Fernbank After Dark Review: Adult Science Nights

Want a unique date night in Atlanta? You’ll want to check out Fernbank After Dark, the adult-only night of science and fun at Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

Kevin and I first went to the premier of the Fernbank After Dark series way back in 2017, and we’ve done a bunch of these Fernbank Museum after dark events since. They’re a whole lot of fun and make for a great nerdy date night!

Here’s everything you need to know about this 21+ experience.

Fernbank After Dark Review

Fernbank Museum of Natural History kicked off this adult night event in 2017, and it’s proven to be a winner. Fernbank After Dark is just for adults 21+ to experience the fun of science along with some drinks, tapas, movies, and live music.

The event is offered the 2nd Friday of each month. The theme changes each month to explore different areas of scientific discovery. It’s always a lot of fun, and you’ll learn a lot too!

Fernbank Adult Night: What to Expect

The theme when we visited was Night at the Science Fair. With drinks in hand, we were transported back to our grade-school science fair days with fun experiments and activities to try out.

These activities are exactly the kinds of experiments you would find at an elementary school science fair, and some that you may even have already tried before.

We spent the evening making dry ice bubbles, making the most aerodynamic paper airplanes, trying to balance books inches above the table on one sheet of folded paper, launching Alka-Seltzer rockets, and dropping eggs without cracking them.

Fernbank After Dark Food and Drinks

There is food and drink for purchase at the event.

They serve light bites at the Fernbank Café and drinks from cash bars set up around the museum.

Prices for the cash bar range from $6 to $10 for beer, wine, and cocktails.

Exploring Fernbank Museum

During the event, we were also able to wander through the museum’s permanent and rotating indoor exhibits, which was perfect since neither of us had been to the museum before.

It’s also just really cool to be able to explore the Fernbank at night.

The Argentinosaurus and Giganotosaurus loomed over us as we waited in line for drinks from the Mesozoic Bar. Then we took A Walk Through Time In Georgia, exploring the state’s different geographic regions and the dinosaur gallery. If you’re attending during the warmer months, don’t miss out on walking through the WildWood outdoor exhibit.

We flew into the eye of a hurricane and created tornado’s in the special Wild Weather exhibit. We finished the night Sensing Nature, playing with optical illusions and dazzling our senses.

Read more about exploring the exhibits at Fernbank Museum of Natural History in my guide here.

What to Know About Fernbank After Dark Before You Go

Fernbank After Dark takes place on the 2nd Friday of each month. There’s a new theme every month, and sometimes they are holiday themed around Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas.

You can expect themes like Night At The Science Museum, Art + Science, Ecology + Mixology, Night of Knights, and more.

Fernbank After Dark Tickets

Tickets for Fernbank After Dark cost $39.95 for non-members and $34.95 for members when purchased in advance. When purchased at the box office, tickets cost $2 more, so I definitely recommend booking online ahead of time.

The event takes place after hours at the museum from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. It is exclusively for ages 21+ and makes for an amazing date night in Atlanta!

Fernbank After Dark Dress Code

Fernbank After Dark has no dress code. You can wear whatever you’d like (within reason, of course), so no need to dress up if you don’t want to.

Most people opt to wear something for a casual date night.

Fernbank After Dark FAQ

• 50+ Things to Do In Atlanta After 5 p.m.
• The Best Rooftop Bars in Atlanta, Georgia
• 2 Days in Atlanta, Georgia: The Perfect Weekend Itinerary
• When Is the Best Time to Visit Atlanta?

---

Ready to visit Atlanta, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.

• Get Familiar With the City: Check out my Ultimate Guide to Atlanta to help plan your trip!
• Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
• Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Atlanta using Booking.com.
• Save on Attractions: Save 46% on admission to Atlanta’s top attractions using the Atlanta CityPASS.

---

Cheers!

Paige

Was this review of Fernbank After Dark helpful? Are you ready to explore the Fernbank Museum after dark? Let me know in the comments!