Fernbank Museum | 3D Theater | Forest

What an amazing science and nature museum! The moment you walk in, you're greeted by a truly impressive sight - a massive dinosaur skeleton display that immediately sets the tone for the adventure ahead. I couldn't help but feel dwarfed standing next to these enormous prehistoric creatures! The natural history exhibits really blew me away, especially their extensive collection of animal skeletons. From tiny rodents to massive mammals and rare species, it was fascinating to compare the different bone structures and sizes. The way they've organized the displays makes it easy to understand how different animals evolved and adapted. This place is definitely designed with kids in mind, but as an adult, I had just as much fun! There are plenty of interactive science exhibits where children can burn off energy while learning - I saw lots of excited kids running from one hands-on activity to another. The educational value is obvious, but it's all presented in such an engaging way that it never feels like a boring science lesson. We also explored their outdoor area, NatureQuest, which is like a whole other museum in itself! While walking through the trails and elevated walkways, I noticed lots of lighting equipment and special setups throughout the forest. They host something called "Fernbank After Dark" with special nighttime programs (definitely on my list for next visit!). Even though we missed the evening events, the daytime forest walk was peaceful and beautiful.

A great museum for a family getaway especially. There were exhibitions in the works and to be honest not a lot to explore. But great for kids. The track is also quite beautiful. My wife and I visited this place and enjoyed some quiet time and beautiful weather.

I came here for the after dark glow event and it was a wonderful time. The museum is decorated with many light fixtures and live jazz music. I really enjoyed the outdoor section especially the mushroom area. I thought it was magical and just a great way to spend a Friday evening. There were plenty of drinks stations inside as well. We also saw the butterfly 3D movie which was fun. I highly recommend this experience

This was my daughter's second time going and she had a blast with all of the hands on learning and fun places to play. I love that it's not an overwhelmingly large museum and can easily be done in a couple hours if you don't plan on walking all of the paths. The only thing I would mention is that parking can get a bit crowded within the first hour of opening, but when we left in the afternoon, many spots had opened back up.

My family and kiddo loved all the exhibits. We also enjoyed all the walking and play areas very much. The last thing we did ended the day on a bit of a sour note. The cities movie is not what we should be teaching children. If we knew it was all about global warming, we would not have brought our kid in to watch. Lots of misinformation for young minds. We should be catering to children and science, with a little less politics. All in all, it was a fun visit!

Most of the exhibits are interesting. We came on Saturday afternoon, and it was not overly crowded (except elevator, see accessibility notes below). I wish I'd come for Wildwoods: AGLOW instead, but I didn't realize that was happening when I booked the tickets because the tickets for it are in a separate place on the site. Make sure you have time to meander and read and enjoy; 2 hrs is not nearly enough, in my opinion. Indoor areas are pretty accessible for wheelchairs. I appreciate that I had an easier time than some museums that claim to be accessible - fully functional automatic doors, no big bumps on the floor, and few narrow paths. But the elevator was slow and tied up by strollers and families. Carpeted areas in A Walk Through Time in Georgia make it harder to push wheelchairs too. Also, note that people who can't use stairs have to enter the theater on the second floor (entry floor), not the star gallery on the first floor with everyone else (not an issue, just FYI). We did not have time for outdoor areas, and it was rainy. The website says parts of Fernbank Forrest are not ADA accessible, and Wildwoods is, but requires some retracing paths to avoid stairs.

The kids loved the museum. We spent around 3 hours there. Plenty of things to see and do. Most of the time was spent at the play and exploration area. The outside trail and play area was the best for the kids. The 3D movie was great with awesome shots. Would definitely go back.

Lots of walking. Be prepared. The pond is truly nothing special to see. Oh the disappointment after walking all the way out there!!🤦🏾‍♀️ And don't use vending machines. They stole my money. Everything else was awesome!! We truly enjoyed our visit.

