Owned and funded by the DeKalb County School System, this museum/planetarium/observatory, located adjacent to the 65-acre Fernbank Forest, is an educational partner of the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Plan to visit the entire complex the same day. There's a 1 1/2-mile forest trail here, with trees, shrubs, ferns, wildflowers, mosses, and other plants marked for identification, and an extensive rose garden next door to the museum.
The indoor facility houses museum exhibits such as a video display on geological phenomena (volcanoes, earthquakes, mountain formation); a gem collection; development of life in Georgia from 500 million years ago to a million years ago; a complete weather station; fossil trees; the original Apollo 6 space capsule and space suit (on loan from the Smithsonian); computer games; a replica of the Okefenokee Swamp, complete with sound effects; and models of dinosaurs that roamed Atlanta in prehistoric times. There are planetarium shows, and, at the Observatory, which contains the largest telescope in the world dedicated to public education, an astronomer gives talks and helps visitors use the telescope.
156 Heaton Park Dr. NE.Phone: 404/378-4311.Open: Mon 8:30am-5pm; Tues-Fri 8:30am-10pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 1-5pm. Planetarium shows Tues-Fri 8pm; Wed and Fri-Sun 3:30pm. The Observatory is open Thurs-Fri 8 (or whenever it gets dark)-10:30pm, weather permitting. Live look at the night sky 11pm. Forest trails open Sun-Fri 2-5pm; Sat 10am-5pm.Admission free. Planetarium shows $2 adults, $1 students; seniors free. Note: Children under age 5 not admitted to the planetarium, but there are special children's shows with an admission charge of 50¢.Closed most school holidays.From downtown, go east on North Avenue to Piedmont and turn left. Turn right on Ponce de Leon, drive 4 1/2 miles and turn left at the light onto Atwood Road. Turn right on Heaton Park Drive and Fernbank is on the left across from Fernbank Elementary School.
