I remember the pre-Tellus museum called the Weinman Mineral Museum. It featured rocks, gems, and of course minerals. I’d been for a few school trips and one summer, my mother, the librarian, set up their library, so I spent a lot of time roaming those halls.
In 2007, Weinman Mineral Museum closed its doors and on January 12, 2009, the Tellus Museum opened featuring dinosaur bones, spaceships, and much more than minerals. The first time I went to the Tellus after its new opening was a work event where my team and I explored its halls of exhibits. It was a DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE from the one of my childhood… bigger, better, and fun!
Cartersville has grown so much since I was a little girl, who was desperately trying to get out and move on to bigger and better than my little town. I hope, if I had known how Cartersville would grow to what it is now, I wouldn’t have been in such a rush to leave, but hindsight is 20/20! Sometimes, you have to leave to know what you really need in life.
TELLUS MUSEUM: NEW AND IMPROVED
The Tellus Museum is over 120,000 square feet and just off I-75’s exit 293. More than just the Weinman Mineral Gallery, there is also a Fossil Gallery, Science in Motion gallery, The Collins Family My Big Backyard, and it features a large planetarium along with a large telescope.
Cartersville’s “Rock” Museum has grown to feature large dinosaurs and other skeletons that makes even adults feel like kids again with a love of dinosaurs and other GIGANTIC fossils to admire. Exhibits also include the evolution of the car, from the buggy to the more sophisticated Fords. Spaceships and models are all around the Science in Motion exhibit to entertain your inner speed racer.
One of the new features of this museum is the kid-friendly exhibits that let kids and adults learn hands-on about science. You can pan for gems, dig for fossils, and learn about magnets, light, and sound.
TELLUS AND THE GRACE SERIES
My little hometown has grown and changed dramatically from my childhood. The Tellus Museum is a fun example I featured in my second novel, Accepting Grace where Hillary Blake, a third-grade teacher, spends the afternoon as the nanny of three little kids during the summer.
Part of the reason Hillary is a third-grade teacher is my love of dinosaurs that I felt so strongly my third-grade year. Mrs. Ely, my third-grade teacher, fostered a love of reading, dinosaurs, and more which I wanted to honor in my second novel.
I wanted to feature some of the unique aspects of this museum in the novel and felt I needed to experience it again for my novel. One Saturday, my mom and I made the trip and spent the day fostering my continued love of dinosaurs, rocks, and science.
The parking lot had BIG trucks…
We learned about dinosaurs…
Panned for gems…
Saw monsters and/or fossils…
Tellus is a kid-friendly museum that will delight not only kids but adults as well. My first visit after the new reno, there no one in my tour group under twenty-one, and we all had a blast!
TELLUS MUSEUM 101
Website: https://tellusmuseum.org WEBSITE IMAGE
Hours: Open daily 10 am – 5 pm; Closed Major Holidays
Admission:
Members: Free
Adults: $15.95 + tax
Children (3-17): $11.95 + tax
Student with ID: $11.95 + tax
Seniors (65+): $13.95 + tax
Active Military Discounts
*Tellus Museum is a part of the Bank of America Museums on Us Program
Address:
100 Tellus Drive
Cartersville, GA 30120
Phone Number:
770.606.5700
TELLUS AND ME
I will always fondly remember the Weinman Mineral Museum, my childhood was enhanced by my time there. The wonderful thing about living in Cartersville is now the Tellus Museum has a special place in my heart as well. My first work event was at the Tellus, my Mom and I had a memorable day there together, and it’s featured in my second novel. Tellus/Weinman, they all have a special place in my heart.
You won’t be disappointed with this hidden GEM in Cartersville and should plan a visit, even if you don’t have kids!
Also, check out my blog post about the Booth Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. This cowboy museum was featured in my first novel. If you’re looking for other fun things to do in Cartersville, especially eating, check out this post.
Until next time, may God’s grace surround you,
My first trip to the Booth museum was with my mother and Grandmother in the fall of 2012. Grandma had just had cataract surgery and could really see for the first time in a while. She had always loved cowboys and Indians, watching the cowboy channel faithfully every weekday from 1:30 to 7 pm. Living with her at that time, so did I. Even five years after she moved to Heaven, I can’t see a Gunsmoke episode without thinking of her with a smile.