David J. Sencer CDC Museum image

David J. Sencer CDC Museum

Tourist attraction Science museum

Museum at Centers for Disease Control & Prevention headquarters showcasing public-health history. People often mention museum, free, check, security, information, exhibit, interesting, Free, parking, vehicle,


Address

1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States

Website

www.cdc.gov

Contact

+1 404-639-0830

Rating on Google Maps

4.50 (117 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Thursday: 9 am to 7 pm
  • Friday: 9 am to 5 pm
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
  • Monday: 9 am to 5 pm
  • Tuesday: 9 am to 5 pm
  • Wednesday: 9 am to 5 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: museum (16) free (11) check (9) security (9) information (8) exhibit (7) interesting (7) Free (6) parking (6) vehicle (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 2/5 Lauren M. 1 year ago on Google
    I called before we went to see if they required covid-19 vaccine cards (online it said we may need it). The lady seemed very put out that I was asking that. The check in process consisted of having your car searched, showing ID multiple times, going through metal detectors. The security guards were not very friendly, they seemed like they didn't like kids being there. Once in the exhibit a worker stopped my children to tell them not to touch things (which they were not doing). Although the museum is nice for an adult audience, not at all centered for children or youth. My children found it extremely boring. It would be nice if there was something for children to see or touch. I was hoping for more than just reading posters on the wall. It would have been more interesting to watch a documentary online.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Jeremy 5 years ago on Google
    Nice museum. It's free so you can't really argue with that. But, cdc, IF ANYBODY IS LISTENING; you can't have an iron lung exhibit and not let people crawl inside for photos. Why? Why even have it? An iron lung DEMANDS photo ops. It's almost cruel and abusive.
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Marisol O. 4 years ago on Google • 109 reviews
    Free Admission. Truly unique and eye opening Museum at Centers for Disease Control & Prevention headquarters showcasing public-health history. Incredibly interesting. Must have an ID to enter. And they check all visitor's vehicle's. Free parking. Yes, you are allowed to take pictures.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Max Y. 1 year ago on Google • 90 reviews
    Free parking and admission, full vehicle check, pop the hood/trunk, get out of the vehicle Very informational, with lots of stuff to read, an easy 90-120 minutes can be spent here
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Andy F. 5 months ago on Google • 288 reviews
    It's a small but dense museum. Lots of cool information about the founding of the CDC up through current times.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Naomi G. 4 years ago on Google • 19 reviews
    Pretty cool place! Be prepared to have your car searched especially if you’re a first time visitor. I wish I had cleaned it but security was thorough and somehow managed to see past the trash and grime in my back seats. Heading into the actual building there is another security check but once in the museum you’ll find all sorts of fascinating facts and relics. I left there informed, paranoid and fascinated all at once. The latest exhibit had the most beautiful displays of diseases I’d ever seen! One might say that it’s irresponsible to make typhoid fever look so darling. I say, those were excellent displays of artistry & creativity.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Susan S. 1 year ago on Google
    Well worth the free entry. The museum consists of two floors of exhibits, one rotating and one fixed.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Cam 1 year ago on Google
    If you drive here the parking is free, but they do a full vehicle inspection, all doors and compartments open. You need ID to get at the front desk. It's like airport security but you keep shoes on. The museum had some exhibits but mostly just reading. It got boring about halfway through.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Aurthi A. 11 months ago on Google • 72 reviews
    Very informative and lots of stuff to read and learn from! Learned a lot of interesting things that I never knew. They check our ID at the entrance
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Penny G. 2 years ago on Google
    Do they have an exhibit featuring the Tuskegee Experiment? You know the one where they injected negros with syphilis and watched them die as they studied the progression of the disease.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Desiree A. 7 months ago on Google • 33 reviews
    It was a great experience. I went on a field trip there with my class on Tuesday and the tour guide has taught us the diseases.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mithun M. 6 years ago on Google
    This is a really cool place and is loaded with information. A quick breakdown Good: - free!! - loaded with information on diseases and epide.ics from the recent Ebola outbreak in Western Africa to the AIDS scare of the 90's and even earlier epidemics like Polio and smallpox. - they have a lot of real world items that would have been used in handling outbreaks, helps make these events feel real. (MINOR) Bad: - you're not allowed to take pictures of the outsides of the buildings in the compound and even certain areas inside the museum. This isn't apparent and they don't have signs posted anywhere, when I went to take a picture, I got yelled at by security guards. What's the big deal, they showed it all on The Walking Dead anyway 😂 - the exhibits are really information dense, they're almost daunting to approach because you feel like you're surrounded by walls of text, and they have videos playing in many places with the sound on, (and some areas with headphones). I get easily distracted and wasn't able to read some of the exhibits because of the videos playing around me. - due to security concerns, you must have a state id to enter, so international visitors may not be able to enter., If my rating didn't say it: these negatives are MINOR. I found the museum to be extremely informative and would recommend anyone who can to visit.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Erica B. 6 years ago on Google
    Free, well kept and curated museum with 2 floors of exhibits (1 permanent and 1 rotating). Parking was not available at the time of my visit, but free garage parking was available for 3 hours in the shopping area across the street. I wish there had been a gift shop, as I would have liked to buy a souvenir with the CDC logo.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Annie A. 8 months ago on Google
    Secret somehow but it should be a part of your Atlanta education experience. It is free and open during the week. Free parking. Note: your car will be inspected, so good time to clean it out. Once you park & enter the Museum building, you go through security (like indoor sports events). You need a valid picture ID (think airport). Why all this, the items studied in the BSL 4 labs. It is truly worth the trip.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Julia H. 3 months ago on Google • 69 reviews New
    Extremely cool (& free!) museum with some great artifacts from health history! Biggest disappointment was they didn't have a gift shop :(

