America's 100 Must See Exhibits

[Great Argus]

Texas is the state that has significantly underperformed on this list (both the primary one and the 'extended editions' of similar exhibits and honourable mentions), at least relative to my expectations. Houston has done well, with 3 list entries and 3 other mentions, and Fort Worth has 4 overall mentions and Dallas 3. Beyond that, there's only the honourable mention for Cameron Park and a similar exhibit at Fossil Rim. That's 15 entries out of a total 227 America-wide. Is this a surprise to people?

I was surprised, yes. Texas is third highest in number of AZA facilities with 18 - and many big names in the zoo world with Dallas, Forth Forth, DWA, Houston, and Gladys Porter. In terms of exhibitry qualifying for the thread I'm not sure how many I'd pin as I'm not especially familiar with many exhibits from the area. But it does feel underrepresented in terms of how many facilities there are.

 

[15399]

Texas is the state that has significantly underperformed on this list (both the primary one and the 'extended editions' of similar exhibits and honourable mentions), at least relative to my expectations. Houston has done well, with 3 list entries and 3 other mentions, and Fort Worth has 4 overall mentions and Dallas 3. Beyond that, there's only the honourable mention for Cameron Park and a similar exhibit at Fossil Rim. That's 15 entries out of a total 227 America-wide. Is this a surprise to people?

I'm not overly surprised. There were only two exhibits from Texas on my list of guesses to get no mention: Simmons Hippo Outpost at Dallas (which was admittedly a stretch), and El Paso Zoo's Chiuahuan Desert. I think it's clear that the goal of the list was not to give a geographically balanced look at zoo exhibits, but to look at a nationwide scale without regard to geography. That being the case, it's natural there will be both under- and over- represented states and regions. The northeast, for example, was only represented by exhibits within NYC, and while there are good exhibits elsewhere in the region, geography alone did not warrant their inclusion (although personally I think Mystic Aquarium's Arctic Coast, at a minimum, should've been included- but due to the exhibit's quality not where it happens to be located). The mid west, on the contrary, could easily be argued as overrepresented, as a substantial number of zoos in the region got exhibits on the list, however most of these exhibits were easily justified inclusions despite being in close geographic proximity to each other.

 

[CMP]

South Central

Only encompassing four states, there are only a few more exhibits worth mentioning in this part of the US. While the best has already been discussed, that doesn't mean there isn't some more stuff worth seeing. While it didn't get any mentions, Audubon Zoo is a strong facility that has a particularly impressive South American Pampas enclosure hosting a wide variety of megafauna including tapir, capybara, guanaco and various birds. The enclosure is several acres in size and features a massive lagoon. The adjacent maned wolf exhibit isn't half bad either.

@snowleopard

@Sarus Crane

Zoos in the state of Texas seem to really like displaying native species which is a recurring theme in this post. Brazos River Country at Cameron Park Zoo is among them and is about as fitting a native species exhibit as you could ask for; the zoo is located directly next to the Brazos River. The shorebird aviary and various large aquariums for local fish are fantastic, but the exhibit admittedly falls short with the carnivore enclosures.

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

There's also the highly thematic Texas Wild at Fort Worth Zoo. The large Texas Town plaza is surely the most eye catching thing here. modeled after an old western town featuring numerous restaurants, a mock jail, and a large town hall that features historical displays about the lone star state. Once again however the animal habitats are admittedly hit and miss with nothing particularly standing out as great.

@geomorph

@gan

@snowleopard

An exhibit that takes a more specialized approach is Houston Zoo's Texas Wetlands. There are only a few species - alligators, whooping cranes, bald eagles and gar - but it all flows together as one brilliant cohesive environment with great conservation messaging. The faux tree work is truly excellent as well and the overall attention to detail is to be commended. This is an example of a complex that only focuses on a few things, but presents them exceptionally well.

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

I'd also like to bring attention to Dallas Zoo's Herpetarium. It had fallen a bit out of date, but has recently been restored and reorganized into different wings that each showcase a different conversation focus. Many enclosures were renovated in the process and the signage was also updated. The collection is still immense with roughly 120 species on show and is yet another reptile house that is well worth seeing in the US.

@TinoPup

As an aside, please forgive me for taking way longer than I should be to finish these honorable mention posts. Life has been very busy, but I will make it a priority to wrap this thing up ASAP.

I'm quite surprised DWA was still not given a mention here. While certain exhibits leave more to be desired from a husbandry standpoint, many more of the exhibits are quite spectacular and definitely 'must see' IMO, and that is not even getting started on the species list.

 

[nczoofan]

Living in Texas I have some thoughts

• Houston’s new exhibits have been amazing quality. Any future major exhibits they do would certainly be contenders on this list.
• Fort Worth (my favorite zoo in Texas) is rapidly growing, with the new carnivore complex next week and new jungle complex (okapi, bongo, orangutan, birds, and more) in 2025/26. As it currently stands there savannah is one of my favorites as it masterfully retained existing oak trees and has real nice design. The elephant exhibits one of the best in the nation, with a massive pool and the ability to manage 3+ adult bulls and a herd. Texas Wild is a guilty pleasure with great educational displays and the amazing village. I personally would have put it on this list yet the tiny cat and coyote exhibits undercut its successes.
  
