Taste of the World

BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks – May. 19, ’12

The slogan “Boost is the secret of my energy” is good for kids. But as the time moves on, the slogan changes to “Coke is the secret of my energy”!!! Invented in a small town near Atlanta, Coca Cola is today a popular soft drink in more than 200 countries worldwide. The fascinating story of coca cola can be explored at the World of Coca Cola, a museum dedicated to the past, present and future of world’s best known soft drink brand. The museum is located in the heart of downtown Atlanta at a place known as Pemberton Place. The place is named so in honor of John S. Pemberton who invented the secret formula of Coca Cola. This museum is a unique and must-see attraction in Atlanta.

A life size statue of John S. Pemberton greets the visitors at the entrance. After waiting in quite a long line and passing through airport style security checks complete with metal detectors, we finally entered the lobby. Large Coca-Cola bottles grabbed my attention upon entering the lobby. These bottles are made from different materials from around the world. The paintings on these bottles represent different cultures reflecting Coca-Cola’s world-wide presence which is the central theme of this museum. A medley of Coca-Cola jingles from around the world was playing in the background.

The lobby opens into the Coca-Cola Loft. It is an exhibition of various Coca-Cola advertising artifacts collected from around the world. They majorly include posters, banners, billboards etc. The oldest artifact dates back to 1896. A guide gives a brief description of the exhibits hosted here.

The next in line is the Happiness Factory Theater. Here you get to watch an amusing animated documentary which revolves around Coca-Cola’s current advertising campaign. Once the film ends, the screen folds upwards and a walkway lead you into The Hub. From here you can access various other attractions in the museum. You can also meet the Coca-Cola mascot, the Coca-Cola Polar Bear and the characters of animated film.

Milestones of Refreshment is a series of galleries that exhibit rich history of Coca-Cola from its conception till today. At the very entrance of the gallery is circa 1880s soda fountain that used to serve Coca-Cola. Other artifacts include billboards, wallets, wall clocks, mugs, posters and calendars. Other valuable artifacts include the original kettle and other vessels used by Pemberton to prepare the secret formula of Coca Cola in 1886, the mould used to prepare the trademark Coke bottle and the very first coke vending machine. You can also see the bottles and cans of all coke products available all around the world.

As we moved ahead in the gallery, we spotted the antique bottling machine. It could be run by paddling and visitors are allowed to try it. It was a pretty tough job!! Another interesting exhibit in this gallery was the 1939 Chevrolet delivery truck from Argentina. We also spotted Coca-Cola vending machines used in different corners of the world at different times. But I was shocked to know that Coca-Cola was once used to be advertised as a brain tonic!!!

After this dose of history, we entered into the next gallery for some scientific stuff. It was the bottle works. It is a real bottling line where you can see various phases of Coca-Cola packaging. It was quite an experience to go through this mini bottling plant.

If you are tired of all the walking, you can relax in a 4-D theater at the upper level. Here you get to watch the story of an eccentric scientist and his assistant. You can join them on their journey to discover the secret formula of Coca-Cola. The movie gives you a good ride through various corners of the world as a member of Coca-Cola delivery team. This 3-D movie gives a real life feel. Moving seats and splashes of water complete this 4-D experience.

Another exhibit, the Pop Culture Gallery is the artistic presentation of Coca-Cola. Here you can see various art forms inspired by Coca-Cola. There were stories written by people about their memorable moments with Coca-Cola, digital paintings, sculptures created using Coca-Cola bottles and cans, collages, painted Coca-Cola bottles and much more. You can also check your painting skills on the touch screens provided in the gallery. The selected paintings and stories are featured in this gallery. The Perfect Pauses Theater provides just what its name suggests – a quick relaxation. It is a theater that shows the best of Coca-Cola advertisements throughout the years and from all corners of the world.

If you are wondering that how come Coca-Cola is not served in a museum dedicated to this brand; then wait a minute and head straight to the Taste It! Gallery. It is a world tour; well, not for you but for your taste buds. Here you can taste over 60 different Coca Cola products sold in all the continents. You can have as much as you can!! The variety of products was mind-blowing. I don’t even remember the names of all those products. But I liked the ones sold in the UK and Germany. On the way out, each visitor is gifted with a complementary bottle of Coca-Cola. These were the same bottles that we saw being filled in the mini bottling plant. The bottles are complete with their date of manufacturing and the seal of bottling plant where they are filled. That was quite a “Fresh” Coke!!!

The Coca-Cola store is adjacent to the museum. You can purchase the memorabilia here. The items range from the cute Polar Bears to the swanky cocktail sets. Items in all sizes and price ranges are available here. So if you want to take the excitement home, a visit to Coca-Cola store should not be missed.

World of Coca-Cola has now become my favorite destination in the city. After all, it is the only place which serves so many varieties of Coca-Cola at the height of summer ;)