America's 100 Must See Exhibits

[TheGytrash]

Man, the monorail looks so cool. I finally made it to the Bronx Zoo last November and was a little disappointed to see the monorail had already shut down for the season (I knew it closed in winter, but it was like 75 degrees and felt like summer-- I didn't realize that there were set dates for closure and it wasn't dependent on the weather). Looking at the zoo map, it really looked like you'd be missing out on a big chunk of the zoo and the collection if you didn't ride the monorail.

But it turned out we still spent over five hours at the zoo even without the monorail (and despite somehow not being able to find Jungle World). It's really an embarrassment of riches at that zoo. And you could still see several of the species even without riding the monorail: the tigers and red pandas have great exhibits in the main area of the zoo, and although you won't get to see the Indian rhinos or elephants, there were still two exhibits for white rhinos.

I'd definitely like to go back and ride the monorail sooner or later (I'd especially like to see the babirusa because I've never seen one in the flesh), but I don't want to discourage anyone who's thinking about going to avoid visiting during the monorail's off-season!

 

[Pleistocene891]

Bronx hasn’t built any new major exhibits since 2008 yet they still tied for first place on this must see exhibits list. I find that very impressive.

 

[pachyderm pro]

96. Amazon and Beyond
Zoo Miami, FL
Opened: 2008
Size: 6 Acres (2.4 Hectares)
Inhabitants: >100 species including Jaguar, Giant Anteater, Giant River Otter, Black Howler Monkey, Harpy Eagle, Orinoco Crocodile, Arapaima and more.

With over 100 species this is one of the most holistic South American exhibit complexes anywhere in North America. It begins with a spacious courtyard plaza that leads to the main trail which connects a trio of loops that each showcase a different forest environment: The Atlantic Forest, Cloud Forests and the Amazon. An excellent amount of biodiversity is on show here from large mammals to tiny herps. The ectotherms in particular really have some standout enclosures including a reptile house with many spacious terrariums, an outdoor caiman lizard paludarium and a 48,000 gallon tank for large fish like arapaima and ripsaw catfish. Enclosures for the jaguars are less impressive with awkward viewing and limited space, but otherwise the individual habitats are mostly very good. The giant river otter habitat is a highlight, as is the harpy eagle aviary where the eagles can fly over the heads of visitors. A similar feature is used in the bat enclosures, which are a pair of mesh caves connected by overhead tunnels the bats can fly through. When the complex first opened vegetation was scarce and holding buildings were clearly visible. While things have improved immensely as the plants have had time to establish, not much attention has gone into landscaping with barriers in plain sight of guests in many instances. Admittedly this does hinder exhibits like the bat caves, giant anteater enclosure and the smaller monkey habitats which would be stronger if not for the poor sightlines. Originally there were plans to add free-roaming callitrichids and iguanas to the area, but they never did end up leaving their existing enclosures. Overall however, this is still one of the best places to observe South American wildlife and the elements that succeed are quite excellent.

I was genuinely shocked to find that it's been ages since very many photos of this exhibit were last updated. Some enclosures are hardly represented in the gallery and some of the photos below date back to well over a decade ago; note that the vegetation is much thicker now. Luckily most of the complex can explored on google maps, but if anybody is the area soon some new photos would be greatly appreciated.

@geomorph

@snowleopard

@devilfish

@Pleistohorse

@devilfish

@Arizona Docent

Spoiler: Photo Key

1. Giant River Otter Exhibit
2. Walkthrough Aviary
3. Bat Exhibits
4. Flooded Forest Tank
5. Covered Herp Exhibits
6. Reptile House

Similar Exhibits: The state of Florida is home to a few other impressive South American complexes as well. While I explained reasoning for not including Jacksonville Zoo's Range of the Jaguar earlier, it still is a very nice complex. Some features include a reptile temple with another large herp collection and a very attractive walkthrough aviary. The jaguar exhibits themselves are a highlight and the amount of cats being held at the zoo is impressive, although the ruined temple thematics may not be to everyone's taste. Palm Beach Zoo's Tropics of the Americas is also very well done especially for being in a smaller zoo, the lush monkey islands being particularly notable. With Zoo Tampa in the midst of planning an enormous South American precinct, it looks as if the sunshine state will continue to be the place to be for neotropical wildlife.