• Dallas is a weird zoo for me, a zoo with mostly fine exhibit but little of the main zoo stands out. Africa is definitely its strong-suit though, with the herpeterium being amazing for zoo fans, yet is a rapidly aging building. At times due to its lack of good AC it can be downright uncomfortable.
  
• Lastly my home zoo San Antonio deserved to miss this list. Its best exhibit complex is clearly Africa Live, which has great aquariums and reptile displays. With the new gorilla exhibit spanning 2+ acres though, they may deserve a spot in the future.
  
• The smaller or medium zoos in Texas don’t have many contenders, yet I agree Brazos River Country at the Cameron Park Zoo could have been on the list. Its not perfect, like Texas Wild yet having saltwater and freshwater aquarium buildings, is unique. As is the inclusion of a barn themed nocturnal house. My favor part though is the aviary with a great diversity of native birds and a sand dune area where the rehabbed gulls feel right at home. One other suggestion would be the rainforest pyramid at Moody Gardens. I’m unsure if it qualifies but its massive with unique free ranging birds and monkeys, and really is just an amazing educational experience through and through.

I know this was a long explanation of my thoughts but in short. Texas has a lot of great zoos and even greater collections (especially for reptiles and birds). At the same point while many exhibits are great, they often are not either unique enough or lack that spark to be on this list. I largely have to agree with the inclusions from the state therefore.

 

[pachyderm pro]

I'm glad many seem to agree with my assessment, as I must admit that I sort of struggled to write this honorable mention post. It's a bit surprising how little there was to talk about in this region of the US. Outside of Texas, I considered a few others to bring up but none of them felt quite appropriate. Tulsa Zoo's Lost Kingdom seemed like an obvious choice at first, but it really is just a typical ruined temple themed Asian exhibit with many exhibits that are rather bland. Audubon Zoo's Louisiana Swamp complex also could have gotten a nod, but considering the emphasis on native species exhibits it felt redundant and less impressive by comparison to other exhibits mentioned.

When it comes to the major Texas collections there's no denying that Houston is leading the pack in producing high quality exhibits in recent years. If the remainder of the zoos conservation focused master plan is implemented as planned, I have no doubt they could snag one or two more spots in a future "must see" list. Fort Worth's new developments have been a bit more generic by comparison, but still very well done. I'm not confident the new predator complex would have made the main list, but it likely would have been given an honorable mention if it was open by now.

I'm quite surprised DWA was still not given a mention here. While certain exhibits leave more to be desired from a husbandry standpoint, many more of the exhibits are quite spectacular and definitely 'must see' IMO, and that is not even getting started on the species list.

Hmmmm. Dallas World Aquarium is an odd bird in the American zoo landscape. It's known for its plentiful collection of rarities, unique atmosphere and eccentric founder. Good exhibitry is not something it's known for; on the contrary there are some downright awful areas to be found as has been discussed at length on this site. I struggle to give the place a nod for just about any exhibit they have, but maybe, just maybe, the Orinoco rainforest could have gotten a mention. That's a very hard maybe however.

One other suggestion would be the rainforest pyramid at Moody Gardens. I’m unsure if it qualifies but its massive with unique free ranging birds and monkeys, and really is just an amazing educational experience through and through.

Honestly Moody Gardens somehow completely slipped my mind, even though I included in "America's 50 Must See Zoos" last year . I probably could have thrown an honorable mention to the Rainforest pyramid, but like you said it's a little hard to define that as one proper exhibit complex. It's quite good, albeit not that distinct from other major rainforest exhibits. Perhaps the outdoor giant otter habitat in particular could've gotten a mention as it really is very nice.

While this region didn't have much of note, the west has a ton more that could've made the cut on this list. Stay tuned for that in the coming days.

 

[CMTM]

Dallas World Aquarium is an odd bird in the American zoo landscape.

Intentional or not, this might be the most clever joke I've ever seen on this forum.

 

[groundskeeper24]

As for Brookfield, I hadn't been there in 20 years when I took my son there last summer. The feeling I get walking through the old Pachyderm building is truly unique. The indoor stalls are not ideal, but there's just something about the sheer size of the great hall in the middle. The outdoor yards were a lot larger than I realized. I remember thinking that the former nile hippo yard would dwarf Cincinnati's very recently built (at great expense) Hippo Cove by quite a bit.

Again, I can't quite put it into words. I guess the combination of seeing what it currently is combined with what it used to be gives me a lot to think about. I feel like they've done an excellent job of picking more appropriately sized species to keep the building interesting despite the significant losses. Idk why, but I like this concept a lot.

 

[JVM]

I've finally caught up here, so it's time to offer a long delayed but well-deserved congratulations to Pachyderm Pro for completing this monumental undertaking!

