Cook's Natural Science Museum - Decatur, AL - what started as a training exercise has gained national attention

The Cook's Natural Science Museum located at 412 13th Street South East at the corner of 13the Street South East and 5th Avenue in Decatur, Alabama is free to everyone. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9am until noon and from 1pm until 5pm. The facility is closed for lunch from noon to one in the afternoon. On Sunday the facility opens at two in the afternoon and closes and five in the evening.

The museum was originally found by Cook's Pest Control to use insect exhibits in training. Cook's Pest Control founder John R. Cook formed the museum during the 1960's. The facility first contained insects that could be found in the area local to the museum and was used to supplement the training received by Cook's employees. Word about the Cook's Natural Science Museum spread fast because of the unique collection and the company received numerous inquiries from people that wanted to see the collection first hand.

The volume of the correspondence led to the collection being taking over the road for more people to see. There was a traveling exhibit of insects put together during 1969 that was taken to various hospitals, schools, libraries, shopping malls and locations throughout the state of Alabama and neighboring areas. The exhibit began to expand as the number of tours it was taken on was increased.

In 1980 the decision to build the permanent building that holds the Cook's Natural Science Museum was made. The facility's collection is much larger than it originally once having expanded to include rocks, minerals, plants, aquatic life and mounted birds in addition to the insects that began the museum collection. Nation recognition has been given to the facility naming it one of the Southeastern United States best nature orientated museums.

Auburn University awarded John Cook, founder of the museum, the W. Kelly Mosley Environmental Award which brought the facility into the spotlight of the media during 1986. With both the American Bald Eagle and Gold Eagles in the display the museum is among a select few to be authorized to have them on display. There are a number of endangered and protected animal species in the displays with a number of them in their natural habits within the exhibits.

The museum has over fifty species of animals, water life and insects in one display of the wildlife native to the Tennessee Valley. Cook's Natural Science Museum also has a gift counter where visitors can obtain both practical and unusual gifts to give those that did not have the pleasure of taking the trip with them. There are also talking exhibits, exhibits that you can touch and live displays to allow everyone the full experience of the facility.

The fact that admission to the Cook's Natural Science Museum is always free makes it a great place to take the kids for a school, church or other type of field trip. Those wishing to obtain additional information about the exhibits or directions to the museum facilities should contact the facility directly.