Jacksonville Zoo

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

Palm Beach Zoo

@snowleopard

@pachyderm pro

@snowleopard

 

[Joseph G]

96. Amazon and Beyond
Zoo Miami, FL
Opened: 2008
Size: 6 Acres (2.4 Hectares)
Inhabitants: >100 species including Jaguar, Giant Anteater, Giant River Otter, Black Howler Monkey, Harpy Eagle, Orinoco Crocodile, Arapaima and more.

With over 100 species this is one of the most holistic South American exhibit complexes anywhere in North America. It begins with a spacious courtyard plaza that leads to the main trail which connects a trio of loops that each showcase a different forest environment: The Atlantic Forest, Cloud Forests and the Amazon. An excellent amount of biodiversity is on show here from large mammals to tiny herps. The ectotherms in particular really have some standout enclosures including a reptile house with many spacious terrariums, an outdoor caiman lizard paludarium and a 48,000 gallon tank for large fish like arapaima and ripsaw catfish. Enclosures for the jaguars are less impressive with awkward viewing and limited space, but otherwise the individual habitats are mostly very good. The giant river otter habitat is a highlight, as is the harpy eagle aviary where the eagles can fly over the heads of visitors. A similar feature is used in the bat enclosures, which are a pair of mesh caves connected by overhead tunnels the bats can fly through. When the complex first opened vegetation was scarce and holding buildings were clearly visible. While things have improved immensely as the plants have had time to establish, not much attention has gone into landscaping with barriers in plain sight of guests in many instances. Admittedly this does hinder exhibits like the bat caves, giant anteater enclosure and the smaller monkey habitats which would be stronger if not for the poor sightlines. Originally there were plans to add free-roaming callitrichids and iguanas to the area, but they never did end up leaving their existing enclosures. Overall however, this is still one of the best places to observe South American wildlife and the elements that succeed are quite excellent.

I was genuinely shocked to find that it's been ages since very many photos of this exhibit were last updated. Some enclosures are hardly represented in the gallery and some of the photos below date back to well over a decade ago; note that the vegetation is much thicker now. Luckily most of the complex can explored on google maps, but if anybody is the area soon some new photos would be greatly appreciated.

@geomorph

@snowleopard

@devilfish

@Pleistohorse

@devilfish

@Arizona Docent

Spoiler: Photo Key

1. Giant River Otter Exhibit
2. Walkthrough Aviary
3. Bat Exhibits
4. Flooded Forest Tank
5. Covered Herp Exhibits
6. Reptile House

Similar Exhibits: The state of Florida is home to a few other impressive South American complexes as well. While I explained reasoning for not including Jacksonville Zoo's Range of the Jaguar earlier, it still is a very nice complex. Some features include a reptile temple with another large herp collection and a very attractive walkthrough aviary. The jaguar exhibits themselves are a highlight and the amount of cats being held at the zoo is impressive, although the ruined temple thematics may not be to everyone's taste. Palm Beach Zoo's Tropics of the Americas is also very well done especially for being in a smaller zoo, the lush monkey islands being particularly notable. With Zoo Tampa in the midst of planning an enormous South American precinct, it looks as if the sunshine state will continue to be the place to be for neotropical wildlife.

Jacksonville Zoo

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

Palm Beach Zoo

@snowleopard

@pachyderm pro

@snowleopard

If you can’t tell from my avatar, I love this exhibit. Even though it was finished in 2008, the general design and features remind me of my favorite exhibits of the 80s and 90s from my childhood. It’s the most immersive area in the zoo, and will probably remain as such as the vegetation continues to grow in. This also makes it a great place to escape the heat!

However, I will say post-COVID, this area has fallen off a little bit. Outdoor terrariums are empty or difficult to see into it. Some of the outdoor tanks have stayed empty for weeks a time. The fungus that ran rampant in the reptile house isn’t exactly something I can complain about, but definitely took away from the entire area when the building was almost empty for months at a time. My biggest gripe is the loss of the zoo’s Red Siskin initiative from the aquarium building. But even with the small blemishes, in my opinion it is truly the crown jewel of Zoo Miami.

Happy to see Palm Beach Zoo’s exhibit get a mention as well. The jaguar exhibit is obviously the standout, but the rope bridge right after and the very vertical ocelot exhibit at the end are really fun. There is also a cave of terrariums towards the end and it’s just a nice way to round out the entire walkthrough.