For a less-traveled zoo nerd like myself, this list has been a great way to learn about what exhibits to add to my bucket list outside the better-known zoos. I really enjoyed getting to see exhibits from Bronx, Omaha, St. Louis and San Diego out of the sometimes overwhelming context of the overall facilities, but I was always particularly excited to see highlights from facilities outside the usual conversation about the best zoos. I would like to highlight Memphis Zoo especially as a facility that I wouldn't have thought about that I now feel a much more serious interest in. I was also surprised how much representation Cheyenne Mountain Zoo had, which makes me all the more eager to see it for myself on my next trip to Colorado, which really showed itself one of the more underrated zoo states in the country.

While many of us may have our own ideas and between each other disagreements about the criterion for a 'must-see' exhibit (which would make a great thread isolated from this) I do feel that Pachy's choices largely fit the criteria I expected from the onset of the thread, before I got a little lost along the way, his choices generally seemed well-explained and nothing hit me as contradicting his own set standards. I appreciated the recurring focus on historical buildings and architecture -- zoo history has a special place in my heart, is part of why I went into history at all, and therefore sometimes transformation of an old space is more impressive and interesting to me, on a personal basis, than flawless work from the ground up. Bronx's Madagascar being a former Lion House is extremely interesting!

I also appreciate the effort that went into ensuring we saw lots of different exhibits, keeping the core list interesting and not overwhelmed by the handful of kinds of exhibits that often command more attention and funding. While savannas, ape houses, jungle buildings, walkthrough aviaries, penguin and polar bear exhibits are all popular types of exhibit and were all represented, as were local wildlife exhibits, the consolidation in honorable mentions kept any of these categories from overpowering the list. While some of these could easily have deserved their own entries, the emphasis on including some more unique exhibits made it more interesting to read and a better representation of the total variety of exhibits. Even repeated ideas often showed a different subfocus that made them unique -- there are more ways to make a Savanna exhibit than I imagined!

Some exhibit categories that weren't well-represented, though this is largely a result of trends in zoos than Pachy's list: there are few great Australia exhibits in the United States, dedicated small mammal buildings seem almost a dated concept to modern zoos, and while farm exhibits are a critical part of many zoos, they contain largely the same domestics in similar theming, rarely involving any kind of innovation. These are all categories that are rather neglected. Of course, I know a few zoos are doing renovations to their Australia exhibits so there's hope there yet. Will there ever be a "must-see" farm or a modern small mammal complex though?

The fact zoochatters have continued to discuss exhibits that were worthy of inclusion but skipped, and that there is viable defense for every entry on the list, definitely puts the kibosh on allegations of padding, seeming to suggest America absolutely has more than one hundred must-see exhibits.

As for me, I'm shocked to say I've seen at least ten whole exhibits on this list: Lincoln Park Zoo's Regenstein Center for African Apes and Pepper Family Wildlife Center, Brookfield Zoo's Tropic World and Regenstein Wolf Woods, the Shedd Aquarium's Abbot Oceanarium, Amazon Rising and Wild Reef, Milwaukee County Zoo's Predator/Prey habitats, Denver's Elephant Passage and Predator Ridge, and more debatably for count, the giant panda habitat at the National Zoo, although the full Asia Trail was not open yet at the time. I'm hoping to visit Racine, Indianapolis and St. Louis before the end of the summer, which may bring me up to sixteen exhibits in a faster order.

 

[pachyderm pro]

West

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, San Diego made a number of appearances on this list and was just one more exhibit short of tying for the top spot. Several of the zoo's amazing aviaries were featured, but there is one more that deserves a mention as well. The Arctic aviary - sometimes referred to as the Diving Duck Aviary - hosts a wide array of Northern birds including a diverse collection of rare waterfowl. For those keeping count, San Diego now has a grand total of six walkthrough aviaries mentioned on this list one way or another.

@geomorph

Besides the spectacular bird collection, perhaps the one other aspect of San Diego is most known for is their stunning rainforest environment which encompasses multiple exhibit complexes. Among them is Ituri Forest, which is most well known for the stunning nile hippo pool. However, the real highlight of this area is the mixed monkey and otter exhibit which extends to both sides of the gust boardwalk.

@IndianRhino

@Coelacanth18

It also wouldn't be right to ignore Tiger River, the zoo's first real attempt at creating an immersive exhibit complex. Over the years some unfavorable changes have occurred such as the tiger enclosure being split in two and the narrow, steep pathways are an inconvenience to many. As a significant part of the zoo's history however, it's definitely something worth seeing and there are a variety of small passerines and herps to see along the trail as well which is always nice.

@Arizona Docent

@snowleopard

The Safari Park didn't receive quite as much praise as it's sister facility on this thread, but in many cases the standard of exhibitry was actually higher than the zoo especially when it comes to larger megafauna. Lion Camp is approaching 20 years of age and is still among the very best lion enclosures in the US, even with the dreaded crashed safari jeep at the center.

@Julio C Castro

Monterey Bay Aquarium has some of the most fascinating exhibits in the aquarium world and that goes beyond just fish. The shorebird aviary is wonderful, made even nicer by the glorious view into the pacific ocean.

@snowleopard

Another wonderful shorebird aviary can be seen at the little known Living Coast Discovery Center. There is even a separate section dedicated to light-footed ridgway's rail, of which the center is the only exhibitor in the world.

