About Us
CDC has created a special exhibit area at its Atlanta headquarters,
thereby opening its doors to the thousands of visitors who request
tours of CDC each year. Select topics below to learn more about the
Global Health Odyssey Museum.
What is the Global Health Odyssey Museum?
The Global Health Odyssey Museum is a small exhibit area with an
attached theater. It is both a visitors’ center and an interactive
educational facility. Our mission is to teach all who visit about CDC,
public health, and the benefits of prevention. Our outreach efforts are
part of CDC’s drive to offer credible health information and to work
with partners in the community to prevent health problems. Besides the
cafeteria and a souvenir store, the museum is the only part of CDC that
is open to the public. Reservations to tour the GHO must be made in
advance. Please call us at (404) 639-0830, or
schedule a visit online.
The GHO tour begins with a 5-minute, introductory video. Visitors
then view a series of four displays illustrating CDC’s present-day
work. Historic exhibits and artifacts follow, with an overview of CDC’s
heritage, its development over the years, and its many accomplishments
– our legacy of actively protecting the health and safety of people
worldwide. The exhibit area includes several interactive centers to
engage children and adults alike. Visitors can also enter the Discovery
Theater to view educational videos, demonstrations, and hear CDC
volunteer speakers on a variety of topics.
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When is the museum open?
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, except for Federal holidays.
Please note that ALL visitors must have an appointment to visit. Please
call us at (404) 639-0830, or schedule a visit
online.
Group tours can be scheduled for 9:30 a.m. every weekday morning, and
at 1:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. There are no Friday afternoon group
tours. Individuals or small groups may take a self-guided tour at any
time during museum hours.
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How much does it cost?
There is no admission charge.
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Where is it located?
The Global Health Odyssey is located at the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. The address is 1600 Clifton
Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.
Directions
If you're traveling on I-85 South . . .
Exit at North Druid Hills Road (Exit 89). Turn left onto North Druid
Hills Road. At the third traffic light, turn right onto Briarcliff
Road. At the fourth traffic light, turn left onto Clifton Road. CDC is
approximately 1 mile on the right at 1600 Clifton Road.
If you're traveling on I-85 North . . .
Exit at North Druid Hills Road (south) (Exit 89). Turn right onto North
Druid Hills Road. At the third traffic light, turn right onto
Briarcliff Road. At the fourth traffic light, turn left onto Clifton
Road. CDC is approximately 1 mile on the right at 1600 Clifton Road.
If you're traveling on I-75 North or South . . .
Follow I-75 until it runs into I-85 North and follow directions above.
If you're traveling on I-20 East . . .
Exit at Moreland Avenue (Exit 60). Turn left onto Moreland Avenue.
Moreland becomes Briarcliff Road. Stay on Briarcliff for approximately
3 miles, then turn right onto Clifton Road, just past Sage Hill
Shopping Center. CDC is approximately 1 mile on the right at 1600
Clifton Road.
If you're traveling on I-20 West . . .
Exit at Moreland Avenue (Exit 60). Turn right onto Moreland Avenue.
Moreland becomes Briarcliff Road. Stay on Briarcliff for approximately
3 miles, then turn right onto Clifton Road, just past Sage Hill
Shopping Center. CDC is approximately 1 mile on the right at 1600
Clifton Road.
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How large can a touring group be?
The maximum group size for tours is 60 people and, unfortunately, we
cannot accommodate any larger groups. Because the GHO is small, only 30
people can view the exhibits at a time. If your group is larger than
30, we will take half of them to the Discovery Theater to view a video
and perhaps hear a volunteer speaker, while the other half takes a
tour. Then we will switch the groups.
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Should we use a tour guide or self-guided tour?
The museum is designed for middle school-aged groups and older.
Individuals and small groups are welcome to conduct their own tours,
using our self-guided tour brochure, available in 14 languages. Please
note that ALL visitors must have an appointment to visit. Please call
us at (404) 639-0830, or schedule a visit
online.
For groups of 10-60, we would be glad to arrange for one of our CDC
volunteers to conduct a tour for you. Tours are conducted at 9:30 am
and 1:30 pm Monday-Thursday, with the option of self-guided tours
throughout the day. There are no Friday afternoon group tours. Most
tours of the exhibits take from 45 minutes to an hour. Tours that
include a presentation in the Discovery Theater take about 2 hours.
