What's better than a cold Coca-Cola on a hot summer day? How about the chance to sample more than 100 international and domestic beverages made by The Coca‑Cola Company - all at one time! The World of Coca-Cola is a soft drink lover's paradise. And, the Atlanta attraction is a great place to bring your family or out-of-town guests on any day (including cool, rainy ones).
However, the World of Coca-Cola is much more than just a tasting room. The museum is a fascinating tribute to the world's most recognizable soft drink, and it features a number of new exhibits that will intrigue art lovers as well as history buffs.
When you arrive, you'll first enter the lobby, which is home to a number of Coca‑Cola bottle sculptures that were created for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Up the massive staircase we discovered the Tray Art project - a collaboration with Delta which has given artists the opportunity to design a tray table featured on a 767 jet! The tables displayed here are the original artwork.
Also inside the lobby, you'll find the famous Coca-Cola Polar Bear. You can use your own camera to snap a photo, or let one of the staff photographers capture the moment, which you can purchase upon exiting at the Coca-Cola store.
We started our tour at the Vault of the Secret Formula exhibit - which is fun for kids of all ages as it features a number of interactive and multimedia experiences. Try the Virtual Taste Maker, where you can turn the dials to create your own flavor combinations (with visuals as well as sound effects). Eventually you will make your way to the vault itself, where we're told the secret formula is closely guarded.
My favorite area of the attraction is the Pop Culture Gallery. When you first walk in, you'll get to experience the newest exhibit titled 10 Artists, 10 Bottles: World of Coca‑Cola Celebrates Atlanta’s Creative Community. See how local artists have transformed the iconic bottle into a canvas, with a wide range of style
American Idol fans take note: this sofa from the American Idol Season 4 set was the same one used to interview contestants. Also inside the gallery, you can create your own Coke art at one of three touch screen kiosks. Share your finished project via email, and watch as it is displayed on large monitors in the gallery too.
Next, inside the Milestones of Refreshment, learn all about the history of Coca-Cola. See such prized possessions as a circa 1880s soda fountain, 1939 delivery truck from Argentina and the Coca‑Cola contour bottle.
For more fun, walk through Bottling Works or watch the “In Search of the Secret Formula” 4-D movie.
Of course, after your tour, make your way to the Taste It! room (or back to it), where after having your fill of product samples from around the world, you'll exit the attraction through the Coca-Cola Store. Take some time to browse - not only will you find the expected items (and a wide range of apparel too), but some luxury items as well, including these coke bottle "purses" with a price tag of more than $2000!
WANT TO VISIT?
World of Coca‑Cola is located in Pemberton Place, adjacent to the Georgia Aquarium in downtown Atlanta, and is accessible via the Peachtree Center or CNN/World Congress Center MARTA stations. For questions, call 1-800-676-COKE or visit the website to purchase tickets.
LIMITED SUMMER PASS OFFER! In celebration of 10 years at Pemberton Place, World of Coca-Cola is offering a limited-time Summer Pass. Valid through Aug. 31, the pass provides unlimited general admission for $25 – less than the price of two general admission tickets! Throughout the season, World of Coca-Cola will also announce special offers on its social channels, so follow @WorldofCocaCola on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to score some sweet deals!