I'd heard a lot about this from one of the gentleman who helped start It up back in the day, and it proved to be the perfect, albeit unconventional date night! For only about $12 a person, you get to see an IMAX movie (you can see what is playing online) and an evening of live music, dancing and wonderful atmosphere. Drinks will set you back about $9 for a cocktail/martini and a bit less for beer/wine and the food (mostly tapas style) is about $6-$14 per dish, but for a Friday night out, it is not bad. My date and I didn't really know what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised to walk into the grand atrium to find a mass of couples dancing to the smooth jazz. I am not much of a dancer, but how fun to watch, and the band (a New Orleans based Jazz band, I think) were wonderful. You can look online ahead of time to see what band/DJ will be performing the night you are interested in. Their cocktails, albeit not big, were strong and well made. We ordered a "New Old Fashioned" (doc holliday rye whiskey, hum botanical liqueur, simple syrup, orange bitters, orange twist, cherry) and one of their seasonal cocktails (I can't remember the name) that was made with lime and ginger beer. Both were delicious and gone before our movie even started. We elected to see the "Galapagos" IMAX film and we both "oooh"-ed and "ahhhh"-ed the whole time through and gushed about "marine iguanas" and "blue-footed boobies" (yes, child-man date did laugh hysterically every time this one was discussed) to our uninterested friends the rest of the weekend. However, I think that any of the IMAX options would've been just as captivating. I know it sounds pretty awful, but I LOVED feeling a little smarter after a night out. We'll be going back in the future. If you need a classy, unique but totally fun date idea- DO THIS!

I recently attended the Night of the Kraken event at Fernbank. It was a fun time with live music, a fantastic mythical beasts exhibit, a great IMAX flick about ancient Greece and those very strong martinis that Friday is known for. Highly recommended--Fernbank, the IMAX movie and the Martinis at IMAX event. Try it, you will like it!

I went here on a date this past weekend. I've heard of it before, and my friend recommended it so I thought I'd give it a try. We arrived around 8pm and after circling both parking lots we accepted that there was already no parking (get there early). We ended up parking on the street in front of the museum. We were one of the first to park out there so I was nervous about getting a parking ticket but quickly after, everyone started parking out there. We walked in and there were two lines. One was for the salsa event and the other was for IMAX and Martinis. I went to my respective line to get the tickets I bought online. I then had to go right back to the entrance for the salsa event. This became confusing really fast because I couldn't tell where that event ended and mine began. It turned out that it was all one big event but at 9pm I could use my tickets to go into the IMAX theater. We went down the stairs and somehow found a seat. We watched the salsa lessons for a while. People really seemed to enjoy it. I went to the bar and ordered one of the drink specials. It was pretty good. $8 for a coconut margarita. Not much different from you're average bar. After a few minutes of watching the salsa event we were ready to watch the movie and go... 9pm was finally approaching so we went upstairs to wait in line. We got into the theater and the screen was huge. The seats were a little shabby but its ok. The first 15-20 minutes of the movie were fascinating but after that, the last 20 minutes or so dragged on. Maybe if I brought another drink in it would've been better. I thought we would be able to see more of the actual museum but as far as I know, all of the exhibits were closed. We did get to be up close and personal with the dinosaur. Overall, I'm glad to be able to say I finally checked it out for myself but I don't think I would go out of my way to go back. It was kinda boring. Maybe you'll like it better than we did.

Had a very enjoyable night here. Definitely search for small plates as they are across from the drinks. Fried artichokes were so delicious! The Imax movie was primary school level science, so i was bored but the rest was fun!

We have visited Martinis and IMAX at the Fernbank twice (once for the Pandas movie and once for the Galapagos movie), and both times have been great! Tickets for two people will run about $30. The main social event takes place in the center atrium where the dinosaurs are located, but access to the event does not gain you access to tour the museum. There is live music, three bars (beer, wine, and liquor), and a cafe where you can order food and have it brought out to your table. There are a fair number of tables, but if you want to guarantee that you will get one then I suggest getting there early. I deducted one star from my rating due to the extremely slow service at the bars and the higher than normal drink prices. You can bring your drinks into the movies, which typically run about 40 minutes. The movies are beautiful and very informative! The food selection is pretty good and the portions are not bad. We ordered a pepperoni flat bread that was quite tasty and was delivered much quicker than the aforementioned bar service. Definitely an event we will attend again!

