Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Press Release

ATLANTA—Fernbank Museum of Natural History will bring back its most popular special exhibition, Frogs: A Chorus of Colors, for an encore presentation beginning Wednesday, September 19, 2007*. The exhibition features a colorful assortment of live frogs from around the world.

After a blockbuster performance at Fernbank Museum in 2005, these colorful amphibians are leaping back to Atlanta by popular demand. Flaunting their famous abilities to hop, croak and camouflage, more than 100 live frogs will reveal the spectrum of colors they bring to the natural world with artistically-patterned hues of brilliant oranges, bright blues, dazzling reds and gorgeous greens.

As visitors learn that not every frog looks like the common American bullfrog, they see that frogs can be as small as a half-inch or as heavy as seven pounds.  Brown or bright, big or small, and smooth or bumpy, 19 varied species of frogs will call Fernbank home in self-contained, custom habitats featuring waterfalls, moss, plants, trees and other nature-inspired settings.

At first glance, many visitors may only see green moss when they look into a lush habitat.  But with a discerning eye, they’ll soon realize that some of the “moss” has eyes as the Vietnamese mossy frog reveals how these amphibians are masters of disguise. To the contrary, visitors learn that dart poison frogs use their bright hues to warn predators that they should not be considered as part of the typical food-chain menu. As with many brightly colored species in the natural world, a brightly-colored frog often means it’s hazardous to a predator’s health.

The exhibition allows visitors to get eye-to-eye with frogs from around the world, including gravity-defying tree frogs, chubby bullfrogs, stout toads, elegant dart poison frogs and saucer-shaped ornate horned frogs. The amphibians on display come from Madagascar, China, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Vietnam and other exotic locations. Their biology, natural history, importance to ecosystems and role in human culture also is explored.

“Their vivid colors, surprising adaptations and fascinating life cycles give frogs a universal appeal,” said Heather Heimmer, Fernbank’s Director of Environmental Education. “Because of their absorbent skin, amphibians are also early indicators of environmental health.  Now more than ever, frog populations are under threat due to pollutants, disease and habitat decline, so we are excited to bring this popular exhibit back to Atlanta as a timely reminder. Fernbank hopes to raise awareness about the beauty, diversity and importance of frogs, so our visitors will want to do their part to conserve them in the wild.”

Frogs: A Chorus of Colors includes interactive components that make the exhibition a hands-on, minds-on adventure. From “Frog Guts” to a “Chorus,” visitors can perform a virtual frog dissection or compose a musical sing-a-long by overlapping a series of recorded frog calls. “Frogsperts” can also test their Frog IQ, check their field of vision against a frog’s, guess the differences between frogs and toads, and watch videos of frogs jumping, swimming, walking, gliding and climbing.

A collection of spectacular, close-up photographs by world-renowned wildlife photographers Joe and Mary Ann McDonald, John Netherton, and Michael and Patricia Fogden are featured in panels alongside the live animals to offer a stunning glimpse into the diversity and habitats of frogs.

Fernbank Museum President and CEO, Susan Neugent, expects the encore presentation of this exhibition to be as successful as ever, especially among those who have already seen it and those who missed it previously.

“We saw a lot of repeat visitation for Frogs in 2005 because visitors want to witness what the animals are doing from day to day. Judging by the number of phone calls we’ve received asking if it will return, we expect this exhibition to be just as popular in 2007,” Neugent said. “We’ve never brought a special exhibition back for a second run, but this is such a special opportunity to experience nature through live animals that kids, adults and families alike really connect with it.”  

Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland, an institution accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, created Frogs: A Chorus of Colors. The exhibition is included with Museum admission and will be on view at Fernbank Museum of Natural History from September 19, 2007 through January 6, 2008. Frogs is presented by AT&T and sponsored in part by Delta Air Lines, Inc.; AGL Resources, Inc.; Primerica through Citi Foundation; and Publix Super Markets Charities.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road in Atlanta and is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Museum tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for students/seniors, $11 for children 12 and under, and free for members. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 404.929.6400. For more information, visit www.fernbankmuseum.org or call 404.929.6300.

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*Dates are subject to change.

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