Please allow an additional 15 minutes to go through security before
your tour.
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How can I set up a tour?
Schedule a visit online or call us! We're at
(404) 639-0830.
If you are a teacher, take a look at
www.cdc.gov/excite, and let us
know if you would like more information on EXcellence in Curriculum
Integration through Teaching Epidemiology (EXCITE). Also, please let us
know if there is a particular topic you would like a speaker to
address. Examples include adolescent health, biosafety, bioterrorism,
birth defects, cancer, CDC overview or careers, chronic diseases,
disabilities, environmental health hazards, epidemiology, genetics,
global health, health economics, HIV/AIDS, hospital infections,
immunizations, infectious diseases, microbiology, minority health,
nutrition, oral health, occupational health, physical activity, public
health, reproductive health, sexually transmitted diseases, statistical
health data, tobacco use, unintentional injuries, violence, and
virology.
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What should I know about CDC security?
CDC security is much like airport security. Bags are examined via
x-ray, and all visitors must walk through a metal detector before they
may enter the CDC complex. (The security officers tell us it speeds
things up if there are no beepers, cell phones or other electronic
devices to examine.) Every visitor must have a visitor’s badge, and
must have a reservation. Please e-mail (global@cdc.gov),
call [(404) 639-0830] or fax [(404) 639-0834] us in advance with the
names of everyone coming, so that we can have badges
ready for you. Group tours should include the name of the group,
and the date and time you plan to visit.
Please note that you may take pictures or videos only in the Global
Health Odyssey Museum. You may not take pictures or videos in any other
part of CDC. Firearms and other dangerous weapons
are prohibited. If your profession requires that you carry a firearm,
please let us know in advance, so that we can get pre-approval from our
security office.
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What are the museum rules?
Group representatives will receive a confirmation letter and an
information packet for your tour. Please review these materials
carefully, and share them with other chaperones.
We recommend one chaperone for every 5-7 students, and we
would appreciate your cooperation in ensuring that members of your
group respect the exhibits. Please make sure that they do not touch
or sit on them. While we have a security officer on duty to monitor
behavior, it will be much more pleasant if your group knows what is
expected in advance.
Food and drinks are not allowed in the museum or theater.
We have developed a Treasure Hunt for Information for
students. Teachers and group leaders have found it a useful way to
recap information after students have completed a tour. Let us know if
you would like to use it, and we will have copies available (along with
an answer sheet for you).
You are welcome to take pictures or videos in the museum. We have
"blue suits" exactly like the ones worn by researchers in the Biosafety
Level 4 laboratory, and they are available to try on. You may not take
pictures or videos in any other part of CDC.
One of our volunteers or staff members will lead your tour. Because
our volunteers are generously donating their time, and often travel
from other CDC facilities around the city, please contact us well in
advance at (404) 639-0830 if you need to cancel your tour, or if you
are running behind schedule.
If you are more than 30 minutes late, your tour will be cancelled. If
you need to cancel or reschedule, please contact us two working days in
advance or you will not be able to reschedule.
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Where can I park?
The best plan for large groups is to drop off your tour participants
across from the main entrance to CDC and park your buses there.
Individuals and small groups should park in the back of the CDC complex
at the Visitors’ Center. To get there, turn onto Houston Mill Road (the
first right after you pass the main entrance to CDC) and take a right
when it dead ends onto Michael Street. The Visitors’ Center is on
Michael Street, on the right. The security officers can show you where
to park (free of charge), and you can take a shuttle to the main CDC
complex. You will have to go through another security checkpoint, and
someone will escort you to the museum to start your tour.
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What else can you do at CDC?
Visit the SHARE store, which sells CDC souvenirs (t-shirts, hats,
mugs, pencils, pens, key chains, etc.). Hours are 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
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How do I contact the museum with further questions?
Please call (404) 639-0830 or e-mail us at
global@cdc.gov, and we will be glad to help. We look forward to
seeing you -- our important partners in the promotion of health issues
-- at the Global Health Odyssey Museum. |