I'm going back almost three years on this review so I will be brief; but since I'm making a "Date Night" list and this was my first ever date with my amazing boyfriend, it has a special place in my heart and must be included. While I think any first date with my fine gentleman would have been magical, this spot really had it all. 1.) Booze to loosen us up 2.) IMAX movie to allow us both to show off our intellectual sides 3.) Incredible people watching to allow us to show off our goofy, quick wit 4.) Dancing to allow us to get closer, while still goofing off and keeping it light. 5.) DINOSAURS! Having said all that, definitely eat dinner somewhere else. The food sucks.

Martinis at the Imax makes me feel all sex and the city-ish. I want to get all dolled up and sip artistically named martinis with the girls and chat about the days event. BUT every time I attend one of these I am left feeling over dressed. I tell myself before I leave home that I'm simply going to do the drinks and movie portion of the evening (which suits my dressier attire) but every time I arrive, they have a show that I can't refuse (Martini's and Imax are located at The Fern bank). The best yet for me was the viewing of Australia. Martinis at the Imax is a nice way to end a stressful day. The drinks are always really good I enjoy the live music that is played. They serve little appetizers but I opted not to try any. I love the setup of everything, shabby chic. I highly enjoyed my experience and I plan on returning in the future. I feel a UYE coming on ;-)

Whoever came up with Martinis & IMAX is brilliant. It's a smart concept, and, as I saw when my friends checked in on Facebook, the name is actually copyrighted. And I'm sure it's a pretty big money maker! To begin with, I love the Fernbank Museum! I almost feel a little bad saying this, considering I live a hop skip and jump from the Smithsonian museums. But the Fernbank has something really charming about it. It's on a huge piece of property and is quiet and pristine. The interior of the museum is gorgeous and I imagine is probably one of the most pretty (and unique!) wedding venues in all of Atlanta. The exhibits have enough cool stuff and information that the tickets are always worth it and I always enjoy what I've learned, but they're not so big and overwhelming that I feel like I need to spend an entire day there just to get through everything. AND they have a most amazing gift shop! They sell cool books, children's toys, and really, really cool jewelry, among other things. I actually would recommend their gift shop as a good place to buy gifts particularly for women who would appreciate unique pieces of jewelry (and most of it has nothing to do with science or natural history). So here is the lowdown: Martinis & IMAX happens on Friday nights. You pay a fee to get in and you head downstairs where there are tables set up, live music, cocktail bars and a small menu from which you can order food. The museum exhibits are all closed, and you do have to pay for the food and cocktails in addition to your entrance ticket. I went this Friday with a group of my girlfriends and we had a great time, as always! The cocktails are delicious and there are a good variety of them on the menu (they're not all martinis). You can walk around outside, or stay inside and enjoy the music. And this is all done around a giant dinosaur fossil as the centerpiece, which is an extra cool element. We did this for around 45 minutes or an hour, and then went back up to the theater. Your ticket includes entrance to an IMAX movie, and you can bring your cocktails with you. We happened to watch a movie about ocean creatures, but the Fernbank has a pretty steady rotation. The theater for the 8pm movie on Friday night was pretty full, which I think a testament to how popular Martinis & IMAX is in Atlanta. Ultimately, this is a really, really cool weekly event that I'm surprised hasn't been mimicked in other big cities. It's fun, it's low key, and it's smart. It's a great "pregame" type of activity before a night out, great for a more casual night where you still want to get out of the house, and also a really great date spot. Hats off to you, Fernbank. You have something super awesome on your hands that nobody like you has been able to duplicate!