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

If you can’t tell from my avatar, I love this exhibit. Even though it was finished in 2008, the general design and features remind me of my favorite exhibits of the 80s and 90s from my childhood. It’s the most immersive area in the zoo, and will probably remain as such as the vegetation continues to grow in. This also makes it a great place to escape the heat!

However, I will say post-COVID, this area has fallen off a little bit. Outdoor terrariums are empty or difficult to see into it. Some of the outdoor tanks have stayed empty for weeks a time. The fungus that ran rampant in the reptile house isn’t exactly something I can complain about, but definitely took away from the entire area when the building was almost empty for months at a time. My biggest gripe is the loss of the zoo’s Red Siskin initiative from the aquarium building. But even with the small blemishes, in my opinion it is truly the crown jewel of Zoo Miami.

Happy to see Palm Beach Zoo’s exhibit get a mention as well. The jaguar exhibit is obviously the standout, but the rope bridge right after and the very vertical ocelot exhibit at the end are really fun. There is also a cave of terrariums towards the end and it’s just a nice way to round out the entire walkthrough.

The Ocelot exhibit is a Black Howler Exhibit now at PBZ, still the best section at PBZ and glad to see it mentioned

 

[pachyderm pro]

97. Desert Loop Trail
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, AZ
Opened: 1997
Size: 5 Acres (2 Hectares)
Inhabitants: Coyote, Collared Peccary, Chuckwalla, Eastern Collared Lizard

Sometimes the most innovative exhibits don’t need to be the most flashy. Nowhere is that sentiment proven more true than this revolutionary exhibit, which is simply a half-mile long hiking trail through stunning desert landscape. The spacious habitat for native lizards is genuinely phenomenal, but it was the coyote and peccary enclosures that put this exhibit on the map. Patience is encouraged here and the payoff of seeing these species in such brilliant displays is well worth it. These two winding habitats blend seamlessly into the landscape to the point where it's difficult to figure out if you're looking at a zoo exhibit or a wild environment. This is all thanks to a special type of barrier created by the museum's former director of design, Ken Stockton, known as the invisinet. At first glance it appears as if there's nothing separating visitors from the animals. This not only allows for guests to get a completely unobstructed look of the inhabitants, but also allows the animals to get exceptionally close to visitors. The vistas are beautiful and it looks as if both the coyotes and peccaries could disappear into the mountainous backdrop at any moment. Scarcely few exhibits anywhere in the world better simulate encountering animals by surprise in the wild and it makes one wish more zoos utilized the invisinet or other less obtrusive barriers in exhibits.

@Milwaukee Man

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

@Arizona Docent

@Arizona Docent

Similar Exhibits: None.

 

[15399]

97. Desert Loop Trail
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, AZ
Opened: 1997
Size: 5 Acres (2 Hectares)
Inhabitants: Coyote, Collared Peccary, Chuckwalla, Eastern Collared Lizard

Sometimes the most innovative exhibits don’t need to be the most flashy. Nowhere is that sentiment proven more true than this revolutionary exhibit, which is simply a half-mile long hiking trail through stunning desert landscape. The spacious habitat for native lizards is genuinely phenomenal, but it was the coyote and peccary enclosures that put this exhibit on the map. Patience is encouraged here and the payoff of seeing these species in such brilliant displays is well worth it. These two winding habitats blend seamlessly into the landscape to the point where it's difficult to figure out if you're looking at a zoo exhibit or a wild environment. This is all thanks to a special type of barrier created by the museum's former director of design, Ken Stockton, known as the invisinet. At first glance it appears as if there's nothing separating visitors from the animals. This not only allows for guests to get a completely unobstructed look of the inhabitants, but also allows the animals to get exceptionally close to visitors. The vistas are beautiful and it looks as if both the coyotes and peccaries could disappear into the mountainous backdrop at any moment. Scarcely few exhibits anywhere in the world better simulate encountering animals by surprise in the wild and it makes one wish more zoos utilized the invisinet or other less obtrusive barriers in exhibits.

@Milwaukee Man

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

@Arizona Docent

@Arizona Docent

Similar Exhibits: None.

Wow, the bottom three pictures here I would not have realized were zoo exhibits. Had I seen them in the zoochat gallery, I would've assumed they were looks at the facilities' scenery, not actual exhibits!

