Tag Archive for: fernbank

SURVIVAL OF THE SLOWEST AT FERNBANK

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 6/26/23

“Survival of the Slowest” Exhibit Opens at Fernbank on June 10, 2023,

 Featuring a Variety of Live Animals that Demonstrate Unique Adaptations

Sometimes Being Slow, Small or Weak Can Have its Advantages

This summer, Atlanta’s Fernbank Museum welcomes a live animal exhibit that explores some of nature’s often-overlooked, slow, small or weak species and how they have used their perceived disadvantages to help them survive in a world where the large, strong and fast are usually at the top of the food chain. In partnership with Little Ray’s Nature Centres, “Survival of the Slowest” is on view at Fernbank from June 10—Sept. 4, 2023.

“Survival of the Slowest” offers an educational look at the survival strategies of a variety of animals. Guests are invited to explore the similarities and differences in species’ traits and how these attributes impact their survival strategy in order to answer common questions, including ‘How can slow and steady win the race?’ and ‘Does bigger always mean better?’ Some featured live animals in “Survival of the Slowest” include a two-toed sloth, boa constrictor, green iguana, hedgehog, bearded dragon and more.

“Little Ray’s Nature Centres is excited to bring Survival of the Slowest to Fernbank.  We invite Atlantans of all ages to get to know our animal ambassadors and all the surprisingly slow ways they survive in our fast-paced world,” notes Emmi Saunders, Executive Director of Little Ray’s Nature Centres, “Our interactive exhibits will leave lasting impressions and encounters with our wildlife educators will help spark visitors’ curiosity about our natural world.” 

This exhibit focuses on important biological concepts and how real-world survival for animals depends on individual traits. Some of these characteristics that help animals survive include a sloth’s nocturnal nature enabling them to avoid their main predator, the Harpy Eagle, who is a daytime predator. Additional examples include an iguana’s ability to run quickly, which assists them in escaping from predators and a python’s “sit-and-wait” predatorial style, which allows it to conserve energy after venomously killing their prey.

“This exciting new exhibit allows visitors to come face-to-face with some of nature’s most ‘counterintuitively’ biologically fit creatures and explore the amazing adaptations that help them survive and thrive,” notes Fernbank educator and volunteer manager, Miranda Shealy. 

“Survival of the Slowest” offers daily live animal presentations with wildlife educators and animal care staff on hand to not only educate and ‘wow’ audiences, but also to engage with guests in an interactive approach that helps form personal connections with wildlife.

RELATED PROGRAMMING

Fernbank will celebrate the opening of “Survival of the Slowest” with a special family friendly Discovery Day on June 10 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. that will feature a range of crafts and activities relating to the unique animals in “Survival of the Slowest.”

“Survival of the Slowest” was designed and offered by Little Ray’s Nature Centres in collaboration with the Canadian Museum of Nature. 

“Survival of the Slowest” is sponsored by Isdell Family Foundation

Additional support provided by the Frances Wood Wilson Foundation.

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. 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 are $25.95 for adults, $24.95 for seniors, $23.95 for children ages 3-12, free for children ages 2 and younger, and free for Fernbank Members. These prices are for tickets purchased online at

FernbankMuseum.org. 

THE NATURE OF COLOR AT FERNBANK STARTING FEBRUARY 11

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/18/23

A Rainbow of Exploration into the Power Color Has in Our Lives

Fernbank Museum offers a vivid immersion into the science of color in the new special exhibit “The Nature of Color,” on view from Feb. 11 – May 7, 2023.

Our world is covered in color — it’s woven so tightly into our lives that we rarely stop to question what it is and how it works. Where do colors come from? How have some animals evolved to stand out while others blend in? How did pink come to be associated with femininity in Western culture? Why do some colors make us feel different emotions?

“The Nature of Color” offers an in-depth exploration of the way color carries information in nature, including how organisms use it to find food, warn off predators and reproduce. The exhibit also delves into the use of color across cultures, where different colors can signal a wide range of meanings, impact emotions and ultimately influence the society around us.

