.
History
In the late 1800s, a nature-lover named Emily Harrison grew up in an area east of Atlanta which she called "Fernbank". Along with others, Harrison created a charter for Fernbank in 1938 and purchased the 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) of woodland on which Fernbank Museum now stands. In 1964, the Fernbank trustees and the DeKalb County School SystemDeKalb County School System
DeKalb County School System is a school district headquartered at 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States...
created Fernbank Science Center, which led to a desire to share Fernbank's resources with the general public.
Following master planning and designs by the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based architectural firm, Graham Gund
Graham Gund
Graham de Conde Gund is an American architect and the president of the Gund Partnership, an American architecture firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and founded by Gund in 1971...
Architects, ground was broken in 1989, and on October 5, 1992, Fernbank Museum of Natural History opened to the public. The new building is carefully located behind a row of historic houses, and features a glass-enclosed atrium overlooking Fernbank Forest. Fernbank Museum now stands on 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) of the largest old-growth urban Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
forest in the country.
IMAX theatre
Fernbank is home to the Rankin M. Smith, Sr. IMAXIMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
Theatre. All films are presented on a screen measuring five stories high and 72 feet (21.9 m) wide. Selection changes throughout the year.
Special programming
Fernbank engages the community with an array of special activities for adults and children including summer camps, lectures, workshops, interactive conversations, family activity days, and storytelling.One of Fernbank’s most popular events, Martinis & IMAX, is presented by Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. is the Time Warner subsidiary managing the collection of cable networks and properties started and acquired by Robert Edward "Ted" Turner starting in the mid-1970s. The company has its headquarters in the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. TBS, Inc...
and runs every Friday evening, January through November, and features IMAX films, drinks, food and live music.
See also
- Fernbank ForestFernbank ForestFernbank Forest is a 65-acre mature mixed forest located at the Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta, Georgia. It has one of the few remnants of original forest vegetation in the Georgia Piedmont; as such, it has been extensively studied by scientists. Large specimens of white oak and tulip poplar,...
- Fernbank Science CenterFernbank Science CenterThe Fernbank Science Center is a museum, classroom, and woodland complex located in Atlanta. It is owned and operated by DeKalb County School System...
- List of natural history museums