$100M ‘FutureVerse’ museum floated for downtown Atlanta Josh Green Wed, 04/17/2024 - 08:06 One of the world’s largest fish tanks, a temple of soda, a shrine to civil rights, and now… a glimpse into the future?
With a goal of further establishing Atlanta’s reputation as a hub of innovation and tourism, a concept called “FutureVerse: America's Only Museum of the Future” is being proposed as downtown’s first major new attraction in nearly 20 years. (FutureVerse's leaders apparently aren't counting the College Football Hall of Fame as a major-league draw.)
Before RitaWorld Pearl Kingdom comparisons are volleyed, consider the museum project is being spearheaded by a wide range of corporate leaders, innovators, and movers-and-shakers at some of Georgia’s most influential universities.
The nonprofit facility’s broad goal is to “redefine the museum experience” and “transform learning and showcase Georgia’s and America’s most advanced technologies, which will protect our planet and benefit mankind,” according to a project announcement.
Costs for the Cooper Carry-designed facility—which early renderings depict with a flowing, modern exterior and multiple rooftop activations—are estimated at $100 million.
Potential look of the FutureVerse atrium. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry
Early designs for the facility's exterior, where project backers expect 1.2 million visitors to flock annually. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry
An analysis suggests the museum could pull in more than 1.2 million annual visitors (roughly 15 million people visit downtown yearly today) and generate inaugural revenue of $50 million, according to project officials.
Designs call for six Future Galleries that celebrate American ingenuity and innovation, with a focus on the next generation of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality included. The galleries would incorporate digital projection tech, allowing for quicker, less expensive updates as the future evolves, as it naturally does.
Once section backed by Emory Healthcare, for example, would be called the Future Health gallery, with a focus on preventative health and the human body. Another, the Future Transportation gallery, would showcase advances in automotive, aerospace, and locomotive engineering and space travel. Future Earth, meanwhile, would explore climate change and solutions.
Other planned sections include Future Play (billed as a “gaming arcade of the future”), Future Tech (a Jetsons-like glimpse at family homes of the future), and interactive Future Art (a fusion of art and film and tech).
Rendering of Future Earth. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry
Exactly where the FutureVerse might take shape hasn’t been determined. But a project rep tells Urbanize Atlanta that early discussions have begun with CIM Group, the national developer behind Centennial Yards, which is remaking the Gulch in the shadow of downtown’s two professional sports arenas.
The goal, according to project reps, is to open the FutureVerse by 2028. A capital campaign is already underway, following a “rigorous feasibility study.”
The project’s board of advisors includes representatives from Georgia Tech, Emory Healthcare, Woodruff Health Science Center, University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, and law firm Kilpatrick, Townsend, and Stockton.
The Future Health section. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry
“Atlanta can do anything when we come together,” said David Wynett, the project’s president and chief creative officer, in the announcement. “FutureVerse will bolster tourism and provide our students with unparalleled STEAM learning opportunities with fun, high-tech immersive exhibits.”
Added A.J. Robinson, longtime president of Central Atlanta Progress: “As Atlanta continues to be a top destination for people from across the globe, the proposed FutureVerse Museum will be a one-of-a-kind, immersive, educational experience that will complement existing attractions in downtown.”
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FutureVerse Centennial Yards Downtown Atlanta Atlanta Museums America's only Museum of the Future Downtown Attractions Tourist Attractions Cooper Carry Central Atlanta Progress AI artificial intelligence VR Virtual Reality Emory University Morehouse College Georgia State University The Gulch University of Georgia
Images
Early designs for the facility's exterior, where project backers expect 1.2 million visitors to flock annually. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry
Potential look of the FutureVerse atrium. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry
Rendering of Future Earth. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry
The Future Health section. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry
Subtitle District’s first new major attraction in two decades could draw in 1.2M annual visitors, its backers predict
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