@snowleopard

Elephants made the list 10 times, but even then there are other notable elephant complexes that could’ve made the cut as well. Elephants of Asia at Los Angeles Zoo showcases the role elephants play in the cultures of India, Thailand, China and other countries. It's a very well designed elephant complex that is only held back by how understocked it is compared to many others and the fact that it can be tricky to navigate.

@Julio C Castro

@TheoV

Finally moving beyond California, Expedition Tanzania is a real highlight of Reid Park Zoo and one of the best African elephant exhibits in the country. There is also some highly impressive interpretive material that merits a mention as well.

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

Few collections are as consistently high quality as Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. The cat and bear exhibits were already discussed and while I would love to give mention to the many other outstanding enclosures at the park, I'd like to specifically zone-in on the 400+ acre drive-through enclosure home to multiple large hoofstock. Ranging from meadows to forests, this massive paddock is essentially a fenced off slice of the wild and truly outstanding.

@snowleopard

@Pleistohorse

Numerous standalone penguin enclosures were featured on the list and there is still one more that missed the cut only because of the sheer number already mentioned. Woodland Park Zoo’s excellent Humboldt penguin enclosure was a strong contender with its detailed rockwork covered in painted guano and spacious environment.

@snowleopard

Trail of Vines is another highlight of Woodland Park, focusing on Southeast Asian fauna. There aren't many notable orangutan habitats in the US, but the lush vegetation engulfing the enclosures here and access to large trees surely make this one of the more impressive displays. The various supporting species like tapir and various primates add further diversity to an excellent area.

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

While on the topic of primates, Primate Panorama at Denver Zoo is a somewhat rare exhibit type in the US. It's not often a zoo will create a taxonomically organized exhibit that isn't an animal house, but rather a naturalistic outdoor exhibit area. Featuring about 20 primate species alongside several non-primates, the collection is one of the most diverse in the country making for a monkey enthusiasts paradise.

@snowleopard

@geomorph

@snowleopard

That's all for the honorable mentions, finally. Once again I am very sorry for taking so long to write up what are really quite simple posts. A mix of writer's block, procrastination and a busy life made it difficult to wrap this up, but we're just about done here. All that's left now is one final summary post which will be coming shortly (I promise ). Just a reminder that if you haven't already please vote in the community choice poll and give your thoughts on the exhibits chosen on this thread, which will be revealed in the closing post.

 

[pachyderm pro]

West

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, San Diego made a number of appearances on this list and was just one more exhibit short of tying for the top spot. Several of the zoo's amazing aviaries were featured, but there is one more that deserves a mention as well. The Arctic aviary - sometimes referred to as the Diving Duck Aviary - hosts a wide array of Northern birds including a diverse collection of rare waterfowl. For those keeping count, San Diego now has a grand total of six walkthrough aviaries mentioned on this list one way or another.

@geomorph

Besides the spectacular bird collection, perhaps the one other aspect of San Diego is most known for is their stunning rainforest environment which encompasses multiple exhibit complexes. Among them is Ituri Forest, which is most well known for the stunning nile hippo pool. However, the real highlight of this area is the mixed monkey and otter exhibit which extends to both sides of the gust boardwalk.

@IndianRhino

@Coelacanth18

It also wouldn't be right to ignore Tiger River, the zoo's first real attempt at creating an immersive exhibit complex. Over the years some unfavorable changes have occurred such as the tiger enclosure being split in two and the narrow, steep pathways are an inconvenience to many. As a significant part of the zoo's history however, it's definitely something worth seeing and there are a variety of small passerines and herps to see along the trail as well which is always nice.

@Arizona Docent

@snowleopard

The Safari Park didn't receive quite as much praise as it's sister facility on this thread, but in many cases the standard of exhibitry was actually higher than the zoo especially when it comes to larger megafauna. Lion Camp is approaching 20 years of age and is still among the very best lion enclosures in the US, even with the dreaded crashed safari jeep at the center.

@Julio C Castro

Monterey Bay Aquarium has some of the most fascinating exhibits in the aquarium world and that goes beyond just fish. The shorebird aviary is wonderful, made even nicer by the glorious view into the pacific ocean.

@snowleopard

Another wonderful shorebird aviary can be seen at the little known Living Coast Discovery Center. There is even a separate section dedicated to light-footed ridgway's rail, of which the center is the only exhibitor in the world.

@snowleopard

Elephants made the list 10 times, but even then there are other notable elephant complexes that could’ve made the cut as well. Elephants of Asia at Los Angeles Zoo showcases the role elephants play in the cultures of India, Thailand, China and other countries. It's a very well designed elephant complex that is only held back by how understocked it is compared to many others and the fact that it can be tricky to navigate.

@Julio C Castro

@TheoV

Finally moving beyond California, Expedition Tanzania is a real highlight of Reid Park Zoo and one of the best African elephant exhibits in the country. There is also some highly impressive interpretive material that merits a mention as well.

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

Few collections are as consistently high quality as Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. The cat and bear exhibits were already discussed and while I would love to give mention to the many other outstanding enclosures at the park, I'd like to specifically zone-in on the 400+ acre drive-through enclosure home to multiple large hoofstock. Ranging from meadows to forests, this massive paddock is essentially a fenced off slice of the wild and truly outstanding.