“The Nature of Color exhibit is a unique blending of science and culture, providing many opportunities for guests to learn not only about the science of color and light, but also about the significance and symbolism attributed to color by people around the globe,” says Bobbi Hohmann, VP of Programming & Collections. “The Nature of Color really captures the essence of natural history explorations and we’re excited to bring this engaging new exhibit to Atlanta.” 

This fun and family friendly exhibit features models, cultural objects, media and interactive components that will invite visitors to play and experiment. Guests will be immersed in a kaleidoscope of imagery, interactivity and exploration and can interact with activities such as a “painting” on a floor-to-ceiling canvas using just their hands. They also can experience a color-changing room, featuring a light lab experiment that provides the opportunity to combine colors to make white light.

“The Nature of Color” also brings with it three displays that delve more into the specificities of color. “Feeling Color” allows guests to create different pigmented combinations to see how their creation affects their emotions. “Making Color” demonstrates the process of dyeing fabric and the history behind this process. Lastly, “Meaning of Color” teaches guests how colors can create a shared identity and shows this through the color red and its use from cave art all the way to college sports.

For those who have ever pondered the influence of hue on society — from guiding emotions and the way animals interact in nature to the history of color production — “The Nature of Color” aims to answer these explorative questions and showcase the ways that color ultimately influences every aspect of our lives.

“We wouldn’t have colors if it weren’t for physics. We wouldn’t have colors if it weren’t for the evolutionary process. We wouldn’t have colors if it weren’t for the cultural attitudes of people,” said Rob DeSalle, curator of “The Nature of Color” at the American Museum of Natural History, which organized the exhibit. “We’re all seeing a different world of color, and that’s what’s really spectacular.”

Another highlight of “The Nature of Color” is an installation of portraits by Brazilian photographer Angélica Dass, whose work showcases the diversity of human skin tones to challenge socially constructed racial categories and celebrate the beauty and diversity of humans around the world. Also featured is a red chiffon and organza gown by American designer Brandon Maxwell that was created specifically for the exhibit.

Fernbank will celebrate the opening of The Nature of Color with a special family-friendly Discovery Day on February 11, featuring a range of activities that explore color, including a special demonstration with Fernbank’s youth volunteers to creatively paint a life-sized bear model provided by Behr Paint.

The Nature of Color is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (amnh.org).

Local presentation made possible by Behr Paint Company, one of the largest manufacturers of paints, primers, decorative finishes, stains and surface preparation products.

RELATED PROGRAMMING

Fernbank is creating a colorful day of family fun with a special Discovery Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 11, commemorating the debut of “The Nature of Color.” This event will have fun activities for all ages and is included with general admission.

TICKETS

“The Nature of Color” is included with general admission at Fernbank 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 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 are $24.95 for adults, $23.95 for seniors, $22.95 for children ages 3-12, free for children ages 2 and younger, and free for Fernbank Members. These prices are for tickets purchased online at FernbankMuseum.org. Tickets not purchased in advance are offered, if available, at a higher price.

More information is available at FernbankMuseum.org.

EXPLORE ANTARCTICA’S LIVELY PAST IN FERNBANK’S NEWEST EXHIBIT ‘ANTARCTIC DINOSAURS’

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 10/10/21

Opening This Weekend with Special Events, Exhibit to Run Oct. 9, 2021 – Jan. 2, 2022
Museum to also Debut “Dinosaurs of Antarctica’ Film + Welcomes Paleontologist + Paleobotanist from Feature

Antarctica hasn’t always been icy and barren. Around 200 million years ago, it was a lush, temperate region, home to crocodile-sized amphibians and rhinoceros-sized dinosaurs. On Oct. 9, Fernbank Museum’s newest exhibition, ‘Antarctic Dinosaurs,’ will reveal this lost world. Visitors will be able to see and touch real fossils from Antarctica, along with full-sized replicas showing how the dinosaurs and their habitat would have looked during this time.

