Cook Museum of Natural Science: A Natural Wonder in Decatur

The Cook Museum of Natural Science, located in downtown Decatur, Alabama, began as a private insect collection used for employee training at Cook's Pest Control in the late 1960s [4, 8]. It officially opened to the public in 1980 and has since evolved into a leading natural science museum [4, 8]. In 2021, it was voted #1 in USA Today's Best New Museum contest [4]. The museum features 62,000 square feet of interactive exhibits that explore diverse North American biomes, from deserts to oceans [5]. Visitors can experience an immersive cave, observe live animals like baby alligators and jellyfish, and marvel at a 15,000-gallon saltwater aquarium [4, 5]. The Forests Exhibit includes a climbable tree with a rope bridge [4, 5]. Interactive displays include a kinetic sand table and a digital seashell generator [4, 5]. The museum is committed to accessibility, offering resources like social stories and visual vocabularies to help visitors prepare for their visit [3]. Courtesy wheelchairs are available, and service animals are welcome [3]. The museum also has a cafe, Nature's Table, that serves fresh, tasty food [5, 12].