David J. Sencer CDC Museum

The David J. Sencer CDC Museum is one of Atlanta’s hidden gems and an incredibly inspiring place to visit. It offers a powerful journey through the history of public health and the global fight against infectious diseases—efforts that have profoundly changed and saved millions of lives. The story of the CDC begins right after World War II, when malaria was still a major threat in the southern United States. In 1946, the U.S. government established the Communicable Disease Center (now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) specifically to tackle this deadly disease. Atlanta was chosen not only because malaria was widespread in the region, but also because of the strong public health presence already established here. Emory University played a pivotal role in making the CDC's founding possible: Emory granted 15 acres of land to the fledgling agency—land adjacent to its Druid Hills campus—allowing the CDC to build its headquarters and begin operations. This strategic partnership laid the foundation for what would become the world’s leading public health institution, with Emory and CDC remaining strong neighbors and collaborators to this day. Today, the CDC’s impact reaches across the globe. At the museum, you’ll see how CDC played a leading role in eradicating smallpox, contributed to the near-eradication of polio, pioneered early HIV/AIDS interventions, and responded to major global health crises like Ebola, Zika, SARS, and COVID-19. You’ll discover their legacy of vaccine innovation, pandemic preparedness, health equity leadership, and scientific research excellence. The exhibitions are thoughtfully curated, moving, and intellectually engaging. You’ll find artifacts like the historic iron lung from the polio era, original smallpox vaccination devices, early field epidemiology tools, and the stunning "Global Symphony" installation celebrating global health milestones. It’s science, bravery, and compassion captured in living history. The museum is free, meticulously maintained, and deeply educational. Visiting the CDC Museum is not just a tour—it's a profound reminder of how far we have come in public health and how critical these efforts remain today. If you’re ever in Atlanta, this museum is an absolute must-visit. You’ll leave more informed, more inspired, and more hopeful.

Visiting was interesting because there was a lot of history shown with pictures and artifacts. Also some areas were restricted. I suppose you can look up what they do there to understand the reason for armed guards.

It was eh.....thankfully it was free or else it probably wouldn't be worth it. Sparse is an accurate word to describe it. 1st floor has some TV screens and videos, small room off to the side about children and vaccines. A larger area that was all about artwork made during Covid. The floor below was exhibits on the creation of the CDC, diseases and instruments used for disease control. The Covid-19 exhibit was about the size of a postage stamp which was a little underwhelming due to the scope and length of the pandemic.

Atlanta is a great place to be if you love art and design, and this is a great museum that might get overlooked for that purpose. Yes, it's about the CDC and various public health crises first and foremost, but it's a got so many rich examples of art, design, and communication in practice for anyone who is interested in these topics. I skipped the hassle of the inspection by taking a Lyft, and that meant I got to spend more time here. It's not a huge museum, but it feels very information dense- there's a lot to see on every level.

They have some good displays but some of them are used to indoctrinate the public on social justice garbage. You get a little bit of science and then: transgender rights, environmental racism, women's rights, blah blah blah. It's okay if you can stomach that in but there's a place and time for everything. This ought not be that place. Stick with CDC related subjects.