World of Coca Cola, Atlanta, Georgia

In Pemberton Place, near the aquarium, is The World of Coca Cola. It is a building that houses the complete story of Coca Cola.Originally Coca-Cola was intended as a patent medicine when it was first invented in Columbus, Georgia late in the 19th Century. The formula was invented by John Pemberton, a druggist, at his drug store. It was a cocawine and was known as Pemberton's French Wine Cola. In 1886 when Atlanta and Fulton passed prohibition legislation Pemberton developed Coca-Cola. It was first sold in drug stores and pharmacies in Atlanta, Georgia on May 8, 1886. It cost five cents a glass and was said to cure morphine addiction, dyspepsia, neurasthenia, headache and impotence. The two key ingredients in Coke were caffeine and cocaine. At one time it contained 9 milligrams per glass (don't know what size glass) of cocaine, but in 1903 the cocaine was removed. The exact formula is a well kept trade secret, known by only two people at a time. It was once believed each of these people had only half of the formula, but that is not true. The original formula is kept in SunTrust Bank's main vault in Atlanta. The logo was created by John Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Mason Robinson. There is an exhibit in the museum where you can attempt to duplicate his logo. The contour bottle was developed in 1915 by Earl R. Dean, a worker at Root Glass Works. For his efforts he was awarded a life time job at Root Glass works. At one time stores had "Chill Boxes" which were various sized containers in which they put ice then added whatever soft drinks they sold. The contour spae of the Coke bottle allowed you to be able to pick out a Coke even when you couldn't see what you were reacing for. There was a complete bottling line where they showed the bottling process from beginning to end, and everyone gets a free bottle of Coke. There is also an area that allows you to taste test about 60 different Coke products from around the world, some of which were absolutely awful. After you get your freebie you have to go through the Coca Cola Store where you can find all sorts of clothing, glasses, trinkets, and anything you can think of with the Coca-Cola logo on it. I nevder saw so much red and white in my life. It was interesting and I hope you enjoy the pictures. They may seem rather boring, but I guess you just had to be there.

In the entrace lobby were large bottles of coke made from material from all over the world.

Entrance Lobby

Entrance Lobby. The wall on the left was interesting. I knw, I know...it doesn't take much to impress me. The wall had a set of comments that lit up at differnet times. It is hard to explain, but I though it was cool.

Coca-Cola Signs

Coca-Cola signs from around the world

Typical drug store signs advertising Coca-Cola

Collectibles

The Happiness Factory was a small theatre where they show you an animated movie ab out the "magic" that occurs when you put your money in the slot of a soda machine. It had all these characters who told you what their responsibility in the process was, and what a happy place it was to work. It was really very cute.

You then walk through a tunnel into the main part of the museum.

This depicted the soda fountain in a typical drug store where Coca-Cola was first sold.

Typical soda fountain

This shows John Pemberton making up the formula

Soda Jerk at the soda fountain

This is the soda fountian again, but if you look in the mirror you can see me looking at the display.

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Advertising

The plaque in the middle says:

When John Pemberton decided his new beverage creation needed a memorable name, help came from an unlikely source. His bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, tried name after name until he came up with Coca-Cola. He liked the catchy sound and thought two "C's" would look good in advertising. Robinson experimented with different ways to dipict the name, finally settling on a script written on his own hand. With very few alterations over time, the simple, strong logo created by Robinson is today one of the most recognized trademarks in the world.

This is the exhibit that allows you to try to duplicate Frank Robinson's logo

When Coca-Cola was first sold it cost five cents a glass. This board allowed you to lift up the little doors and see what other things cost at the same time. A hotel room in Atlanta cost $1.00

Collectibles

Collectibles

Coca-Cola trays

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This urn was the oldest item in the museum. A few ounces of Coke syrup was put in the glass, then carbonated water was allowed to drip down from the top of the urn into the glass to make a glass of Coca-Cola.

If you click on this picture to make it larger you will see the alternate ways that were used to deliver Coca-Cola to the various businesses that sold it.

The first three bottling companies outside of the United States were in Canada, Panama and CUba. BY 1930 there were 64 bottling companies in 27 countries.

This car was used in a foreign country to deliver Coke.

The bottling company donated the car to the museum.

The Baltimore, Maryland Bottling Company

The Baltimore, Maryland Bottling Company

The Abbeville, South Carolina Bottling Company

A Capping Machine

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Advertising

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Portrait of John Pemberton and his wife painted by Norman Rockwell

Coca-Cola dispensing machines

Coca-Cola Dispensing machines and advertising

Coca-Cola Packaging

Advertising from around the world

Advertising around the world

Advertising around the world

Advertising around the world

Coke has sponsored the Olympic Games longer than any other business in the world. These are Olympic Torches from various years.

Celebrity Advertising

Celebrity Advertising

Celebrity Advertising

Celebrity Advertising

Olympic Pins

Olympic Pins

Olympic Pins

Olympic Pins

Yearly introductions

Yearly introductions

Yearly Introductions

Yearly Introductions

Yearly Introductions

Yearaly Introductions

Yearly Introductions

Yearly Introductions

Yearly Introductions

Yearly Introductions

Coca-Cola Products

Coca-Cola Designs

We even had our picture taken with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear. They took this picture with our camera. . .

. . . and this one with theirs.

Been THERE, done THAT. . .

. . .AND bought the t-shirt

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH