Accepting Grace, Grace Series, Locations in Grace Series

Tellus Museum: Hidden Gem

TellusI 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…

Tellus
Daniel Toledo loved the big trucks on their family visit with Hillary Blake.

We learned about dinosaurs…

Tellus
Daniel’s mouth fell open when Hillary, his nanny could name all the dinosaurs!

Panned for gems…

Tellus
My mom had just as much fun as the kids did with Hillary Blake and Luke Toledo.

Saw monsters and/or fossils…

Tellus
Magda was a little scare with the BIG FOSSILS, but she held on tight to her Uncle Luke. She knew he’d protect her.

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,

Tellus

Locations in Grace Series, Restoring Grace

Cartersville: Places and Spaces

Cartersville
Fall in Georgia

Cartersville is the main setting for my first novel and I feature some of my favorite places in many of my scenes. I grew up in Cartersville, and it was a great city to grow up in. Beautiful, peaceful, and close enough to the big city to visit, but it still has the country, backwoods feel.

My favorite season is Fall because of the leaves turning their vibrant colors all over Georgia, God’s beautiful canvas on display for all to see. One of the reasons my novel starts in September is because of my love for this season. It’s slowly starting to cool off after a hot July and August, school is starting, and the holidays are right around the corner.

Let’s take a little tour of the Georgia I love, based on my novel, Restoring Grace.

Continue reading “Cartersville: Places and Spaces”

Locations in Grace Series, Restoring Grace

Exploring Cartersville: Booth Museum

Booth MusuemMy 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.

Grandma (the same woman Walt and Delia Anne’s love story is based on) wanted to go to the Booth Museum to see cowboys in Cartersville. It would be an easier trip for my Grandmother who was homebound except for doctor visits.

We picked a day and my Grandmother was like a little kid waiting for a school field trip. Anxiously counting down the days.

Continue reading “Exploring Cartersville: Booth Museum”