The exhibition will contain artifacts from both historical and modern expeditions, including the sledge used by one of the first Antarctic adventurers over 100 years ago and the thick red parkas worn by scientists exploring Antarctica today. Visitors will get a sense of what goes into living and working in the coldest spot on earth.

After exploring the science being conducted in Antarctica, guests will discover the fruits of this labor: dinosaurs. With real bones and artifacts on display, guests will get a first-hand look at the most remarkable findings from the icy continent. Along with real artifacts, guests will experience naturalistic dioramas, featuring life-like sculptures of a variety of dinosaurs from Antarctica. These dioramas and sculptures paint an intricate picture of what Antarctica once looked like hundreds of millions of years ago.

The exhibition features four species of dinosaur: the 25-foot-long predator Cryolophosaurus (“frozen crested lizard,” named for the bony ornamentation on its head), the rhino-sized herbivore Glacialisaurus and two new species that haven’t even been scientifically described yet. These new dinosaurs are sauropodomorphs, early relatives of two giant long-necked, four-legged herbivores like Brachiosaurus and titanosaurs.

“This year marks the 20th anniversary of Fernbank’s Giants of the Mesozoic exhibition, so it seems only fitting that we would host another ground-breaking dinosaur exhibition,” said Fernbank’s VP of Programming Bobbi Hohmann. “Antarctic Dinosaurs is a spectacular exhibition that showcases dinosaurs that our visitors have likely never seen before, as well as the extremes scientists go through to make these kinds of amazing discoveries and contributions to science.”

‘Antarctic Dinosaurs’ also comes with interactive elements. As guests make their way through an Antarctic “expedition” they can touch a stone housing real fossils from Antarctica, explore tectonic plates through puzzles, discover the science behind the polar lights and midnight sun and see how the continents once fit together.

Tickets and Visitor Information: ‘Antarctic Dinosaurs’ is included with general admission and is free for Fernbank members. Timed, online tickets are required in advance at FernbankMuseum.org at $20 for adults, $19 for seniors and $18 for children*. To purchase tickets or view pre-visit information, frequently asked questions, safety protocols and more, visit FernbankMuseum.org

‘Antarctic Dinosaurs’ will be on view daily from Saturday, October 9, 2021, through Monday, January 2, 2022, from 10am to 5pm, along with evening hours during Fernbank After Dark** on Oct. 8 (exclusive exhibit preview), Nov. 12 and Dec. 10.

*Tickets not purchased online are $19.95-$21.95 and may not be available due to safety precautions that limit capacity. **Ages 21+ only.

EXPLORE TWO LIVE-ANIMAL EXHIBITS AT FERNBANK THIS SUMMER

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/7/21

Crocs: Ancient Predators in a Modern World’ and ‘Nature’s Ninja’ make their way to Fernbank Museum with special guests in tow 

  

Fernbank announces the opening of two new special exhibitions in time for summer. ‘Crocs: Ancient Predators in a Modern World’ and ‘Nature’s Ninjas: Defenses of the Animal Kingdom’ display a vast array of live animals that take guests to almost every corner of the animal world.

Whether exploring the rich and complex lives of crocodiles or discovering the many different defense mechanisms used by animals, guests will be surrounded by live animals throughout the exhibit. Through interpretative panels as well as live and modeled dioramas, guests will learn more about the magnificent animals these two exhibits display. Both exhibits will run from Saturday, June 5 through Monday, September 6, 2021.

Crocs: Ancient Predators in a Modern World 

‘Crocs’ takes guests on an expedition through everything crocodile from their evolutionary history to modern crocodilian biology and even their precarious relationship with humans throughout history. Via a series of dioramas, some living and some modeled, guests are taken on a tour of the world of the crocodile.

Live crocodile species featured in ‘Crocs’ include the shy African Dwarf Crocodile, the endangered Siamese Crocodile and the Slender-snouted Crocodile, found throughout the tropical rainforests of Central America.