Where else can you imbibe alcohol, climb some dizzying stairs and watch a documentary that has the potential to make some people nauseous? This is something everyone must do once while in Atlanta. A four may be a bit generous, but this is truly unique in Atlanta and so I give it the extra star. Make sure to bring friends if you go, it is just a much better time if you in a group. The best part of the night is probably when everyone's been drinking for a bit, and they go into the imax theater. Before they always start the film, they always warn you to put your head between your knees in the case you get sick. I suppose that throwing up on people's shoes is better than doing it all over the person sitting in front of you. I don't know who thought of the idea of providing alcoholic drinks before watching an Imax, but it was both a ridiculous and brilliant idea! The food isn't great there (though they've improved over the years) so I'd make other dinner arrangements, but having a drink or two under the gigantosaurus is always fun. If you absolutely must have food there, please stay away from the pizza. It isn't good. As for the crowd, it is very diverse. You will find anyone from early 20s to 60+ there. The dress is equally mixed, I've seen people very dressed up as if they are going to the opera to some who've gone extremely casual as if to a ball game. My only quip about this event is that there is a bit of a cheap feeling to it. Despite the live band and beautiful venue, there is something about it that isn't well executed, but hey, what can you really expect right? The bars serving premixed martinis are a bit messy and the event often becomes so overcrowded that it becomes chaotic with unclean tables. Juggling the crowds + holding a martini = not so fun. It is also very loud in the main hall so be prepared for that.

I think Martinis & IMAX is a fantastic idea. But I've been twice, and especially after the second time, I just kept thinking how expensive the entire experience is! You pay a cover charge ($7), you pay for the film tickets ($15), you pay for drinks and/or food (cocktails at $8 each), and if you want to actually see the exhibits, you pay for museum admission too. That's $50-100 in total! I admit that I tend to be on the frugal side, but it seems kind of overpriced. I recommend looking for deals or coupons or saving it for a special occasion. I will say that it's a fun atmosphere and definitely a nice change from the bar/restaurant scene.

My friend referred to this event as "grown and sexy" and I think that is an accurate assessment. The martinis make it sexy and the IMAX makes it sophisticated. A perfect match. Afterall, it's hard not to look good while holding a martini. Simply keeping the drink in the glass requires a bit of finesse in itself. The martinis at Fernbank were actually quite good, too. There were an assortment of choices- not just your standard apple martini or dirty martini. I think I may have had a key lime pie martini... I can't say for sure, but it was tasty and about $10 a pop. I went to this event some time ago and the IMAX experience was pretty phenomenal. The movie was about 45 min. in length and was about wildlife at the bottom of the ocean- a place that is seldom explored. It was educational and beautiful to watch. The movie selection changes often so check their site for the most up to date information. Martinis and IMAX occurs on Friday nights during the months of Jan-Nov. Tickets are $13 for adults and $8 for members. According to the Fernbank website, they will have live entertainment from 7:30pm-11pm so you can chill before or after your movie.

If you're single and ready to mingle, head here for Friday night martinis and a show. If you've already bagged yourself a sucker, it's still a great place for a date night. The drinks are mixed right there before your eyes and the food isn't terrible either. The shows are often great to boot, but not required with admission. Definitely something different to do on a Friday night... get drunk with dinosaurs? Yes please!

If you're looking for a fun and pretty inexpensive way to spend a Friday night...here you go. Note..."cover charge" admission is $7 and if you want to see the IMAX movie too...total charge is $12. Still pretty affordable. Last night there was a mythical theme and Kraken was a sponsor. The live music was a NOLA jazz-ish band. I liked them a lot. Drinks were good, but the bar lines were pretty long. Reason being...there weren't enough bartenders. Our cover charge ticket also gave s access into the mythical exhibit, which was really nice. Keep in mind this doesn't happen every Friday. They also offer food for purchase, but we didn't eat this time. We did notice HUGE nacho trays for $15. Talk about great value. Overall...cool atmosphere, fun music, god drinks and affordable food. Check them out one Friday night. We'll be back.

