Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Press Release

ATLANTA—Fernbank Museum of Natural History has always been a destination for exciting and educational family fun. In 2007, Fernbank will offer a series of Family Fun Days featuring hands-on activities, crafts, performances and more for families to enjoy.

“These programming days are an exciting added value for our visitors and Museum members,” said Cindy Sheehy, Manager of Family and Children’s Programming. “Each of these Family Fun Days is a great way for visitors of all ages to learn about subjects like culture, nature, archaeology and paleontology through engaging experiences that build upon the concepts presented in our exhibitions and films.”

Fernbank Museum’s family day offerings kick-off with the opening of the Museum’s new permanent exhibition, Reflections of Culture, on January 20. Programming includes performances by students from the International Club of Clarkston High School; Ritmo Blu World Percussion Trio; and Lisa Chyn An Fong Dance Ensemble. There will also be an Inuit-related craft, a scavenger hunt to help visitors explore the exhibit and story telling with Rob Cleveland.

The Family Fun Days will continue throughout 2007, celebrating everything from exhibition openings, the seasons of the year, reptiles, archaeology and more! A complete schedule* with descriptions follows:

Reflections of Culture Opening Day Celebration
Saturday, January 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Don’t miss the opening day of Fernbank’s new permanent exhibition, Reflections of Culture. The celebration will feature activities highlighting cultures from around the world, includes live performances and more.

Lizards & Snakes: Alive! Opening Day Celebration
Saturday, February 10, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
Celebrate the opening of the special exhibition, Lizards and Snakes: Alive! Don’t miss live animal encounters, reptile-themed crafts, hands-on activities, a display of native reptiles courtesy of the Georgia Herpetological Society and more.

Read Across America
Saturday, March 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Commemorate the birthday of beloved author Dr. Seuss with a special event presented in conjunction with the Georgia Association of Educators, the National Education Association and the Dr. Seuss Foundation. Join us for storytelling, crafts and a few surprise guests.

Ready! Set! SPRING!
Saturday, March 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Take a closer look at the plant and animal life that you find sprouting each spring at this NEW family fun day. We will get to the “root” of the season through crafts and demonstrations.

Girl Scout Day
Sunday, April 15, noon to 5 p.m.
Girl Scouts are invited to enjoy a special day of Museum exploration, animal encounters and “career chats” with Fernbank educators. Special Museum badge activities will be available for download on Fernbank’s Web site.

Archaeology Day
Saturday, May 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Celebrate Georgia Archaeology Awareness Month with archaeology-themed crafts, activities and special demonstrations focusing on Native American crafts and technologies.

Reptile Day
Saturday, July 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Get up close and personal with some of nature’s most misunderstood creatures—reptiles. An assortment of reptiles and amphibians will be on display and members of the Georgia Herpetological Society will be on hand to answer questions and educate guests on the importance of these animals.

Dinosaur Birthday Bash
Saturday, August 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Celebrate the world’s largest dinosaurs with a day of fun-filled, dinosaur-themed activities, including a giant-sized birthday party in commemoration of the sixth anniversary of the permanent exhibition Giants of the Mesozoic.

Frogs: A Chorus of Colors Opening Day Celebration
Saturday, September 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
Join us for “frogtastic” family fun as we celebrate the return of the blockbuster special exhibition Frogs: A Chorus of Colors. Enjoy live animal encounters, crafts, hands-on activities and more.

Bugs, Bats and Bones Day
Saturday, October 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Explore what’s cool about Halloween with special hands-on activities investigating some of Halloween’s most recognized icons: bugs, bats and bones.

Annual Family Holiday Event
Sunday, December 2, noon to 5 p.m.
Ring in the holiday season with traditional and frog-themed activities. Inspired by the special exhibition Frogs: A Chorus of Colors, the event includes performances, crafts, storytelling and more.

Activities for Family Day are included with Museum admission: $13 for adults, $12 for students and seniors and $11 for children age 3-12. Children two and under receive free admission. For only $5 more per ticket you can enhance your visit with the experience of an IMAX® film. For more information, visit www.fernbankmuseum.org.

*Dates and titles subject to change.

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