@snowleopard

@Pleistohorse

Numerous standalone penguin enclosures were featured on the list and there is still one more that missed the cut only because of the sheer number already mentioned. Woodland Park Zoo’s excellent Humboldt penguin enclosure was a strong contender with its detailed rockwork covered in painted guano and spacious environment.

@snowleopard

Trail of Vines is another highlight of Woodland Park, focusing on Southeast Asian fauna. There aren't many notable orangutan habitats in the US, but the lush vegetation engulfing the enclosures here and access to large trees surely make this one of the more impressive displays. The various supporting species like tapir and various primates add further diversity to an excellent area.

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

While on the topic of primates, Primate Panorama at Denver Zoo is a somewhat rare exhibit type in the US. It's not often a zoo will create a taxonomically organized exhibit that isn't an animal house, but rather a naturalistic outdoor exhibit area. Featuring about 20 primate species alongside several non-primates, the collection is one of the most diverse in the country making for a monkey enthusiasts paradise.

@snowleopard

@geomorph

@snowleopard

That's all for the honorable mentions, finally. Once again I am very sorry for taking so long to write up what are really quite simple posts. A mix of writer's block, procrastination and a busy life made it difficult to wrap this up, but we're just about done here. All that's left now is one final summary post which will be coming shortly (I promise ). Just a reminder that if you haven't already please vote in the community choice poll and give your thoughts on the exhibits chosen on this thread, which will be revealed in the closing post.

I really don't know why some of the photos won't load. I didn't have this issue a single time throughout this entire thread until the last two posts. Maybe it has something to do with the brief outages that have been effecting everyone on here recently, but I've tried multiple times and certain ones just aren't working. I apologize for the inconvenience.

 

[Coelacanth18]

I haven't been having any issues embedding photos in my herp thread, so let's see if I can help out a bit with the exhibits I'm familiar with (apologies if these aren't the ones you intended):

San Diego Zoo Safari Park / Lions Camp (taken by @Julio C Castro)

Monterey Bay Aquarium / Shorebird Aviary (taken by @snowleopard)

Living Coast Discovery Center / Shorebird Aviary (taken by @snowleopard)

Los Angeles Zoo / Elephants of Asia (taken by @TheoV)

 

[Coelacanth18]

Another wonderful shorebird aviary can be seen at the little known Living Coast Discovery Center. There is even a separate section dedicated to light-footed ridgway's rail, of which the center is the only exhibitor in the world.

Unfortunately the LCDC no longer displays Ridgway's Rail, they only hold and breed them offshow now. That aviary is still there, though, and quite nice; it has a handful of waterfowl and shorebirds, including Black Oystercatcher.

Elephants of Asia at Los Angeles Zoo showcases the role elephants play in the cultures of India, Thailand, China and other countries. It's a very well designed elephant complex that is only held back by how understocked it is compared to many others and the fact that it can be tricky to navigate.

I wouldn't say it's tricky to navigate necessarily; it's in the middle of the zoo, so there are multiple viewing points accessed from different areas. I do wish there were a larger herd of elephants to fill out the space, though; I often only see one or two, if any. Worth mentioning is that there is a very lush enclosure for Sarus Cranes that is also part of the complex (though I can't find a good photo of it in the gallery).

Few collections are as consistently high quality as Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. The cat and bear exhibits were already discussed and while I would love to give mention to the many other outstanding enclosures at the park, I'd like to specifically zone-in on the 400+ acre drive-through enclosure home to multiple large hoofstock. Ranging from meadows to forests, this massive paddock is essentially a fenced off slice of the wild and truly outstanding.

I missed out on this exhibit due to COVID, as you could only do it by personal car for $75 when I visited in 2021 I often think that I'd rate Northwest Trek quite a bit higher had I done it; the rest of the facility is very beautiful and high-quality, but felt a bit small and low on species for my tastes.

Other than that I broadly feel like I was satisfied with the choices from the Western US. My only addition besides the Australian exhibit at Living Desert (which I mentioned earlier) would be the shipwreck shark tank at the Shark Reef Aquarium in Las Vegas. It's a smaller, more gimmicky aquarium overall (it's Vegas after all ) but the viewing area for this keystone exhibit is fantastically done and the tank is immersive, very large and has several cool species like sawfish and Galapagos sharks. Talking about it made me realize I never got around to uploading my photos of the exhibit, so these are fresh off the press:

pc @Coelacanth18

 

[pachyderm pro]

Unfortunately the LCDC no longer displays Ridgway's Rail, they only hold and breed them offshow now. That aviary is still there, though, and quite nice; it has a handful of waterfowl and shorebirds, including Black Oystercatcher.

That's disappointing to hear. They were a no-show during my one and only visit to the facility some years ago and I was hoping to catch them on a return trip in the near future. Did anything take up residence in their old enclosure?

I wouldn't say it's tricky to navigate necessarily; it's in the middle of the zoo, so there are multiple viewing points accessed from different areas.