Eric...GREAT posting!!! It has been two or three years since I went to Martini & IMAX and you are sooo right! It was nice to get semi-dressed up, enjoy some great food and of course martini's! Drinks and food are a little on the high side but the combination with the movie balances out. This is definitely something everyone has to do! I want with a large group of 10 people and there were discounts since we purchased in advanced so this is not something just for couples. Ever just feel like a night out at a show with a group of friends and want more than a movie but cheaper than the Fox but the fun of dressing up? This is the place! Looks like we only have a couple Fridays left!

I'm a huge fan. Martinis and IMAX is one of my favorite ways to spend a Friday night. Cool science documentaries to engage your nerd side and set the stage for intellectual conversation with your date. You can feel classy drinking a martini or walking down the majestic staircase into the atrium containing massive dinosaur fossils. It's a pretty cool ambiance. The event always brings interesting characters so it's also a great place to people watch. Also cool live music! Unfortunately, it is not a cheap experience. so not something you can do every weekend but definitely a fun and unique once-in-a-while date. P.S. I recently saw the Galapagos IMAX and spent 40 minutes with filled with child-like wonder and joy!

I went to this event a couple of months ago on a date night. The drinks were good but a bit pricey. We went on a salsa music night so that was fun but not many people were dancing unfortunately. We ended the night by watching an IMAX movie about Monarch Butterflies. It was entertaining and educational. Overall, this Fernbank event is good for a classy date night. It isn't something I would do every month but, I would definitely do it again sometime.

I went here with my boyfriend a couple years ago and we loved it. Dancing around dinosaur bones was the cutest idea! The IMAX was also cool and informative. If you want a cute date out check out this place. They also have salsa dancing on certain nights so check out their website

Maybe I should have gotten there earlier but we got there around 9:40pm and it was empty. The young lady at the ticket booth seemed so disinterested in her job, bored or sleepy or something. We still got charged $17.60 or so for two people, cover only. Live band was playing but no one was there. We turned around and walked out. Why it worth one star? I'd say two stars but there was a gang load of roaches crawling all over the front and walkway. It was a roach zoo outside! Terrible experience!

Something different to do for sure. Great first date place if you want to get your date sloppy drunk so you can laugh at whale poop. By the way a whale's poop is huge, I know I have seen it on IMAX. Good times high priced pre-mixed martini and beer available, but all goes to a good cause, to keep the wonderful place open. FRIDAY night, jazz, drinks and a short movie about whale poop or anything else in nature that makes you laugh after you've been drinking..

We did the Eve of Halloween. Man, there are some people out there wearing costumes that they really shouldn't be wearing (Wonder Woman - I'm looking at you. When your gut is peeking out from under your halter and hanging over the top of your bottom, maybe that's not as good of a choice...). I think we had a good time - the bartender accidentally made the wrong drink so we ended up with two martinis (my wife didn't want to drink so she had water). Things are a little fuzzy after that. A table that was 'possessed' (notice the Halloween theme) by three gals not from the US was where we were seated to do our people watching. The ladies were dressed in some really interesting costumes (one was a Twister game including the spinner as a hat) and were enthusiastically and robustly chowing down. If I was their Mom or grandmother, my heart would have been warmed by their hearty appetites. Anyway, we ended up seated most of the time because of the main reason why the evening lost stars - they had this lame band called Van Heineken that was supposed to be a "sounds like" of Van Halen. C'mon. The venue is great, but it doesn't lend itself to David Lee Roth inanities. I mean, I don't really like to hear him talk caca as it is - why would I want to hear a fake David Lee Roth talk shit? Plus, the echoes of the main hall made his gibberish be unintelligible. Okay, anyway, the drinks were good and were being poured live - no premixed that I could tell. People dressed up in, apparently, their secret fetishes was even more interesting to see. We'll come back at some point.

