New World of Coca-Cola
Atlanta, Ga.
by Sarah Young
There’s nothing like an ice-cold glass of Coca-Cola. And whether you need to entertain out-of-town guests or are just looking for a new place to take the kids for some fun, a visit to the new and improved World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta is perfect.
Previously located at Underground Atlanta, the interactive museum and working bottling plant now shares Pemberton Place with the Georgia Aquarium. At the new World of Coca-Cola you can still learn the history of Coke, see how Coke is bottled in a factory and experience a variety of interactive exhibits, but much is new.
At a whopping 60,000 square feet of
guest areas — about twice that of the previous
location — the new World of Coca-Cola provides an array of 1200 newly
displayed artifacts, new interactive exhibits
and plenty of opportunities for fun. When
you enter into the lobby, you’ll walk through
what looks like a giant block of ice around
a 30-foot bottle of Coke. In the lobby the
centerpiece is a group of giant painted folkart
Coke bottles that feature different countries
around the world.
The next place you’ll visit is the Coca-Cola Loft. This area is the “pre-show” and contains Coke artifacts from all over the world and throughout the years. One featured item is an old Coca-cola ad from 1933 featuring a photo of Clark Gable and Joan Crawford. There are also Coca-Cola billboards and antique signs from different countries.
After strolling through the Loft, the next area you enter is the Happiness Factory Theater. The theater can seat 224 people, and here you’ll watch an 8-minute animated film called, “Inside the Happiness Factory.” According to the Coca-Cola website,“you’ll get a glimpse of the magic that goes inside every bottle.”
Next comes the Hub. This is the central gathering place at the World of Coca-Cola. Here you will access all of the different exhibit areas, and the kids can even meet the Coca-Cola Polar Bear! This area leads to Bottle Works and Milestones of Refreshments. Bottle Works is where you and your children can actually watch how Coca-Cola is made and bottled. You can walk through the factory in a glass tunnel. At designated areas a ghost-like image will appear on the wall to explain what is going on in the bottling facility. Now when you or your children buy a Coke, you’ll know exactly how it got into the bottle!
Milestones of Refreshment is an area that allows you to travel back through time and view the history of Coca-Cola. Some of Coca-Cola’s most prized possessions are featured in galleries within this area. An 1880s soda fountain, a 1939 Coca-Cola delivery truck and Olympic torches from the Olympic Torch Relays are just a few of the items featured in the galleries.
When you experience everything downstairs, there are still plenty of Coca-Cola activities and artifacts on the second floor. Upstairs you’ll find a second theater called The Secret Formula 4-D Theater. It’s not your everyday movie theater. Here, you’ll not just watch the film, but feel it too. This theater is equipped with special seats so that at certain parts of the movie, you’ll feel what the characters are feeling. In this 3-D film, you’ll follow a crazy scientist and his assistant as they try to uncover the secret formula for Coca-Cola.
The Pop Culture Gallery is also on the second floor, where you will see different ways that celebrities and other artists have interpreted Coca-Cola through artwork. The kids can also make their own Coke pop art and purchase a printed poster of their creation or e-mail it to friends and family. In this area, there is a special section called My Coke Story where you can write about your experience at the World of Coca-Cola and read about the experiences of past guests.
In a third theater, The Perfect Pauses Theater, you can watch three short films about Coca-Cola advertising. One of the films, “Magic Moments,” is a 10-minute documentary about commercials and behind-the-scenes information. “International Festival” is a film about the different current Coca-Cola advertising efforts throughout the world. “Animation Celebration” is a playful film starring all of Coca-Cola’s animated characters from past years and ad campaigns.
One of the most exciting featured galleries at the World of Coca-Cola is the area called Taste It! This tasting lounge features 70 beverages available at five tasting stations that are arranged by continents. There is a sixth tasting station that features water, teas and other new beverages developed by Coca-Cola.
The last area you’ll visit is the Coca-Cola Store. Here you will find everything from Coca-Cola key chains to Coca-Cola kitchen tables and chairs. Your kids can also design their own bottles of Coke or print their pop art posters.
“The new World of Coca-Cola embodies
that sense of happiness that our brand
stands for around the globe,” said Marc
Mathieu, senior vice president for Global
Brand Marketing and Creative Excellence
for Coca-Cola. The World of Coca-Cola is a
new twist on a museum, offering creative
ways for kids to interact and learn about the
company. You can even take photos and
video within the World of Coca-Cola! You
can record your kids having a blast while
you make “Coca-Cola Classic memories”
together as a family.
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