 

[CGSwans]

Wow, the bottom three pictures here I would not have realized were zoo exhibits. Had I seen them in the zoochat gallery, I would've assumed they were looks at the facilities' scenery, not actual exhibits!

This is one of the relative few on the list I’ve seen (22 in total), and you really can stand just a couple of metres away from the barriers and not recognise them. It’s quite remarkable.

 

[Therabu]

Is there any ressource on the forum or online about this invisinet? I'm curious to see how it works

 

[Aardwolf]

I remember seeing this exhibit and thinking, "Pfft, it looks nice, but no one is ever going to actually see a coyote in an exhibit like this." Five seconds later I rounded a corner and there was a coyote. Well, that showed me...

 

[SwampDonkey]

Is there any ressource on the forum or online about this invisinet? I'm curious to see how it works

It is basically very thin metal mesh that is supported by poles designed to look like plants from the area. You can see a really good picture from @Arizona Docent here:

 

[Coelacanth18]

97. Desert Loop Trail
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, AZ

This is all thanks to a special type of barrier created by the museum's former director of design, Ken Stockton, known as the invisinet. At first glance it appears as if there's nothing separating visitors from the animals. This not only allows for guests to get a completely unobstructed look of the inhabitants, but also allows the animals to get exceptionally close to visitors.

Back when Life on the Rocks made this list, I said there were a couple of ASDM exhibits I was hoping to see more than that one - and along with the hummingbird house that got special mention, this was the other one. The invisinet is a fantastic invention; while obviously not completely invisible, it's the closest to it than anything I've ever seen - glass included. I really don't know why other zoos haven't used or experimented with it more.

 

[reduakari]

Back when Life on the Rocks made this list, I said there were a couple of ASDM exhibits I was hoping to see more than that one - and along with the hummingbird house that got special mention, this was the other one. The invisinet is a fantastic invention; while obviously not completely invisible, it's the closest to it than anything I've ever seen - glass included. I really don't know why other zoos haven't used or experimented with it more.

Invisinet is a great product. However, in recent years some of the barrier around the javelina exhibit has been changed to a thicker, more visible wire rope, as the original mesh was breached by wild javelinas trying to get in!
The Bronx used invisinet to enclose the colobus exhibit at the entrance to Congo Gorilla Forest, and it is used in several spots in Omaha’s Desert Dome. Nowhere, however, is it as effectively deployed as at the amazing coyote and (former?) coati exhibits at ASDM. This is definitely a top 100, and maybe a top 10 exhibit.

 

[pachyderm pro]

The Bronx used invisinet to enclose the colobus exhibit at the entrance to Congo Gorilla Forest, and it is used in several spots in Omaha’s Desert Dome. Nowhere, however, is it as effectively deployed as at the amazing coyote and (former?) coati exhibits at ASDM. This is definitely a top 100, and maybe a top 10 exhibit.

Indeed the success of invisinet is very much dependent on how it is used. It works so well on the Desert Loop Trail because of the open space, perfectly blending in with the vast landscape and sky. The way it's used in the Desert Dome is far less effective, as it just encloses crevices within the rockwork. The barrier is clearly visible as a result and the illusion isn't at all convincing. It doesn't help the inhabitants of these enclosures aren't really appropriate for the space either.


Bat-eared fox enclosure

Blue-bellied roller enclosure

 

[tigris115]

The monorail was always my go to first attraction at the zoo, mostly to see the elephants. I do hope NY won't go totally out of elephants for good but besides that, Asian hoofstock are deeply underappreciated and I especially love seeing the gaur.

 

[pachyderm pro]

98. Reptile House
Cincinnati Zoo, OH
Opened: 1875 (Renovated in 1951)
Size: 4,000 Square Feet (370 Square Meters)
Inhabitants: Roughly 30 reptiles and amphibians.

This Moorish Revival building is the oldest existing animal house left standing in an American zoo. When it originally opened alongside the park it began as the monkey house. It wasn’t until over 75 years later that reptiles and amphibians took over the space, a very necessary change considering the modest square footage of the building. The layout is rather simple, being a circular gallery with walls lined by vivaria and an unfortunately small pool for Chinese alligators at the center. Designed to accommodate an aviary, the house is unusual tall and the 40 feet high dome is quite striking. Due to its advanced age and small size, the collection isn’t nearly as large or diverse as many of the other significant reptile complexes in America, but that’s to be expected and it's definitely for the best. You won't find any outstanding enclosures within the structure, but there is a nicely done walkthrough enclosure for Galapagos tortoise adjacent to the house that was added much more recently. The surrounding botanical gardens are beautiful as well and complement this iconic zoo building wonderfully.