When I first moved here and heard about this I couldn't wait to try it out... I finally made it and was really disappointed. The IMAX show that we saw was Cirque du Soleil and that in itself was good, def very visually stimulating and an interesting piece. It seems to be marketed as a classier night out than your average stumble though Crescent St or the Buckhead bars... but it isn't. I think people are willing to pay a bit more for an experience but when the experience isn't there, the cost is glaring. Some people get dolled up but many roll in wearing flipflops and that cheapens the experience. The Martinis we had (apple and lemon drop) were strong but weren't very good and were pricey. I was hungry but the menu was unappealing. The entertainment was cheesy. My beef is with the overall experience. Maybe my expectations were too high? But if that is the case then I blame the marketing team for selling me something they don't have.

I'd like to quote from Vy A's review... "My only quip about this event is that there is a bit of a cheap feeling to it. Despite the live band and beautiful venue, there is something about it that isn't well executed, but hey, what can you really expect right? The bars serving premixed martinis are a bit messy and the event often becomes so overcrowded that it becomes chaotic with unclean tables. Juggling the crowds + holding a martini = not so fun. It is also very loud in the main hall so be prepared for that." This is exactly what I experienced at Martini's and IMAX. I was very, very excited about Martini's and IMAX. Classy drinks, a classy venue, a high-quality movie... live jazz? You've got to be kidding me! I was absolutely ready to rock. The idea is amazing! The execution leaves much to be desired. Our charge was $15/each for movie/entrance, not bad, but not exactly cheap for an under-an-hour documentary. The martini selection was abysmal, maybe 6 or 7 choices, and most of them were served pre-mixed. For $10, I'd like you to mix my martini, thanks, not just pour it in a glass from a plastic jug. That's simply not acceptable. My girlfriend got the martini - which wasn't even good. I drank a $6 bottle of Sweetwater 420. (Beer folks: your selection includes 420, Bass, Sam Light, and a couple others. Not much. The wine selection didn't look much better.) The drinks portion was a disaster. The food menu looked enticing. I ordered a chicken sandwich and my girlfriend ordered the tilapia. Those two dishes were $30 combined (12 + 18) and were borderline awful. It wasn't what I would call "real food," it was that pre-prepared food-company stuff (think Sysco, Sodexho) they serve at cafeterias. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, but this was awful! The tilapia was cold. The chicken was decent enough for me, though. Even the live jazz was a disappointment. They have different performers every week. The group playing for us sounded a lot like the Saturday Night Live band. Look, folks, I know jazz musicians tend to vamp a lot, but a 4-minute sax solo with almost no variation from the band? ugh. Maybe I was expecting too much. I've heard it's a great date spot, but the band was too loud to allow any conversation. The drinks were limited and expensive, the food was expensive and unappetizing, and the movie was overpriced. What's the beef?

Martinis and IMAX has been around for years, but I had not had a chance to go until recently. First of all... great idea. Perfect for happy hour or a date night. Movie times are usually 7, 8, 9, and 10 so you can get your food and drink on before, during, and/or after your 45 minute movie. Food and drink prices are a little high, but the quality is decent. I had Maker's while my girlfriend had martinis. They do have full service bars with beer, wine, and liquor. We had the Tilapia Tacos and Chicken Quesadillas before our 9pm showing of Tornado Alley. Food was decent... definitely not the best we have had. Good atmosphere, good crowd, good times. If you haven't already checked out what they are doing on Fridays over at Fernbank, gather a group or grab your date and check it out. Buy your tix in advance online as it is possible for the event to sell out.

