New After-Hours Series “Fernbank After Dark” to Debut at Fernbank Museum

As part of an ongoing initiative to inspire an interest in and understanding of science and natural history, Fernbank Museum will debut it’s all-new, adults-only science series, Fernbank After Dark on Friday, February 10, 2017. Held from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on the second Friday of each month, Fernbank After Dark will feature themed experiences specific to the science-based topic of the month, as well as live music, films in the all-new Giant Screen Theater, small bites and a rotating menu of craft cocktails and beers from the brand-new Mesozoic Bar.

Fernbank After Dark’s launch party theme will be “Night at the Science Fair.” From 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., guests will be reminded of the playful experiments that enchanted their grade school science fairs, but will experience them with a twist catered to ages 21 and up. Fun and interactive features will have visitors vying with their friends as they create Alka-Seltzer rockets, produce dry ice bubbles and complete various Fernbank science challenges. The Georgia Tech Astronomy Club will also be onsite to give a glimpse into the depths of space beyond our atmosphere. Local musician Chelsea Shag, winner of Creative Loafing’s 2016 Best Local Mainstream Act, Song and Music Video, will take the stage at 9:45 p.m. and perform through the end of the event at 11 p.m.

“Guests will experience something different and exciting each time they attend Fernbank After Dark,” said Sara Brumfield, Fernbank’s Event and Beverage Manager. “We are excited to offer the Museum in an adults-only environment and are thrilled to work with a wide array of partners so that each event will spark an interest in something new for our visitors.”

Fernbank After Dark’s second event on March 10, 2017, will see the launch of the Science of Spirits Series. Event partners, including Orpheus Brewing, Eventide Brewing, American Spirit Works and Virgil Kaine Whiskey, will delve into the science behind how they brew, ferment, distill and develop their products in an interactive fashion.

In celebration of the Giant Screen Film, “Dream Big,” Fernbank After Dark’s April 14 theme will be “Engineering and Technology.” iOS developer Big Nerd Ranch will be onsite to demonstrate how the Internet of Things and chatbots work together. Fernbank will lead engineering activities such as creating a building out of playing cards and a bridge out of pasta.

On May 12, 2017, Cathead Vodka will partner with Fernbank for the second installment of the Science of Spirits Series, “Botanicals,” in which visitors will discover botanicals and their uses in gin and other spirits. Additional partners and activities will be announced soon.

During Fernbank After Dark, guests are invited to enjoy all of the Museum’s indoor exhibitions including A Walk Through Time in Georgia, Reflections of Culture, traveling temporary exhibitions and more. From May to September, Fernbank After Dark visitors will have access to Fernbank’s new outdoor experience, WildWoods.

Fernbank After Dark’s beverage menu will rotate seasonally and highlight local spirits and beers. Cocktails kicking off the series include an updated take on the classic Old Fashioned, featuring Virgil Kaine Rye Whiskey, Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur and bitters; the effervescent Fossil Fizz combining botanical gin and blackberry jam; and the refreshing Mad Hatter with Earl Gray-infused vodka, citrus and sugar. Fernbank has also partnered with craft breweries to offer beer selections from Atlanta favorites such as Creature Comforts, Wild Heaven, Second Self and more. Fernbank’s new Mesozoic Bar – a winding centerpiece with a shape reminiscent of a single helix RNA strand – will be over 42 feet long and will staff seven bartenders to ensure guests always have a beverage in hand as they explore the realm of the sciences at hand.

To fuel up for the night ahead, guests can stop by the Fernbank Café from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. for a special small plate menu offered only during Fernbank After Dark. Sample offerings include a hummus trio plate featuring roasted red pepper and feta, cumin and black bean, and roasted garlic hummus; chorizo and manchego empanadas; and fried artichokes with lemon-Parmesan aioli.

Films will be shown at Fernbank After Dark in the Giant Screen Theater at 8 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Films showing at “Night at the Science Fair” on February 10 will be The Search for Life in Space and Extreme Weather 3D. The Search for Life in Space takes viewers from the depths of the Pacific Ocean to the ice moons of Jupiter and Saturn and into the far reaches of space in search of planets like ours. Debuting as the first 3D film to ever show in Fernbank’s Giant Screen Theater, Extreme Weather 3D takes moviegoers on a dramatic journey with storm-chaser and filmmaker Sean Casey to destinations with extreme weather conditions including wildfires in the Western United States and deadly tornadoes in the plains.

HOURS AND TICKETS: Fernbank After Dark will be held the second Friday of each month from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Activities and demonstrations will be held from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Live music will be featured from 9:45 p.m. to 11 p.m. Fernbank’s Café will serve small plates from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Mesozoic Bar will serve drinks from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Films will be shown in the Giant Screen Theater at 8 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Food and drinks are offered a la carte.

General Admission for Fernbank After Dark is $15 plus tax. General Admission and a Giant Screen Film ticket is $20 plus tax. General Admission for members is $10 plus tax. General Admission and a Giant Screen Film ticket for members is $15 plus tax. Tickets to Fernbank After Dark can be purchased online in advance at fernbankmuseum.org or at the box office. Visitors must be 21+ to attend Fernbank After Dark. No one under 21 years of age will be admitted.