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Incredible GOLD Exhibition Adds Luster to Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Posted on: Friday, 4 September 2009, 09:00 CDT

ATLANTA, Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the rarest and most highly prized minerals in the world is coming to Fernbank Museum of Natural History in the incredible exhibition GOLD. The exhibition, which opens September 26, 2009 and runs through January 3, 2010, explores the historical fascination with this enduring symbol of wealth, beauty, and power.

One of the most comprehensive exhibitions ever organized on this valued mineral, GOLD features a dramatic array of extraordinary geological specimens and cultural objects from around the world and presents the intriguing scientific and cultural story behind this cherished mineral. The exhibition follows the path of gold from the molten depths of Earth to glittering examples of jewelry and artifacts that captivated ancient civilizations. From gold rushes that shaped the world to the pop-culture baubles that continue to mesmerize us today, the galleries allow visitors to experience the attraction and splendor of the finest gold specimens on Earth and learn how gold has been located, mined, processed, and turned into objects both beautiful and useful.

Exhibition highlights include some of the earliest gold coins minted in the ancient world; gleaming pre-Columbian jewelry; and rare doubloons retrieved from sunken Spanish galleons. Compelling modern objects include Academy Award Oscars(R), Emmy(R) awards, and Grammy(R) awards, illustrating the powerful hold that gold continues to have on our imagination. Throughout the exhibition, visitors discover that gold has amazing physical properties such as extreme malleability, reflectivity and conductivity that make it invaluable for technological uses ranging from telephones and televisions to satellite circuitry and astronauts' visors.

Because of its allure, rarity, and natural properties, gold has been valued, hoarded, and fashioned into objects of both great artistry and cultural significance. As a natural history museum, Fernbank has the unique capacity to explain both the fascinating and rare scientific properties of the mineral gold - what it is and what makes it so special - and to explore the connection between science and culture. GOLD illustrates there is much more to gold than wealth, beauty and status. It is an opportunity to show the history of gold - where it has been found, how it is used, and the cultural aspects of this extremely versatile mineral.

GOLD is divided into seven sections:

• Aurum Naturae (Latin for "natural gold") introduces visitors to mineralogy and geology and showcases marvelous specimens such as glittering crystallized gold, a rare form found naturally.
• Unique Properties explores the mineralogical and geological characteristics of gold, the mining process, and its technological applications. Gold is an extremely dense, malleable, and conductive metal and gold's physical properties make it the material of choice for many industries, such as electronics, medicine and dentistry. Items that showcase gold's technological applications include a replica Apollo 11 astronaut's helmet with a gold visor and a circuit board with gold components.
• The Golden Age section highlights the mineral's importance in culture, art and fashion. Gold is thought to be one of the earliest metals worked by humans. From ancient times to the modern age, this highly admired metal has been used in apparel, religious artifacts and adornment. Decorative items from around the world include a hammered-gold Chavin stirrup spout bottle (900-200 BCE), animal-shaped gold earrings from Greece (500-300 BCE), and a pair of chief's leather sandals with decorated gold floral ornaments from Ghana (early 1900s). Contemporary pieces include a necklace made of gold coins from the jeweler Bulgari, a brooch designed by Paloma Picasso for Tiffany and Company, and a gold and diamond necklace with palmette clip brooches by Cartier of Paris.
• In Lost and Found visitors discover a treasure trove of coins recovered from American and Spanish shipwrecks. Recovered treasures provide a rare glimpse into the history of commercial gold. For example, when the SS Central America went down off the Carolinas in 1857 with its cargo of gold bars, coins and dust from the gold fields of California, the loss caused an economic depression that lasted until the Civil War.
• The Gold Standard examines how individual countries base their economies on this precious metal. Gold currencies funded the expansion of empires in both the ancient and modern worlds. Because of its unique properties and also because it is found in most of the inhabited parts of the planet, gold is the most accepted currency in the world.
• In the Golden Achievement section, contemporary symbols of success are showcased. Gold has been claimed as a prize and bestowed as a precious gift by ancient kings as well as today's leaders of industry. Gold is a symbolic reward for achievements and is the ultimate reward in the film, theater, music, and sports industries. Items included in the exhibition include Oscar(R) statuettes, Grammy(R) awards and Emmy(R) awards.
• The Local Connection is a gallery created by Fernbank Museum to highlight Georgia's own distinguished history with gold. From the Dahlonega Gold Rush to the gold dome at the State Capitol, and from golden award winners in our neighborhoods to the local culture gold has inspired throughout history, this unique gallery features authentic gold samples from across Georgia, including coins, nuggets, crystals, ore and special artifacts. The gallery also features awards won by local artists, including Grammy Awards loaned by Andre 3000 Benjamin of OutKast, Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls, and R.E.M.; the Gold Records of the Georgia Satellites and Brenda Lee, and gold medals from the Atlanta Olympic Games.
  

From September 26, 2009 through January 3, 2010, Fernbank Museum will also present Georgia's Heart of Gold, a special photography exhibition developed in partnership with student photographers at the Portfolio Center to reveal Georgia's unique, sometimes unexpected, and largely unknown relationship with gold.

GOLD is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org), in cooperation with The Houston Museum of Natural Science.

GOLD is included with Museum admission. Tickets are $15 for adults, $14 for students/seniors, $13 for children ages 3-12, and free for Museum members and children ages 2 and younger. Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road in Atlanta. Tickets and more information are available at fernbankmuseum.org or 404.929.6300.

Press Inquiries: Brandi Berry brandi.berry@fernbankmuseum.org 404.929.6339

SOURCE Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Source: PR Newswire

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