There are so many ways to make learning fun for your kids, including taking them to local educational hot spots with an entertaining twist. Crème de la Crème of Alpharetta on Haynes Bridge Road strives to make learning science, reading, and art as fun as possible, and you can too when you visit some of the best educational destinations around the Alpharetta area. Here is our list of museums, parks, and exhibits around Alpharetta that you and your children have to check out.
Georgia Aquarium
“Whaleshark exhibit, Georgia Aquarium” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by brian.gratwicke
If you have a future marine biologist in your family, you’ve got to check out the Georgia Aquarium, which is one of the best in the entire country! This massive aquarium, located in Atlanta, is home to hundreds of species of fish and water-loving mammals.
Come watch a presentation on sea lions, sharks, or penguins to see how they eat, live, and communicate. Catch a show at the 4D theater to go under the sea. Or, just stroll around and say “hi” to your favorite animals, like turtles, dolphins, lizards, stingrays and manta rays, manatees, jellyfish, and so many colorful fish. Plus, learn how you can do your part in keeping the planet and its many waterways clean so that these animals can stay happy and healthy for generations to come.
Fulton County Library – Alpharetta Branch
Instill a love of reading and learning in your children by becoming a regular at your local Fulton County Library branch in Alpharetta. They host events like story time, book clubs, seasonal reading challenges, and special guests all throughout the year. Plus, there are classes, tutoring services, and groups for every age group, including adults.
You can also just spend a few hours each week exploring the shelves in the kids’ section for chapter books or simple read-along stories and the young adult and teen sections for the newest hit novels. And if your kids are ever in need of research for a project or paper, the librarians are of incredible help.
While you have access to everything the Alpharetta Branch has to offer, you and your kids can also take advantage of the events, classes, and book clubs held at other nearby branches, too. Visit the library’s website to see a full list of everything going on.
Atlanta History Center
Come spend the day at the Atlanta History Center to discover more about local, regional, and national history, explore the flora and fauna of the gardens, and get involved in some amazing events and programs. The Atlanta History Center campus is 33 acres of gardens, historic buildings and houses, and fantastic exhibits on everything from Native American influence on the region to Southern folk arts. You can also enroll your kids in the summer camp where they explore history through games, theater, arts and crafts, and other hands-on activities.
The best part is that you can bring the Atlanta History Center to your home. All you have to do is visit the center’s website and view the online collections they have available. You can also attend virtual events with authors, activists, artists, and other incredible speakers.
Center for Puppetry Arts
Whether your kids are fans of Sesame Street or the Muppets, they are sure to love the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. They can see the evolution of puppets across centuries and cultures and even see their favorite characters in person! That’s because the Center for Puppetry Arts is home to a collection of characters from Jim Henson, American puppeteer and creator of The Muppets and Fraggle Rock.
While walking around the museum looking at and watching videos of puppets can be fun, your family can also enjoy a live show to see popular characters and some of the museum’s favorites act out stories you know and love. Or, you can all learn how to make and operate puppets by attending one of the center’s engaging and hands-on workshops.
Children’s Museum of Atlanta
The Children’s Museum of Atlanta is a kids-focused destination packed full of educational activities that challenge children’s skills and promote their creativity through innovative play. One of the museum’s permanent exhibits is Fundamentally Food, which teaches children where food comes from and how we can turn it into delicious, nutritious meals. They get to meet the chickens and resident cow, shop for groceries, and then turn their (play) ingredients into dishes.
Other awesome exhibits include Step Up to Science, which offers multiple STEM-focused activities, like the magnetic race track and augmented reality wall, and a whirlwind of presentations on interesting scientific concepts. Kids can also enjoy a colorful and music-filled art studio, an engineering room that has them build water systems and other simple machines, and a world tour.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
If your kids love science and nature, the Fernbank Museum is the perfect educational destination for them! They can explore dinosaurs, ancient fossils, prehistoric peoples and places, and many more facets of the planet’s history. You can even stroll under dinosaur fossils that are a few stories tall! Or, head outside to WildWoods where you can play giant outdoor Jenga, checkers, or chess, or hop along the hopscotch trail.
Fernbank houses many live animals, too, like alligators and crocodiles. Visit “nature’s ninjas” like chameleons, dart frogs, and armadillos to learn how they use defensive tactics to survive against predators. Watch multiple bird species, including native and migratory birds, soar around the museum’s property.
If you’d rather sit back and enjoy an educational show, you can do that at Fernbank’s giant theater. Here they show science documentaries on regional animals, like those in Australia, and some of your favorite water-loving creatures, like sea lions and turtles, all in IMAX quality.Now that you know the area’s best educational destinations, you can plan a day trip with your children, no matter their age, and have a great time learning something new. Did we miss your favorite educational destination in and around Alpharetta? Let us know, and we’ll be sure to add it to our list!