2025 Brings a Year of Adventures to Fernbank Museum

An Exploration of “Ultimate Dinosaurs,” “Turtles,” “Sunken Treasure, Ancient Seas” and more.

(ATLANTA, GA) Jan. 7, 2025— Fernbank Museum moves into 2025 with a year of thrilling special exhibits, giant screen films, themed Discovery Days, nighttime nature adventures, adult science nights and more.

New Giant Screen Film

Fernbank’s exciting new year brings the first of the new 2025 giant screen films to viewers with “Desert Elephants,” opening on Jan. 18. This film follows the story of a baby calf in a desert elephant herd on its journey of growth and learning across a land of extremes.

Special Exhibitions

Opening Feb. 8, “Ultimate Dinosaurs” invites audiences into the bizarre and fascinating world of dinosaur evolution in a new special exhibit that explores why the unique Southern Hemisphere dinosaurs are so different from their North American counterparts. Through an impressive blend of skeletal displays and augmented reality, guests will learn about the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea and how it altered the ancient world through life-sized dinosaur displays and genuine fossils that reveal some of the most important evolutionary discoveries of dinosaurs from the Southern Hemisphere, including South America, Africa and Madagascar, in recent history.

In early summer, Fernbank will welcome the special exhibit, “Turtles,” from June 7 – Sept. 1. This exhibit features live turtles from a variety of climates and explores their unique anatomy, fascinating behaviors and the vital role they play in their ecosystems. Featuring content in both English and Spanish, and daily live animal presentations, this exhibit will give guests the opportunity to learn about these beloved reptiles as they experience hands-on activities that explore turtle habitats, diets, reproduction and conservation efforts to protect the species.

Set to open Oct. 4, “Sunken Treasures, Ancient Seas” sets sail for Fernbank to embark on a thrilling voyage of underwater discovery and recovery. Focusing on the submerged landscapes found around the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, this unique exhibit explores underwater archaeology, shipwrecks, sunken treasures and more. “Sunken Treasures, Ancient Seas” highlights underwater discoveries, including objects from naval ships, ceramic vessels, coins, jewelry and more. Complemented by stunning video technology that will transport visitors deep below the surface in each exhibit section, “Sunken Treasures, Ancient Seas” is an immersive experience that combines visual record-keeping with ancient artifacts for a fascinating dive into history.

Outdoor Traveling Exhibits

This year, Fernbank highlights two outdoor exhibits to be featured in WildWoods, including “Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures,” on view from March 29 – Aug. 3, and “Extinct and Endangered: Insects in Peril,” on view from Aug. 9 – Nov. 2. Created by the workshop of Mexican artists Jacobo and María Ángeles, “Spirit Guides” is a collection of brightly colored and richly patterned sculptures that depict imaginary hybrid animals inspired by the Zapotec calendar, which is indigenous to Southern Mexico. These animals represent both spirit guides and astrological embodiments of the human character in a unique medium. “Extinct and Endangered” features 19 incredible but imperiled species through large-format photographs from the American Museum of Natural History. This exhibit highlights the importance of insects to ecosystems around the world, the risks they face as a result of human activities, and the important ongoing work around the globe to protect insect populations. 

Discovery Days and After-Hours Events

There will be a variety of family-friendly “Discovery Days” throughout 2025, as well as newly added and returning nighttime events for adults and families. The first Discovery Day, “Dino Day,” will celebrate the opening of “Ultimate Dinosaurs” on Feb. 8 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Other Discovery Days include Little Critters Day, Reptile Day, Dinosaur Trick or Treat and more. For visitors who are 21 and older, Fernbank will continue to host its popular adult science night, “Fernbank After Dark,” which takes place on the second Friday of every month, kicking off the new year on Jan. 10. Other adults-only nights include the popular ‘90s Night event on Jan. 31, an Adult Prom on March 28 and Fright Night on Oct. 31. All-ages, nighttime hours are available during Fernbank...but Later on the last Friday of the month from May to August from 6 – 9 p.m.

Special Experiences

Fernbank’s illuminating, nighttime outdoor experience, “WildWoods: AGLOW,” will continue to invite patrons to journey into the magnificent, sometimes hidden worlds of nature through Feb. 23, with the fall season opening in November. Using captivating illumination, immersive projections and original musical compositions, “WildWoods: AGLOW” curates an innovative approach to storytelling that envelops visitors into the unique flora and fauna found in WildWoods. WildWoods: AGLOW also includes access to all three floors of Fernbank Museum and a giant screen film.

Additional special experiences and indoor and outdoor programming are set to be announced throughout 2025. 

Visit FernbankMuseum.org for more information.

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“Desert Elephants” is produced by Definition Studios and distributed by K2 Studios in IMAX®/Giant Screen and other specialty theaters located in science centers, museums, and other cultural destinations and attractions worldwide. Sponsored locally by Isdell Family Foundation with additional support provided by the McClatchey Foundation.

“Ultimate Dinosaurs” is presented by the Science Museum of Minnesota.

 "Turtles” is produced by Little Ray's Exhibitions and turtles provided by FARE - Foundation for Animal Rescue and Education. “Turtles” is sponsored locally by Isdell Family Foundation. 

“Sunken Treasures; Ancient Seas” organized by Contemporanea Progetti in collaboration with the Regione Siciliana - Soprintendenza del Mare di Palermo, Italia (Italy).

“Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles” is organized by Denver Botanic Gardens.

“Extinct and Endangered: Insects in Peril” is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (amnh.org). Photography by Levon Biss. 

“WildWoods: AGLOW” is created in partnership with TAIT.

Tickets 

Exhibits, films and Discovery Days are included with daytime general admission and with CityPASS. General admission tickets include three floors of exhibits in the natural history museum, choice of one giant screen film, and 75-acres of nature explorations in Fernbank Forest and WildWoods. Fernbank After Dark and some other special after-hours events are available at a separate ticket price and may include access to special exhibits. Fernbank is located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta, minutes from midtown Atlanta and downtown Decatur.  

For more information, visit FernbankMuseum.org. General admission tickets range from $23.95 - $27.95 and include a film in the Giant Screen Theater. Tickets not purchased in advance are offered, if available, at a higher price at the Box Office. More information is available at FernbankMuseum.org. 

MEDIA INQUIRIES

Jena Allison, Communications Manager

Jena.Allison@FernbankMuseum.org

404.929.6381

ABOUT FERNBANK

Fernbank is one of the most popular and iconic cultural destinations in Atlanta. Known as Atlanta's Science and Nature Experience, Fernbank invites guests to discover a World of Wow through an expansive natural history museum, 4-story giant screen theater, and 75 acres of nature adventures in WildWoods and Fernbank Forest. One of the oldest not-for-profit conservation organizations in the country, Fernbank was founded in 1939 to preserve Fernbank Forest, the largest urban, old growth, Piedmont forest in the United States. The museum and giant screen theater opened as "a school in the woods for nature studies" on Oct. 5, 1992, and is today known for its giant dinosaurs, hands-on STEAM* programming, immersive experiences, and year-round nature exploration. Visit fernbankmuseum.org for more information and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and TikTok.

*Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.