Interactive Science Museums in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia, is known for a lot of things, but one attraction you don’t often hear about is the science museums in and around the city. For anyone looking for a fun, interactive way to explore in Atlanta, these science museums are just the thing.

Tellus Science Museum

This 120,000 square foot museum is located just north of Atlanta. Visitors can engage with a fossil dig, a gem panning hands-on experience, an observatory, and a planetarium. The Tellus Science Museum is a Smithsonian Institute Affiliate Museum that houses four major galleries: Weinman Mineral Gallery, Fossil Gallery, Science in Motion Gallery, and My Big Backyard.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

This museum is Atlanta’s largest science museum with about 160,000 square feet of exhibition space. Within this museum, visitors can participate in science experiences that test the five senses. Visitors can also learn more about Georgia’s ancient natural history, as well as view skeletons of some of the world’s most enormous dinosaurs.

David J. Sencer CDC Museum

As the name predicts, this museum lets visitors get to know the CDC. Learn about its history and the science behind keeping people healthy. Visitors can also take a look at public health around the world and the CDC’s involvement in discovering, treating, preventing, and eradicating diseases, such as polio, Legionnaires disease, Ebola, and more. The best part? Entry is free during business hours Monday through Friday.

Michael C. Carlos Museum

Located on the campus of Emory University, this museum offers a display you can’t find anywhere else in the metro area: historic Egyptian antiquities. In other words, mummies! The mummy collection is the main attraction as it gives visitors a peek inside the mummification practice, the history of mummification, as well as a look at Egyptian art. The mummy display also includes the coffin and coffin board of Tanakhtnettahat, nested coffins of Lawttayesheret, and coffin of Nebetit.