The Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta is on track to dramatically enhance its offering to the public with a $27 million campaign aimed at expanding its facilities and exhibits. As reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, the initiative is set to create new immersive and educational experiences, aiming to reimagine visitor engagement with science, nature, and human culture across its 120-acre campus.
Central to the expansion is the interactive exhibit "Changing Earth," a multisensory experience designed to explore the Earth's dynamic systems. This permanent fixture at the museum will include features such as a "Tectonic Dashboard" and a "Tree of Life," both of which are intended to foster a deeper understanding of our planet's intricate systems. Simultaneously, Fernbank plans to introduce a new temporary gallery for rotating exhibits, enhancing its natural history programming and providing guests with fresh perspectives upon every visit.
Fernbank Museum will also be unveiling the Orkin Discovery Zone, described in a release by the museum as a hands-on science learning space that features live animals and interactive displays, where visitors can step into the role of scientists, as per information obtained by Rough Draft Atlanta. The expansion will come in phases, with the Our Place in the Cosmos exhibit set to open in late 2025, followed by the Orkin Discovery Zone in 2026, and finally, the Changing Earth and the new temporary gallery in 2027.
The museum is also set to significantly improve accessibility by adding an elevator and more automatic doors throughout its premises and in the WildWoods outdoor nature area. This new venture, including the signature exhibit Changing Earth, has received major support from The Gary W. Rollins Foundation and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation among over 80 other donors, eight of which have contributed $1 million or more each. Fernbank’s president and CEO, Jennifer Grant Warner, stated in a release obtained by Rough Draft Atlanta, “We’re not just adding new exhibits—we’re fundamentally reimagining how people of all ages connect with the natural world around them."