This is what I meant when I said it was tricky to navigate. Because every viewing point is accessed from different areas it can be awkward viewing the elephants when they are on different sides of the complex. @snowleopard mentioned in his review of the zoo many years back that he saw an elephant off in the distance and walked all the way to the other side of the exhibit to get a better look, only to find that the pachyderm had moved to the yard he was at originally by the time he got there. Perhaps tricky wasn't the right word describe it; slightly annoying may be more accurate.

My only addition besides the Australian exhibit at Living Desert (which I mentioned earlier)

I must concede that I completely forgot about this exhibit when writing the last post. . Thank you for reminding me that it definitely deserves an honorable mention. As far as Australian exhibits go it is quite distinct, acting as both a free-flight budgie aviary and macropod walkthrough - featuring two wallaby species is pretty cool as well, especially with one of them being yellow-footed rock wallaby. That alone is a neat concept, but the addition of smaller enclosures within the structure for smaller species like echidna and bettong definitely put it over top.

@Coelacanth18

@Coelacanth18

@Coelacanth18

 

[Julio C Castro]

West

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, San Diego made a number of appearances on this list and was just one more exhibit short of tying for the top spot. Several of the zoo's amazing aviaries were featured, but there is one more that deserves a mention as well. The Arctic aviary - sometimes referred to as the Diving Duck Aviary - hosts a wide array of Northern birds including a diverse collection of rare waterfowl. For those keeping count, San Diego now has a grand total of six walkthrough aviaries mentioned on this list one way or another.

@geomorph

Besides the spectacular bird collection, perhaps the one other aspect of San Diego is most known for is their stunning rainforest environment which encompasses multiple exhibit complexes. Among them is Ituri Forest, which is most well known for the stunning nile hippo pool. However, the real highlight of this area is the mixed monkey and otter exhibit which extends to both sides of the gust boardwalk.

@IndianRhino

@Coelacanth18

It also wouldn't be right to ignore Tiger River, the zoo's first real attempt at creating an immersive exhibit complex. Over the years some unfavorable changes have occurred such as the tiger enclosure being split in two and the narrow, steep pathways are an inconvenience to many. As a significant part of the zoo's history however, it's definitely something worth seeing and there are a variety of small passerines and herps to see along the trail as well which is always nice.

@Arizona Docent

@snowleopard

The Safari Park didn't receive quite as much praise as it's sister facility on this thread, but in many cases the standard of exhibitry was actually higher than the zoo especially when it comes to larger megafauna. Lion Camp is approaching 20 years of age and is still among the very best lion enclosures in the US, even with the dreaded crashed safari jeep at the center.

@Julio C Castro

Monterey Bay Aquarium has some of the most fascinating exhibits in the aquarium world and that goes beyond just fish. The shorebird aviary is wonderful, made even nicer by the glorious view into the pacific ocean.

@snowleopard

Another wonderful shorebird aviary can be seen at the little known Living Coast Discovery Center. There is even a separate section dedicated to light-footed ridgway's rail, of which the center is the only exhibitor in the world.

@snowleopard

Elephants made the list 10 times, but even then there are other notable elephant complexes that could’ve made the cut as well. Elephants of Asia at Los Angeles Zoo showcases the role elephants play in the cultures of India, Thailand, China and other countries. It's a very well designed elephant complex that is only held back by how understocked it is compared to many others and the fact that it can be tricky to navigate.

@Julio C Castro

@TheoV

Finally moving beyond California, Expedition Tanzania is a real highlight of Reid Park Zoo and one of the best African elephant exhibits in the country. There is also some highly impressive interpretive material that merits a mention as well.

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

Few collections are as consistently high quality as Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. The cat and bear exhibits were already discussed and while I would love to give mention to the many other outstanding enclosures at the park, I'd like to specifically zone-in on the 400+ acre drive-through enclosure home to multiple large hoofstock. Ranging from meadows to forests, this massive paddock is essentially a fenced off slice of the wild and truly outstanding.

@snowleopard

@Pleistohorse

Numerous standalone penguin enclosures were featured on the list and there is still one more that missed the cut only because of the sheer number already mentioned. Woodland Park Zoo’s excellent Humboldt penguin enclosure was a strong contender with its detailed rockwork covered in painted guano and spacious environment.

@snowleopard

Trail of Vines is another highlight of Woodland Park, focusing on Southeast Asian fauna. There aren't many notable orangutan habitats in the US, but the lush vegetation engulfing the enclosures here and access to large trees surely make this one of the more impressive displays. The various supporting species like tapir and various primates add further diversity to an excellent area.

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

While on the topic of primates, Primate Panorama at Denver Zoo is a somewhat rare exhibit type in the US. It's not often a zoo will create a taxonomically organized exhibit that isn't an animal house, but rather a naturalistic outdoor exhibit area. Featuring about 20 primate species alongside several non-primates, the collection is one of the most diverse in the country making for a monkey enthusiasts paradise.

@snowleopard

@geomorph

@snowleopard

That's all for the honorable mentions, finally. Once again I am very sorry for taking so long to write up what are really quite simple posts. A mix of writer's block, procrastination and a busy life made it difficult to wrap this up, but we're just about done here. All that's left now is one final summary post which will be coming shortly (I promise ). Just a reminder that if you haven't already please vote in the community choice poll and give your thoughts on the exhibits chosen on this thread, which will be revealed in the closing post.

