You may not expect to find a thriving forest just minutes from the hustle and bustle of downtown Atlanta, much less one that's home to giant sculptures of insects, animals, nests and flowers--but that's just what you'll find at Fernbank Museum of Natural History's new outdoor exhibit Habitat.
After following the elevated walkway into Wildwood, one of Fernbank's outdoor areas, guests travel "through" habitats and biomes found around the globe and explore the importance of preserving these natural communities through large-scale sculptures, including a giant grasshopper, butterfly, praying mantis and dragonfly, as well as nests, flowers, honeycomb and more, commissioned by Fernbank in partnership with local artists.
Habitat invites you to learn more about topics related to habitats, their importance to life and what people can do to help preserve them. In total, there are nine thematic sections that make-up the exhibition, leading guests through Fernbank's outdoor areas and on a unique nature expedition.
As you enter WildWoods, discover larger-than-life Nests, displaying massive eagle's and oriole's nests recreations, as well as nests from other birds, including an owl hole and more.
Explore the Sign of the Dragonfly through stunning sculptures and informative displays, discover what organisms call fallen trees and stumps home in Dead Wood is Life and uncover the importance of flight among flora and fauna in an environment through Habitat of Flight.
Wind through Nature Gallery and discover the Bug B&B, housing multiple larger-than-life insect sculptures such as a praying mantis, grasshopper and a caterpillar with chrysalis. Other smaller-scale sculptures include two bee sculptures and a butterfly-with-flower sculpture.
See magnificent monarch butterfly sculptures in Monarch and Meadows, and take advantage of two butterfly photo-ops with Georgia's state butterfly, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and a monarch butterfly.
Learn about the plants, animals and other organisms that call four distinct biomes home: Rainforest, Desert, Tundra and Aquatic. Found near Fernbank's Kendeda Pavilion, Life in the Balance, Biomes features intricate, delicately painted cut-outs of these biomes and the organisms that call them home.
Developed by Smithsonian Gardens and made available by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), "Habitat" will be on display along ADA-accessible paths in WildWoods from Saturday, April 17 through Sunday, August 29, 2021.
See it with CityPASS® Tickets and Save
CityPASS® admission grants you discounted access to must-see attractions like the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Zoo Atlanta, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, College Football Hall of Fame and National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Whether you're a visitor or a resident, grab your Atlanta CityPASS® tickets so you can experience more for less.