- >> events
- >> community
- >> nature/outdoors
- >> Fernbank Summer Exhibits (sundays)
Fernbank Summer Exhibits (sundays)
CL RECOMMENDS
Opens Sat., Jan. 18
CRITIC’S PICK: Desert Elephants, Fernbank Museum - The Namib desert in southwest Africa, double the size of Texas, is the setting for this short documentary that follows a female calf named Little Foot, the youngest member of an elephant herd struggling with adverse conditions such as water shortages and scant vegetation, but persevering nonetheless. The film depicts how the world’s largest mammals have adapted to their harsh habitat with the use of unique traits. “I don’t think you can meet elephants and spend time with them without being profoundly affected or changed by them,” filmmaker Paul Phelan said, adding, “We need to give them a voice.” The museum’s announcement calls the giant-screen film “a timeless tale of resilience, ingenuity and family bonds through incredible cinematography and storytelling.” - Kevin C. Madigan
Opens Sat., Jun. 7
CRITIC’S PICK: Turtles, Fernbank Museum: The prehistoric origins, modern challenges, and astounding variety of turtles are being shown in this captivating exhibit at Fernbank. The ancient reptiles are depicted in live habitats with hands-on interactive activities and climbable sculptures. “From turtles that have soft flexible shells to ones that look like leaf litter, this experience reveals just how bizarre, diverse, and fascinating these creatures really are,” says Paul Goulet of Little Ray’s Exhibitions. “We believe that ‘Turtles’ will change everything you thought you knew about these incredible reptiles.” The work of the Turtle Survival Alliance — a global conservation group — will be highlighted, as will various categories found here in Georgia. “The Georgia coast is a nesting ground for several species of sea turtles, and the barrier islands that line the coast provide ample marsh habitat for diamondback terrapins,” says Director of Education Sarah Arnold. “With its sandy soils, South Georgia is also home to the gopher tortoise, an incredibly important keystone species. All these species have faced survival challenges, and the citizens of Georgia have worked to rehabilitate their populations.” Also showing is ‘Coral Sea,’ a new giant screen film with gorgeous scenes of turtles, jellyfish, sharks and coral reefs, and efforts to protect them, in the waters around Australia and Papua New Guinea. — Kevin C. Madigan
From the venue:
X-Ray Vision: Fish Inside Out
Opens Jan. 11, 2025
A Fish Exhibition That’s Bone Deep.
X-Ray Vision: Fish Inside Out invites guests to peek beneath the scales to explore the intricate bony skeletons of fish, stingrays, eels and seahorses through dramatic, black-and-white x-rays. Discover the secrets of fish evolution, anatomy and the impact of environmental changes on aquatic species in a level of detail reminiscent of fine engraving. Guests will learn about these creatures' evolutionary changes and the important role they have played in shaping our world.
Spirit Guides
On View March 29 – Aug. 3, 2025
Mythical Creatures with a Soulful Twist
Immerse yourself in a breathtaking exhibition that bridges ancient Mexican culture and contemporary art. Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles showcases the extraordinary vision of renowned Oaxacan artists Jacobo and María Ángeles, offering visitors an unparalleled journey into the spiritual landscape of Southern Mexico's indigenous traditions. Presented among the natural environment of Fernbank’s WildWoods, this collection of brightly colored and richly patterned sculptures depicts imaginary hybrid animals.
Eight vibrant, mythic animal-themed artworks explore the concepts of tona (spirit protectors) and nahual (spirit animals). Inspired by the sacred Zapotec calendar, the animal sculptures offer a fascinating glimpse into an intersection of art, mythology and identity, reminding guests of the profound connection between the natural and cosmological worlds.
Turtles
On view June 7 – Sept. 1, 2025
An exhibit that’s a shell of a good time.
This summer, guests can discover the fascinating world of Turtles in a new exhibit that focuses on the lives and behaviors of these beloved reptiles. Featuring live turtles, the exhibit explores these incredible species, their natural history and survival challenges while inspiring visitors to help locally and globally. By getting up close with live specimens, guests will observe turtles’ unique anatomy and fascinating behaviors.
Hands-on activities and live animal presentations will allow visitors to discover how turtles have evolved over time to their various ecosystems across the globe, the vital role they play in these ecosystems and the conservation efforts humans are taking to protect these animals, in addition to turtles’ diets, habitats and reproduction processes.
Desert Elephants (IMAX)
Opens January 18th
Join Little Foot and her elephant family as they brave the harsh Namib Desert in Southwest Africa and embark on a journey to an oasis that remains green even through the toughest times. The resilience and familial strength of this species will leave viewers with an inspiring example of survival, adaptation and renewed hope.
In the southwest corner of Africa, the Namib Desert — one of the driest places on Earth — is an unexpected haven for a few extraordinary creatures, including the largest land mammals on the planet — desert elephants.
These elephants, once more than a million strong, have dwindled to a few hundred; despite this, hope lives on through an elephant calf named Little Foot, the newest member of a family of grazers.
As viewers follow Little Foot’s adventures, they witness the incredible abilities elephants possess that have helped them survive the harsh conditions of the Namib Desert for generations. From foreseeing sandstorms to finding underground aquifers, this film offers an inspiring example of survival, adaptation and renewed hope.
Cities of the Future
Playing Daily at Noon, 1:45 p.m., 3:30 p.m. Run time: 45 minutes
Giants of the Mesozoic
Ongoing Exhibit
Stand beneath some of the world's largest dinosaurs as you enter this snapshot of life in prehistoric Patagonia (145-165 million years ago). Take in a scene of an epic dinosaur battle between Giganotosaurus and Argentinosaurus with a flock of pterosaurs scattering away.
Play the role of a paleontologist as you examine the terrain to discover buried and trace fossils of other plant and animal species, such as dinosaur tracks, an Araucaria tree, a crocodile and a turtle shell.*
Star Gallery
Ongoing Exhibit
Each star was carefully plotted on the ceiling, forming an illuminated star chart. The fibers used to create the stars vary in diameter, allowing them to shine with 22 varying degrees of brightness. More than 6 miles of fiber optic wires accurately portray the 542 stars twinkling above.
SkyWatch screens provide daily programming about constellations, planets and astronomical events.
Visitors can find the stars in the Star Gallery using the following guide:
- Stand facing the doors to the Giant Screen Theater, which is toward the south, to recognize the constellations in the appropriate direction.
- Antares in Scorpius and Arcturus in Bootes are located near the World of Shells exhibition.
- By moving away from The World of Shells exhibit toward the Great Hall, which is eastward, visitors will pass under stars visible in the early evening in the spring, summer, autumn, winter and spring again.
- Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) is easily recognized over the double doors to the Great Hall.
- Andromeda is near the center of the room.
- Orion nebula (M-42) is just below the belt stars of Orion.
- Aldebaran (in the constellation Taurus) and Betelgeuse (in Orion) are found among the winter stars on the side near the Great Hall
Fernbank Summer Exhibits (sundays) | 06/01/2025 10:00 AM