It’s good to see two of my favorite exhibits make the honorable mentions: Lion Camp and Elephants of Asia. For what it’s worth, apparently the jeep has been since removed due to the female pride destroying the vehicle It may be my favorite exhibit after all my visits, seeing the panoramic view of the pride and hopefully seeing Bo integrated with the female will be a sight to see! And as for Elephants of Asia, seeing Billy moving logs and taking a much needed dip in his pool have been highlights. It literally is the heart of the zoo, can be seen from different angles when doing my loop around. One of my favorite photos is one of him fishing for vegetables thrown into his pool and him emerging back out like Godzilla ready to destroy a city

 

[Coelacanth18]

Did anything take up residence in their old enclosure?

If you mean the two separate entrance/exit enclosures, they are home to Black-crowned Night Heron (which was a no-show) and the oystercatcher respectively.

Most rails (including that species) are very shy and the center is focused on breeding them for release; I was told they might come back on display in the future if/when they have surplus animals that aren't needed for breeding backstage, so worth checking with them if you ever plan on returning!

@snowleopard mentioned in his review of the zoo many years back that he saw an elephant off in the distance and walked all the way to the other side of the exhibit to get a better look, only to find that the pachyderm had moved to the yard he was at originally by the time he got there.

I can see that being a potential issue, although it probably wouldn't be as much if the exhibit had more elephants dispersed throughout it

I love Australian Adventures for what it is: I think it's a very neat concept, and it's great for seeing and photographing the rock wallabies. I do wish they had added more to it, like an indoor reptile wing and more free-flight birds than just budgies. It probably would have made my 100 list, but I can see it being borderline or not quite exemplary enough for others.

 

[pachyderm pro]

Summary

At last, it’s time for the official ending to this thread. I’d like to begin with a brief overview of how many "must-see" exhibits opened per decade. Obviously a vast majority of the exhibits included opening within the last three to four decades, with seven exhibits from the last three years alone.

19th century 1 (1875)
1900s 2
1910s 1
1920s 3
1930s 2
1940s 0
1950s 0
1960s 2
1970s 7
1980s 7
1990s 17
2000s 31
2010s 20
2020s 7

Here is a list of the number of taxa that appeared between all 100 exhibits. More than half of the exhibits featured birds of some sort while marine mammals proved to be the least prevalent.

Birds (non-passerines): 57
Reptiles: 44
Fish: 39
Hoofstock (other): 37
Small Carnivores: 28
Cats: 27
Passerines: 24
Amphibians: 23
Bears: 14
Old World Monkeys: 12
Rodents: 12
Canids: 11
Elephants: 10
Afrotheria (other): 9
Apes (great & small): 9
New World Monkeys: 9
Rhinos: 9
Prosimians: 7
Zebras: 7
Xenarthrans: 6
Giraffes: 6
Hippos: 6
Bats: 6
Marsupials/Monotremes: 4
Pinnipeds: 3
Cetaceans: 2

While 100 exhibits were featured on the main list, there were far more mentioned within the thread itself. Between the exhibits that made the list, similar exhibits and honorable mentions, a grand total of 239 exhibits were presented on this thread (thanks to @CGSwans for tallying that up). Here are the combined totals showing how many exhibits were mentioned per zoo.

13 Exhibits: Bronx Zoo
12 Exhibits:San Diego Zoo
9 Exhibits: North Carolina Zoo, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo
7 Exhibits: Cincinnati Zoo, Nashville Zoo
6 Exhibits: Columbus Zoo, Houston Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
5 Exhibits: Brookfield Zoo, Memphis Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo
4 Exhibits: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo, The Living Desert, Milwaukee County Zoo, Minnesota Zoo, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium, Zoo Tampa
3 Exhibits: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Busch Gardens Tampa, Dallas Zoo, Denver Zoo, Detroit Zoo, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Indianapolis Zoo, Zoo Miami, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Zoo, Santa Barbara Zoo, Smithsonian National Zoo, Toledo Zoo
2 Exhibits: Zoo Atlanta, Audubon Zoo, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Georgia Aquarium, International Crane Foundation, Zoo Knoxville, Los Angeles Zoo, Oklahoma City Zoo, Oregon Zoo, Philadelphia Zoo
1 Exhibits: ABQ Biopark, Akron Zoo, Alaska Sea Life Center, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Aquarium of the Pacific, Binder Park Zoo, Birmingham Zoo, Buffalo Zoo, California Academy of Sciences, Cameron Park Zoo, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Duke Lemur Center, Florida Aquarium, Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Franklin Park Zoo, Henry Vilas Zoo, Hogle Zoo, Jackson Zoo, Jacksonville Zoo, John Ball Zoo, Kansas City Zoo, Living Coast Discovery Center, Maryland Zoo, Monkey Jungle, Mystic Aquarium, National Aquarium, New York Aquarium, Oakland Zoo, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Palm Beach Zoo, Phoenix Zoo, Pittsburgh Zoo, Queens Zoo, Racine Zoo, Reid Park Zoo, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Seattle Aquarium, Seaworld San Diego, Sedgwick County Zoo, Stone Zoo, Tennessee Aquarium, The Wilds

Next, here are five candidates for what I would consider to be the highest concentrations of "must-see" exhibits in the US.

