Over the last decade, the Zoo has opened three major exhibits – PECO Primate Reserve, Big Cat Falls, and the McNeil Avian Center. Each of these award-winning exhibits has broken new ground – combining a compelling animal experience with engaging messages about species and habitat preservation and conservation.
Now, the Philadelphia Zoo is building a redefined world-class children’s zoo that takes this philosophy to a new level – providing a joyful, engaging experience for children and families while promoting a lifetime of conservation action through hands-on learning activities.
- The Children’s Zoo will be a year-round destination - abundant indoor and outdoor features make it less weather-dependent and will appeal to children ages two to thirteen.
- The Zoo’s current children’s zoo animals - goats, sheep, ducks and backyard bugs - will be joined by colorful butterflies, budgies and tropical fish, all connecting a conservation message.
- Rare breed goats, sheep and chickens will delight visitors with their unique appearances and convey the importance of species diversity.
- The building will be LEED-certified and include a number of “green” features - green roof, cisterns to recycle waste water and geothermal heating.
- Children will be engaged in animal care: grooming, feeding and learning how to improve animals’ lives.
- The Zoo’s new dynamic design - overhead animal trails - will connect exhibits and allow animals to move throughout the Zoo, creating a constantly-changing experience for the animals - and guests!
- All of the Zoo’s educational programming - and its teaching collection - will be housed in one space to support more comprehensive programs.