Fernbank Science Center
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Fernbank Science Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fernbank Science Center
- Legal name
- Fernbank Science Center
- Website
- https://fsc.fernbank.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fernbank Science Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Science Education and Visitor Services
- NAICS
- Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Space & Astronomy Programs (EDAMABAE), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), STEM Research & Inquiry Programs (Research Mentorship, Science Fair Prep) (EDAMABAC)
Keywords
Where Fernbank Science Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fernbank Science Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Planetarium Show Admission: The center charges admission for planetarium shows: $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. This is the primary paid offering for general public visitors.
- School Group Programs: Non-DeKalb County school groups pay $5 per student for planetarium programs, with one free teacher/chaperone per 15 students and $10 for additional adults.
- Summer Camp Group Visits: Summer camps pay $5 per camper with 1 free chaperone per 10 campers and $10 for additional chaperones, including reserved planetarium seating.
- Special Events: Special programming events such as Cosmic Conversations and Night Shift programs may have separate ticketing, with some events offered free to the public.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | General Admission (Exhibit Hall) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Planetarium Show - Adults |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Planetarium Show - Students/Seniors |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | DCSD Employees |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Special Discount Categories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Non-DeKalb School Groups |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Camp Groups |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Fernbank Science Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fernbank Science Center is a public science education facility operated by the DeKalb County School District that delivers free exhibit hall access, ticketed planetarium shows, observatory viewings, tuition-free high school science courses (STT, SOAR, Advanced Studies), and community programs such as Cosmic Conversations, Sensory Science Hour, and the DeKalb Elementary Science Olympiad. Its core paid offering is the $10 adult / $5 student planetarium admission in the Jim Cherry Memorial Planetarium, while all other academic and exhibit offerings are either publicly funded or free.
Product overview
Fernbank Science Center is an educational institution operated by the DeKalb County School District offering a portfolio of science education products including a free 9,000 sq ft exhibit hall, the Jim Cherry Memorial Planetarium (featuring Digistar 7 10K projection technology), and the Dr. Ralph L. Buice Jr. Observatory (0.9m telescope). The center provides structured student programs including STT (Scientific Tools and Techniques) for 9th graders, SOAR (Students of Advanced Research) for 10th-12th graders, Advanced Studies AP and science courses, and the DeKalb Elementary Science Olympiad (DESO). Additional offerings include Cosmic Conversations planetarium talks, summer camp programs, and teacher resources. Planetarium shows are ticketed ($10 adults, $5 students/seniors) while exhibit hall admission is free.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Jim Cherry Memorial Planetarium: A celestial theater utilizing the Digistar 7 10K projection system with one of the highest resolutions of any planetarium in the world.
- Dr. Ralph L. Buice, Jr. Observatory
Products and services
- Exhibit Hall
- Jim Cherry Memorial Planetarium Shows
- Dr. Ralph L. Buice Jr. Observatory Public Viewings
- STT (Scientific Tools and Techniques) Program
- SOAR (Students of Advanced Research) Program
- Advanced Studies Courses
- DeKalb Elementary Science Olympiad (DESO)
- Cosmic Conversations Lecture Series
- Summer Camp and Group Visits
- Non-DCSD School Group Planetarium Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- State-accredited courses satisfy fourth science requirement for Georgia high school graduation and university admission
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Fernbank Science Center
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Fernbank Science Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Fernbank Science Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fernbank Science Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tellus Science Museum: Northwest Georgia science museum featuring a planetarium, observatory, and STEM exhibits. Directly comparable Smithsonian-affiliated science museum with paid planetarium admission, school group programming, and family visitors in the same Southeast region.
- Adventure Science Center: Nashville-based science center with Sudekum Planetarium, school programs, and family exhibits. Comparable mid-size science museum with paid planetarium admission, school group reservations, and Southeast US footprint.
- Fernbank Museum of Natural History: Privately operated natural history museum located just 0.6 miles from Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta. The two institutions share the 'Fernbank' brand, overlapping audiences (Atlanta families, school groups), and complementary STEM/natural history content, and are explicitly distinguished in FSC's own FAQ as the two 'Fernbanks.' Directly comparable museum scale and demographics.
Broad incumbents
- Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh-based major science center with a planetarium, observatory, and robust K-12 STEM programming. Comparable in operating model (museum + planetarium + school programs), but operates at significantly larger scale.
- Adler Planetarium: Chicago-based major planetarium and space science museum with a Digistar projection system, school programs, and public exhibits. Comparable in plantarium technology tier and educational programming, but operates at a much larger scale with a sizable endowment.
- Liberty Science Center: New Jersey-based science center with a large planetarium (including a Digistar system) and K-12 STEM programming. Comparable in product offerings (planetarium, exhibits, school programs) but at a larger institutional scale.
- Hayden Planetarium (American Museum of Natural History): Iconic New York planetarium inside the American Museum of Natural History. Comparable planetarium product and K-12 educational mission, but operates at a much larger institutional scale and global brand recognition.
- Maryland Science Center: Baltimore-based science center with a planetarium, observatory, and school group programming. Comparable product mix and K-12 audience, though Anchored at a larger institutional scale.
Regional players
- Georgia Aquarium: Atlanta-based major aquarium attraction with educational programming and live animal exhibits. Comparable regional family/school field-trip destination in the Atlanta market, with overlapping school group audiences.
Emerging players
- Challenger Learning Center of Atlanta: Atlanta-area STEM education center focused on space mission simulations and K-12 programming. Directly comparable regional STEM education competitor serving the same Atlanta-area school district market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Fernbank Science Center social profiles
Digital presenceFernbank Science Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fernbank Science Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Fernbank Science Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fernbank Science Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fernbank Science Center
What does Fernbank Science Center do?
Fernbank Science Center is a public science education facility operated by the DeKalb County School District that delivers free exhibit hall access, ticketed planetarium shows, observatory viewings, tuition-free high school science courses (STT, SOAR, Advanced Studies), and community programs such as Cosmic Conversations, Sensory Science Hour, and the DeKalb Elementary Science Olympiad. Its core paid offering is the $10 adult / $5 student planetarium admission in the Jim Cherry Memorial Planetarium, while all other academic and exhibit offerings are either publicly funded or free.
Is Fernbank Science Center a public or private company?
Fernbank Science Center is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Fernbank Science Center founded?
Fernbank Science Center was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Fernbank Science Center based?
Fernbank Science Center is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fernbank Science Center make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Planetarium Show Admission is the primary driver. The others are school Group Programs, summer Camp Group Visits and special Events.
Who are Fernbank Science Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tellus Science Museum, Adventure Science Center and Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Broad incumbents are Carnegie Science Center, Adler Planetarium, Liberty Science Center, Hayden Planetarium (American Museum of Natural History) and Maryland Science Center. Georgia Aquarium is listed as a regional player. Challenger Learning Center of Atlanta is listed as an emerging player.
Does Fernbank Science Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fernbank Science Center.
What industry is Fernbank Science Center in?
Fernbank Science Center's product category is Science Education and Visitor Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAD, Science & Technology Museums, with a secondary code of EDAMABAE, Space & Astronomy Programs. Its NAICS code is 712110 and its SIC code is 8200.