I'm torn on this experience. I think the first time I came here, I really liked it. I think I'm trying to hang on for nostalgia, but...meh. It's just not the same anymore. Or at least it wasn't this past Friday. Maybe it felt empty due to the holiday weekend. Maybe folks have felt the pressures of the economy. Alas, we had a pair of free passes, so we went. The drinks - while there are definitely tasty options - are overpriced. $7 for a small glass of mediocre wine? Thanks, but I'll pass. The music this past Friday couldn't decide whether they were a swing band or whether they were long-lost cast members from Little House on the Prairie, so the ambiance that I remember was somewhat lacking. The film - we saw the Cirque du Soleil Journey of Man - was good (knowing what Cirque du Soleil is and enjoying watching random feats of human strength!). If you have a deal or coupon, by all means, make plans to go. Otherwise, I'd pass this experience and just make plans to go to the museum another time and find a better place to grab drinks at.

Different, fun, and inexpensive way to spend an early Friday evening. Only been once, but the jazz band was good. Drinks and food are very reasonably priced. It's not full service, but who cares. Dress varies between casual and casual dressy. I noticed there were mostly couples there (I'm single), but I went with friends and still had a nice time. There is a choice of movies and you can take your drinks inside the theatre. Movies last about 45 minutes which is perfect! Not too long, so you are still motivated go out on the town! And the movies change every so often, so you can go back and see something new every month or so. Will definitely go back again!

I love Martinis and IMAX! It is one of my favorite things to do in Atlanta and I always take out of towners to this event. It is like watching Discovery Channel on a huge screen with a martini buzz...perfect! I much prefer this on a Friday than sitting in a some stale pub/lounge for Happy Hour with flat screens showing football and people yelling..blech! The vibe at the Fernbank is fun...the crowd is smiling and the live jazz music under the dinosaur is very nice. I'd give it 5 stars, but they tend to replay the films every year and they don't change them out for several months at a time. They need to change up the films a lot more and show new films to keep it interesting for those of us who like to go several times a year.

I love Martini's and Imax. It's something different to do on a Friday night and I think it makes a great date spot. Love it! After the cocktails most people are a little silly in the movie but that makes it that much more entertaining. I recommend this one to all my friends and try to get small groups to go a few times a year.

some of these other 2 and 3 star reviews are really spot on! this event has been around for a while but has yet to achieve the reputation i think they wanted it to. the way i see it is that its suppose to be this classy event where you can go and mingle with classy drinks in classy glasses and hear some live tunes of instrumentals and maybe do some salsa gig or two and see a 45 minute spectacular IMAX but to that end, it doesnt really live up to the name. its not for a lack of management or advertising though. i think its just that people dont frequent it as much as they should to make it a good event. and honestly, i dont know why it hasnt really caught on. asking why hasnt it caught on is like asking who is john galt. hahaha. anyway, back to the review. i would have been so afraid to show up single because it seemed like every table was either a couple on a date or groups of employees at an after hours work get-together. i had a gin and tonic and it was the best gin and tonic ive ever had. but really, i havent had that many. all in all, if more classy people go, it could be fun. but until then it just kinda eats your money and falls a bit flat. but i love Fernbank during the day when its just a cool museum!

Martinis and IMAX ..really, do I even need to say more? If you have never seen a film in IMAX, do it.

Great date night! My boyfriend and I have gone twice now in the last couple of months. It's fun to dress up, have a drink, people watch and end the night with a fun IMAX movie.

A nice first date, but when all is said and done it can be a $100 evening for drinks, a short movie, and some underwhelming food.

In 16 years of living here, I'd never been to Fernbank, so the boyfriend insisted we go last Friday for Martinis and IMAX. We got there a few minutes after they opened and that turned out to be a good choice. Even people getting there at 7 had trouble snagging a table. The two friends we were meeting were running late and were happy that we'd snagged a table. The food was okay. We split the spinach dip, I got the fish tacos, and he got the buffalo chicken bites. I thought the fish tacos were a little bland. The spinach dip and buffalo chicken were good, though. The music was band, but they were somewhere else in the museum which meant we could carry on a conversation. I got the Butterfly Kiss special martini and it was tasty, fruity, and fun. They pour on the light side, but you want to stay classy walking out as well. Good plan, Fernbank. We saw Flight of the Butterflies and it was entertaining. Definitely a great out of the ordinary date night that won't break the bank. We'll definitely be back, especially as the weather warms up an we can make use of the patio as well.

