Bundle up, put on comfy shoes and make sure your phone is fully charged for an immersive nighttime, outdoor experience like no other – Fernbank’s WildWoods: AGLOW. Located in Fernbank’s WildWoods, just behind the museum, explore 10 acres of these captivating woodlands to experience a Zen-like curation of light projections, artistic stylizations and larger-than-life sculptures, enhanced by original music compositions.
“We’re drawing attention to native plants and wildlife to build a connection between guests and the biodiversity of the environment that they live in,” said Sarah Arnold, Director of Education for Fernbank Museum.
Tickets for WildWoods: AGLOW are available for weekend evenings 6-9 p.m., now through Feb. 23, 2025 with weeknights included during Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks. At the Fernbank After Dark nights – Dec. 13, Jan. 10 and Feb. 14 – it’s age 21+ only, otherwise all ages are welcome.
Highlights include a larger-than-life flower blossom from a tulip poplar tree, projections of nocturnal wildlife, enchanted roots growing into and nourishing trees, enormous incandescent mushrooms that can communicate through song, a hillside in bloom and more.
“Make sure you take your time,” Arnold advised. “There is a lot you will miss if you breeze through it because some of the interactivity is hidden and passive.”
After passing the giant glowing bloom, the next must-see is the gigantic Tulip Poplar seeds in the center boardwalk loop.
“As you move around the boardwalk you’ll notice smaller identical models,” Arnold said. “Hold your hand up to the smaller seed and something will happen with the larger structure. What’s really cool is if you can get five people to do it all at once.”
“I got the chills,” said one guest who had just touched a small seed on the boardwalk railing and saw the corresponding larger seed light up. “It was magical.”
Next, take the left fork in the path toward the Adventure Outpost to observe a habitat that comes to life after dark.
A Duluth couple paused on a bench to take in the projections of nocturnal plants and animals. “It’s our first time at the museum,” they explain. “It’s very impressive!”
Meanwhile a young girl on tippy toes gazed at projected raccoons and other creatures who reacted to her in a fun way. Her dad and their enthusiastic friend group of parents and little ones were also amazed.
“With all of the lights and the sound design, it feels almost like a dream,” the dad shared.
The whimsy continues down the path that winds through colossal mushrooms. Really take your time here to commune with them.
Two women listened to the mushrooms and began to sing back to them. One is originally from France and comes to WildWoods often to walk, the other visited the museum throughout her childhood.
“Mushrooms are singing to us,” one mused. “What do they say? I don’t know but we are joining in – they are winning us over!”
The experience conveys the science of how mushrooms communicate and reacts to visitors as they pass through the mushrooms.
“Mushrooms are just one part of a much larger body,” Arnold explains. “Most of the fungus, from which the mushroom is a flower, is underground. When long string-like structures called mycelia touch tree or plant roots or other mushroom mycelia they actually communicate with biochemical signals. It’s almost like they are talking to each other.”
An extended family followed their tiniest member, whose lit-up sneakers twinkled on her way to a patch of tiny illuminated mushrooms. Dinosaurs and mushrooms are her favorites, she said.
“I think the interactive elements are really awesome,” her dad shared.
Walking up the hill back toward the museum – past the new artistic sculptures of dandelions, a swarm of bats, dragonflies and more – another family is literally saturated in color.
“This part is very beautiful, it feels very avatar,” the mom said. “It’s super unique.”
New this season, your WildWoods: AGLOW ticket also includes full access to the museum including special exhibits, like Armored Animals, and the film, Flight of the Butterflies for when you want to rest your feet but don’t want the evening to end.
“We’re hoping that guests walk away with an understanding that when all of these pieces work together, this is how you get the healthy ecosystem,” Arnold explained.
Tickets range from $15.95-$34.95. Fernbank After Dark (21+) nights scheduled on Dec. 13, Jan. 10 and Feb. 14. Visit www.FernbankMuseum.org/AGLOW.
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