The Signal visited a few of metro-Atlanta’s most popular field trip locations to see what they were up to for the holidays. Staff members walked the through the familiar exhibit halls to see what hadn’t changed over the years. Maybe your favorite made the list and you can take the opportunity (and a trip back in time) to experience what they have planned this holiday season.
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site
If you go to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site on a weekday, chances are you’ll be inundated with school children. The center, located in the Sweet Auburn district, is a popular field trip spot for local schools. Still, Park Ranger M. Gomez said people often revisit as adults when their appreciation and understanding of history deepen.
“As an adolescent, everything goes in one ear and out [of] the other,” Gomez said.
The national historic site surrounds the birth home of Dr. King, located on Auburn Avenue, giving visitors an in-depth look at the civil rights movement and King’s life.
Visiting the center is free and includes a tour of several civil rights exhibitions, including the King’s childhood home and Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King and his father served as co-pastors. His funeral was also held at the historic church after he was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. in 1968. The crypts of King and his wife Coretta Scott King are also located on the grounds.
The center requires a reservation for anyone interested in touring the home of Dr. King, but the rest of the tour is self-guided.
Fire Station No. 6 and Freedom Hall, an exhibit honoring Dr. and Mrs. King, Rosa Parks and Mahatma Gandhi are temporarily closed. Gomez explained this is because the historic site’s staff has drastically decreased as a result of furloughs, budget cuts and sequestration.
According to the official website, the center is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, but Park Ranger Judy Forte said the holiday season is still a busy time for the center because a lot of families come to visit.
“The day after Thanksgiving is really busy,” Forte said.
Fernbank Science Center
The Fernbank Science Center, located off Ponce de Leon Avenue and just across from the former Fernbank Elementary School, doesn’t seem to have changed much over the years. The exhibit hall remains free for admission and still features various plants and animals, ranging from a giant tyrannosaurus rex that greets visitors to a black bear tucked away in the forest. Tours are self-guided.
Still a common destination for field trips, the Fernbank Science Center has catered many of its holiday activities to children. This year’s theme is “A Season of Giving for the Kids.” From Dec. 2 through Dec. 14, the Science Center will collect donations for the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Toys for Tots.
For an extra dose of nostalgia, any donations brought the night of Dec. 13 will serve as admission into the planetarium shows “Snow Flake Puzzle” and “Seasons of Lights.” The fun continues with the Sound of the Seasons performance by a DeKalb County elementary school chorus, during which guests are sure to hear holiday favorites.
Additionally, the following Friday, Dec. 20, is another opportunity to give to children. During the Winter Solstice celebration in the planetarium, visitors are invited to don their pajamas and gaze at the constellations visible in December. The admission for this event, a brand new teddy bear, will go to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
As an added bonus during the holiday season, each event night that the sky is clear, visitors are invited to check out the view from the telescope in the science center’s observatory.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
The Fernbank Museum of Natural History is putting on a special WInter Wonderland celebration on Nov. 23. The museum’s several Christmas trees will be decorated by consulates of various countries in their traditional way. The museum will also feature a “Santa-saurus” and a presentation of traditional Chinese dance and culture.
The same day will include segments from Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker by Atlanta Ballet’s Centre for Dance Education, as well as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police hat activity by Canada’s consulate general. Additionally, Dunaire Elementary School will perform holiday songs and the Atlanta Junior Ceili Band from the Atlanta Irish Music School will do a traditional Irish dance.
Throughout the holiday season, the museum will be showing popular holiday movies each Saturday from Nov. 30 to Dec. 21. In addition to the movies, each Saturday will include various arts and crafts and other holiday-themed activities.
As always, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History features exhibits on chilldhood favorites such as dinosaurs and animal habitats. The featured exhibit throughout the holiday season is on the travels of Marco Polo.
Keep track of events by visiting http://fernbankmuseum.org/visit-fernbank/events-activities/holly-jolly-film-fest.