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

@TinoPup

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

Similar Exhibits: There are a few other historic reptile houses with impressive architecture, although I only know of one that also began as something else. Brookfield Zoo's Reptiles and Birds building was originally known as the perching bird house and hosted a wide collection birds in tiny glass boxes. The collection slowly dwindled out and nowadays its mostly a reptile house with only a walk-in aviary at the houses center containing any avian residents. Predated by Cincinnati's reptile house about 60 years, its not as attractive architecturally, but is still a very cool WPA era building.

@geomorph

@Moebelle

 

[Persephone]

Ah, Cincinnati. They should probably replace the alligators with dwarf caimans. I’d forgotten how small that pool was until I saw the picture. Good to see them back for one last hurrah. It has the misfortune of being so close to Columbus when it would be the strongest zoo in most states. Easy top ten on my current list (which is still only ~60 zoos).

 

[TinoPup]

98. Reptile House
Cincinnati Zoo, OH
Opened: 1875 (Renovated in 1951)
Size: 4,000 Square Feet (370 Square Meters)
Inhabitants: Roughly 30 reptiles and amphibians.

This Moorish Revival building is the oldest existing animal house left standing in an American zoo. When it originally opened alongside the park it began as the monkey house. It wasn’t until over 75 years later that reptiles and amphibians took over the space, a very necessary change considering the modest square footage of the building. The layout is rather simple, being a circular gallery with walls lined by vivaria and an unfortunately small pool for Chinese alligators at the center. Designed to accommodate an aviary, the house is unusual tall and the 40 feet high dome is quite striking. Due to its advanced age and small size, the collection isn’t nearly as large or diverse as many of the other significant reptile complexes in America, but that’s to be expected and it's definitely for the best. You won't find any outstanding enclosures within the structure, but there is a nicely done walkthrough enclosure for Galapagos tortoise adjacent to the house that was added much more recently. The surrounding botanical gardens are beautiful as well and complement this iconic zoo building wonderfully.

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

@TinoPup

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

Similar Exhibits: There are a few other historic reptile houses with impressive architecture, although I only know of one that also began as something else. Brookfield Zoo's Reptiles and Birds building was originally known as the perching bird house and hosted a wide collection birds in tiny glass boxes. The collection slowly dwindled out and nowadays its mostly a reptile house with only a walk-in aviary at the houses center containing any avian residents. Predated by Cincinnati's reptile house about 60 years, its not as attractive architecturally, but is still a very cool WPA era building.

@geomorph

@Moebelle

Smithsonian's Reptile House should also be mentioned, opening in 1931.

 

[JpY]

If you can’t tell from my avatar, I love this exhibit. Even though it was finished in 2008, the general design and features remind me of my favorite exhibits of the 80s and 90s from my childhood. It’s the most immersive area in the zoo, and will probably remain as such as the vegetation continues to grow in. This also makes it a great place to escape the heat!

However, I will say post-COVID, this area has fallen off a little bit. Outdoor terrariums are empty or difficult to see into it. Some of the outdoor tanks have stayed empty for weeks a time. The fungus that ran rampant in the reptile house isn’t exactly something I can complain about, but definitely took away from the entire area when the building was almost empty for months at a time. My biggest gripe is the loss of the zoo’s Red Siskin initiative from the aquarium building. But even with the small blemishes, in my opinion it is truly the crown jewel of Zoo Miami.

Happy to see Palm Beach Zoo’s exhibit get a mention as well. The jaguar exhibit is obviously the standout, but the rope bridge right after and the very vertical ocelot exhibit at the end are really fun. There is also a cave of terrariums towards the end and it’s just a nice way to round out the entire walkthrough.

How many other zoo holders of harpy eagles are there in the USA? Great bird that you don't see much in captivity.

 

[Great Argus]

How many other zoo holders of harpy eagles are there in the USA? Great bird that you don't see much in captivity.

See this thread.
Birds of Prey in North America