A classic thing to do in ATL and always a blast. You will always feel weird when you first come here, driving up, thinking, "Why am I going to a museum tonight?" But then hop inside and see why. The night atmosphere in a museum is always more interesting. Especially when you add some music, some food, and those martinis. I mean, drinking amidst the dinosaurs? That's freaking awesome! And it's a great vibe since a good portion of the crowd is young. The IMAX part is always fun too. Especially with a few drinks, because it tends to feel that much more real. A little more screaming and laughing than your usual IMAX. And perhaps a little more vomiting too. But vomiting means you had a great night, right?

Last year's fright nigt Imax night was so much better. This year they didn't even show a movie and the music was TERRIBLE. Halloween music should be played at a Halloween party. On a plus note, the "Bogeyman" martinis were amazing. I had two.

This made for a pretty decent evening. I'm pretty sure nobody really goes for the IMAX...unless you're really into butterflies and caribou (hey I'm not here to judge). The drinks were really good but the lines were ridiculously long in spite of there being 3 bars set up. The food left something to be desired, it was cold and over priced, had a cafeteria taste on snazzy plating, so eat before you go. This is an excellent date idea there were lots of couples. I was confused about how to dress because I heard mixed comments but people literally dressed in everything. Casual chic (I feel bougie even saying that) is the only way to describe...dont come in sweats or a tshirt and you will be okay. Jeans/dress pants and a button up for the guys and Jeans/nice shirt or cute (non club step down from cocktail attire) for ladies. Hopefully that clears that up. Overall, good time, nothing like getting drunk and watching giant glaciers crumble from global warming.

The score represents an average from multiple experiences through the years. M&IMAX is one of those things that I never thought would persist as long as it has. Its pretty amazing how long it has endured. I've been going since the early years (96) and many times since then so I've got a pretty good statistical sample. While it has changed significantly through the years it still remains a pretty cool concept overall. Its not a bad move on a Friday night because it ends early enough that you can regroup and go elsewhere. My friends and I used to use it as a "pre-game" spot. Let's strip any pretense here. This is a singles event although for whatever reason most people that go will not admit that. Get used to hearing things like, "oh I'm just here with my friend. He/She dragged me along. I don't even know what goes on here". (I've used those lines a time or two myself). In the earlier years this place was fantastic for meeting someone. When I started, I was in my late 20s and the crowd pretty much fell right into the 25-35 demographic. It was like a date factory ! It was rare that I didn't meet someone ! It was also much less commercialized than it has become. The drinks were stronger, (if that was your thing), and no dancers or bland food. Just a wide open space for mingling and some background music. And the cool thing was that the IMAX aspect lessened the pressure so if you weren't meeting anyone interesting then you just hit the movie and ,after that, left for greener pastures. But it didn't take long for the word to get out before the event was crashed by some really douchey guys (long before that word was commonly in use). Some of these guys were so sleazy and annoying. One guy had to be like 55 and he kept pestering my friend who was 24. I intervened and suggested Johnny's HideAway as an alternative. This level of behavior was exceptional but there was definitely a "creepy old guy" vibe happening for at least a couple of years. And, actually they weren't all old - some were these obnoxious wannabee stock trader types who liked to dress like Michael Douglas in Wall Street (suspenders and slicked back hair combined with a toolish personality). Anyway, this is when I thought they would surely pull the plug as attendance plummeted. But somehow it got better. It was pretty wild how it got back on track. Anyway, it has maintained and has turned into something of a "must do while in Atlanta" thing. The age range has broadened since that time. You've got students alongside the "older" crowd (of which I'm now a member) and ,for the most part, people get along fine. I've long since married but my spouse and I still like to go. I still recommend it to my single friends as it still seems to be a viable place to meet people in Atlanta. Interestingly, there appears to be as many couples on dates as there are singles wanting to meet someone.