A future-focused concept angling to become downtown Atlanta’s next marquee museum has installed a full development team, created a shortlist of development sites, and pinpointed funding sources that could include public dollars, according to project officials.

Announced in spring 2024, the Georgia Center for Innovation & Discovery concept is being put together by FutureVerse, which bills itself as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Earlier marketing materials coined the concept “FutureVerse, America’s Only Museum of the Future.” 

Project leaders on Friday announced “major progress” in building a development team and compiling a funding structure to help make the estimated $100-million project a reality. 

That team includes commercial firm Cushman & Wakefield, which is representing FutureVerse in efforts toward selecting a building site, alongside Clark Construction and project managers DaVinci Development Collaborative and IMPACT Development Management. Atlanta firm Cooper Carry was previously enlisted as project architect. 

FutureVerse is now in “the process of finalizing a strategy to secure longterm land control,” per the recent announcement. 

A new rendering depicting potential designs for the multi-level FutureVerse atrium. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry

So far, FutureVerse’s team has finished “architectural test fits” on what’s described as “multiple premier downtown sites adjacent to Atlanta’s core cultural and entertainment district,” but none were identified by name or address. 

“Those discussions with developers are confidential, but once the site is selected, [FutureVerse] will make an announcement,” a project rep tells Urbanize Atlanta. 

Earlier this year, project officials were in talks with Centennial Yards developer CIM Group about potentially locating the tourist attraction at that rising megaproject in the former Gulch.

Meanwhile, FutureVerse and its financial partners have zeroed in on “new federal incentives,” in addition to state and local funding streams, that could provide more than 50 percent of financing needed to pull the project off, according to officials. FutureVerse is also now seeking additional funding—for gallery naming, lab partnerships, and other sponsorships—from corporations, philanthropic foundations, and other donors.  

Early designs for the facility's exterior, where project backers expect 1.2 million visitors to flock annually. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry

Rendering of Future Earth. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry

Plans call for the FutureVerse facility to emerge as another cornerstone for downtown tourism and an education landmark. 

Museum designs have shown six Future Galleries that celebrate American ingenuity and innovation, with a focus on the next generation of AI, virtual reality, and augmented reality. Another focus would be to help prep Georgia’s future workforce in the realms of mobility, health, sustainability, and science. 

Project backers estimate the Georgia Center for Innovation & Discovery, once fully operational downtown, would attract more than 1.2 million annual visitors, host more than 200,000 students per year via school partnerships, and generate more than $100 million annually for Georgia’s economy. 

As announced earlier this year, Clayton County has signed on as the pilot school district for a FutureVerse initiative called Program ASPIRE. That program is bringing high-tech, immersive, AI, and virtual-reality powered Innovation Labs into Clayton County classrooms, with a goal of increasing student engagement and forming a new model for educational innovation. The effort is being funded through the Peach Education Tax Credit at no extra cost to Georgia taxpayers, according to officials.

“Our mission is to build a place where students and families discover what is possible,” said David Wynett, FutureVerse president and CEO, in the recent project update. “We are not just showing the future, we are helping to discover it too.” 

The Future Health section. Courtesy of FutureVerse; designs, Cooper Carry

Added Richard Taylor, FutureVerse’s CFO and chief real estate officer: “The economic impact of FutureVerse on Georgia’s economy will be substantial. With up to 50 percent supported by public financing mechanisms, the contributions we receive from corporations, foundations, and individual donors are multiplied significantly.” 

The goal is to open the museum by 2028, FutureVerse reps told Urbanize Atlanta last year. 

The project’s board of advisors includes representatives from Georgia Tech, Emory Healthcare, Woodruff Health Science Center, University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, and law firm Kilpatrick, Townsend, and Stockton, which hosted a formal project announcement with Clayton County schools in May. 

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