Interactive models include Bring a Fossil to Life where guests can create a 3D-animation of a long-extinct croc, Crunch Capacity giving guests the chance to test their strength against a crocodile’s bite force and, Build a Crocodylomorph providing visitors a virtual field notebook to work from to assemble a variety of ancient crocs.

Other exhibit highlights include:

  • Thechampsa skull – The 13-million-year-old jaws of this massive fish-eating crocodylomorph (the group that includes modern crocodilians) is an example of the super-giant crocs of the past.
  • Dwarfs – The delicate preserved skeleton of Hoplosuchus, a tiny insect-eating relative of modern crocs, was a long-legged runner that probably ate insects!
  • Croc Talk – Learn to speak “croc” in under 5 minutes with this interactive station. Activate real croc calls and learn what scientists think they mean
  • Croc Bytes – Test your crocodilian IQ with fun facts and croc trivia.
  • Gomek – The largest crocodile ever exhibited in the Western Hemisphere was caught on the Fly River of New Guinea in the 1960s. Gomek was believed to be a man-eater by local villagers, but later became a symbol for crocodile conservation in Australia and the United States. A life-sized model of this enormous animal allows visitors to get closer than otherwise possible to a giant “salty.”

These are just some of the highlights of the many displays and dioramas that ‘Crocs’ explores. ‘Crocs: Ancient Predators in a Modern World’ was created by Peeling Productions at Clyde Peeling’s REPTILAND.

Nature’s Ninjas: Defenses of the Animal Kingdom 

Ninjas have been known for their unbelievable survival tactics. They have employed deception, stealth, forgery, armor and advanced chemistry to defend themselves throughout history. The animal kingdom is full of creatures employing these tactics to survive. Come explore some of the world’s most adaptable animals with Fernbank in ‘Nature’s Ninjas: Defenses of the Animal Kingdom’.

‘Nature’s Ninjas’ dives into a variety of defenses found in the animal kingdom including poison, venom, camouflage, mimicry, speed, size (both big and small) and more. Through live-animal displays and detailed graphic panels, guests will learn how these natural ninjas deploy their defenses in order to survive.

Live-animals featured in ‘Nature’s Ninjas’ include:

  • Green Tree Python (camouflage)
  • Veiled Chameleon (camouflage)
  • Three-banded Armadillo (armor)
  • Emperor Scorpions (autonomy)
  • Honduran Milk Snake (mimicry)
  • Poison Dart Frogs (poison)
  • American Porcupine (armor)

These are just seven of the 17 species featured in the exhibit, exploring 10 different defense mechanisms found in the animal kingdom. ‘Nature’s Ninjas’ also features daily live animal encounters programs outside of the exhibit space. These programs further explore the defense mechanisms used by animals on display and open up the floor for guests to pose any unanswered questions they might have from the exhibit.

‘Nature’s Ninjas: Defenses of the Animal Kingdom’ was designed and offered by Little Ray’s Nature Centres and FARE- Foundation for Animal Rescues.

‘Nature’s Ninjas’ and ‘Crocs’ are sponsored locally by Isdell Family Foundation.

Tickets and Visitor Information 

Both exhibits are included with general admission and is free for Fernbank members. Timed, online tickets are required in advance at FernbankMuseum.org at $20 for adults, $19 for seniors and $18 for children*.  To purchase tickets or view pre-visit information, frequently asked questions, safety protocols and more, visit FernbankMuseum.org

‘Crocs’ and ‘Nature’s Ninjas’ will be on view daily from Saturday, June 5 through Monday, September 6, 2021, from 10am to 5pm, along with evening hours during select events.

Special Programming 

Join Fernbank for the opening of ‘Crocs’ and ‘Nature’s Ninjas’ with an opening day event, ‘Scales and Tails’. Discover unique reptiles and amphibians from Fernbank’s animal collection and be one of the first to enjoy everything these two exhibits have to offer.

*Tickets not purchased online are $19.95-$21.95 and may not be available due to safety precautions that limit capacity.