  • 5/5 Nnaemeka “Meka” O. 6 months ago on Google • 34 reviews
    This is a must-see/visit for anyone interested in public health globally, and its history in the United States. Very fascinating. I would go again.

  • 5/5 Alex R. 1 month ago on Google • 28 reviews New
    Wow. Great amount of information and detail about the history of the CDC and what it does. Do bring your id with you as they check it to let you into the facility. Also, they check your car. Overall, easy and fun experience worth it for an science person.

  • 5/5 Josh M. 1 month ago on Google • 24 reviews New
    The exhibits are extremely interesting and informative and staff is wonderful. Definitely worth the thorough vehicle search at the entrance gate.

  • 5/5 Alex D. 1 year ago on Google
    Nice museum exhibit. Try to get the guided tour. Parking, museum, tour are all free. It's not a huge exhibit, but it's a good quick visit. Make sure to have ID to get in.

  • 3/5 Jill B. 11 months ago on Google
    I was so looking forward to this but unfortunately it is not a well curated museum. It’s as though no one stop to ask what the PURPOSE is. As a result my son and I left feeling a little overwhelmed by the scope of activities and uncertain about the value of them. I’m sure that wasn’t their intention. I’d encourage them to bring in someone from the Smithsonian who is skilled at aligning information and artifacts with a purpose.

  • 3/5 Kimberly R. 10 months ago on Google
    A lot of reading, not much about covid 19, fairly small exhibit but overall it was nice and free!

  • 5/5 Michelle B. 1 year ago on Google
    They check your vehicle and are very security oriented. Appreciated it. Great experience and you can collect brochures for teaching or learning.

  • 4/5 Matthew B. 5 years ago on Google
    This place is pretty neat. If you are in healthcare, I strongly encourage you to check it out. There is a lot of history about the CDC and some of the epidemics that have hit the world. There are some pretty neat artifacts as well. They have everything from an iron lung to small box vaccination packs. I wish I could have tried in the biohazard suit though. Security is pretty tight as it should be so make sure you have an ID and be prepared for them to search your vehicle.

  • 1/5 Mina M. 1 year ago on Google
    No free masks, security and museum employees were rude.

  • 5/5 Jennifer C. 1 year ago on Google
    Great free museum, especially to take older kids (mine were 11 and 15). Building is very nice, staff were very friendly and helpful. Plan to spend about two hours.

  • 5/5 Colleen C. 6 years ago on Google
    Great information explaining the role of the CDC and accomplishments. Very interesting displays. Free parking and admission. Everyone we encountered was helpful and very friendly.

  • 5/5 Sam R. 7 years ago on Google
    The staff at the museum are incredibly friendly and willing to go above and beyond what I would think there job is. A good place to take a group of people for a fun and educational experience.

  • 5/5 sandra y. 4 years ago on Google
    The CDC has lots of interesting information about past and present diseases and outbreaks. Very interesting place for our students to visit!


Call +1 404-639-0830 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair rental
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance

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