The Big Adventure

Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta has been plotting the perfect summer day for your family. “The Big Adventure” is newly opened at the downtown museum and will continue through the summer. Fresh off the traveling exhibit train from the Houston Children’s Museum, The Big Adventure features a host of mental and physical challenges even older kids will enjoy. Equipped with rock walls, dark tunnels, giant rope webs and building ledges, this experience encourages kids to be gutsy and use their critical-thinking skills.
“This exhibit is a lot of fun because it teaches children how to take risks and helps with developing learning skills,” says Karen Kelley, director of exhibits and education at the children’s museum. Kelley recommends setting aside at least two hours at the museum. Re-entry is allowed if kids want a break. One way to get that break: running through the fountains just across the street in Centennial Olympic Park.
The Big Adventure continues through Sept. 9. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 275 Centennial Park Drive NW, Atlanta. 404-659-5437; childrensmuseumatlanta.org. Adults and ages 2 and older, $12.75; younger than 2, free. “Target Second Free Tuesday” means admission is free on the second Tuesday of each month.

 

The Scoop on Poop

We can learn a lot from an animal’s poop: where it’s been, where it might be now, what it likes to eat, and more. The Fernbank Museum of Natural History has “The Scoop on Poop,” a new interactive exhibit that continues through Sept. 3. This exhibit teaches kids that when we study what animals leave behind, we learn more about how they live. Live critters will be featured in this exhibit: box turtles, mice and hissing cockroaches. Visitors can learn how animals use their waste to build homes, hide from predators, stay cool and even attract mates.
Lynn Anders, Fernbank’s animal programs manager, says that this exhibit is great for all ages of kids. “Everybody poops, and this is a chance for it to tell us about how animals live.” Along with Fernbank’s permanent collections, the Scoop on Poop can be viewed all summer. Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. 767 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta. 404-929-6300; fernbankmuseum.org. Adults, $17.50; ages 3-12, $15.50; 2 and younger, free.

– Kate Wallace

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