5. Shedd Aquarium's Original Gallery. With the iconic Caribbean Reef tank acting as the glorious centerpiece, the main floor of Shedd has four galleries all jam-packed with fascinating aquaticlife. Everything from the Great Lakes to Islands to the much more modern Amazon Rising displays, there is enough in this one area to keep any aquarist engaged for hours. Elevator access to Wild Reef is here as well, plus the entrance to the vast hall leading to the Oceanarium.

4. Bronx Zoo's South Half. Predominantly featuring African and Asian themed exhibit areas, this vast portion of the zoo is home to a majority of the park's most outstanding attractions. Jungle World, Himalayan Highlands and Wild Asia Monorail comprise an incredibly holistic set of Asian exhibits that cover a motley of different environments. Heading westward will take you through the historic African Plains habitats, Gelada Reserve and Congo Gorilla Forest. With the Mouse House and a recently opened budgie aviary sandwiched between all of the action, there is enough zoo here to keep you busy most of the day.

3. Saint Louis Zoo’s Historic Hill. A stunning garden valley surrounded by a collection of century old animal houses including a bird house, primate house (plus a collection of modern outdoor enclosures) and the extraordinarily impressive herpetarium building. Behind the monumental bird house is a series of quaint outdoor aviaries dubbed the Bird Gardens that leads up to the brilliantly restored 1904 World’s Fair Flight Cage which inspired the zoos conception. This is perhaps the most fascinating conglomerate of zoo history in the US and it is all done beautifully.

2. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo’s Main Entry Plaza. A collection of iconic mega-buildings all situated right inside the zoo's gates. No matter if you choose the Lied Jungle, Desert Dome, Kingdoms of the Night or the Scott Aquarium, you are guaranteed to start off a visit by walking into one of the largest and greatest of its kind in the country. This also includes the entry gateway to African Grasslands as well as a comparatively modest but still impressive insectarium.

1. San Diego Zoo’s Lost Forest. With over 30 acres of stunning rainforest environment to explore, there is arguably no better assortment of exhibit complexes to be found anywhere else in the US. And it truly feels like you're exploring with a maze of trails, boardwalks and elevators making it easy to get lost in the lush jungle. Enclosures for hippos, tigers, okapi, tapirs, great apes, a plethora of monkeys and the trio of big walkthrough aviaries supplemented by countless other bird cages and herp habitats create a zoo experience like no other.

Now it’s time to reveal the results of the community poll that was conducted. I received a total of 24 responses from you all and the results were a bit surprising in some ways. There wasn't a single exhibit where everybody “strongly agreed” and there were only a few that were met with unanimous approval; those exhibits were…

1. Africa Rocks, San Diego Zoo
2. Congo Gorilla Forest, Bronx Zoo
3. Expedition Peru: Trek of the Andean Bear, Nashville Zoo
4. Kelp Forest, Monterey Bay Aquarium
5. Monkey Trails and Forest Tales, San Diego Zoo
6. Museum of Living Art, Fort Worth Zoo
7. Scripps Aviary, San Diego Zoo
8. World of Birds, Bronx Zoo

I won’t lie, I was not expecting to have just eight inclusions that were unanimously agreed upon. However, there were many instances where the neutral option was selected, meaning nobody truly disagreed with some inclusions either. There were a total of 44 exhibits where everybody either agreed or were netaural on the exhibit’s inclusion, without outright disagreeing.

1. Abbott Oceanarium, Shedd Aquarium
2. African Rift Valley, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
3. Amazon and Beyond, Zoo Miami
4. Appalachian Cove Forest, Tennessee Aquarium
5. Asia Trail, Smithsonian National Zoo
6. Australia: Wild Extremes, National Aquarium
7. Bear Exhibits, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
8. Bird House, Smithsonian National Zoo
9. California Trail, Oakland Zoo
10. Cat Exhibits, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
11. Chimpanzee Exhibit, Kansas City Zoo
12. Condor Ridge, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
13. Desert Lives, Phoenix Zoo
14. Desert Loop Trail, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
15. Field Exhibits, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
16. Galapagos Islands, Houston Zoo
17. Gelada Reserve, Bronx Zoo
18. Giants of the Savanna, Dallas Zoo
19. Gorilla Exhibit, Woodland Park Zoo
20. Into the Deep: Exploring our Undiscovered Oceans, Monterey Bay Aquarium
21. Jaguar Cove, Woodland Park Zoo
22. Jungle World, Bronx Zoo
23. Lemur Forests, Duke Lemur Center
24. Living Northwest Trail, Woodland Park Zoo
25. Manatee Coast, Columbus Zoo
26. Migratory Songbird Aviary, Columbus Zoo
27. National Amphibian Conservation Center, Detroit Zoo
28. Ocean Voyager, Georgia Aquarium
29. Oklahoma Trails, Oklahoma City Zoo
30. Penguin Conservation Center, Detroit Zoo
31. Predator Ridge, Denver Zoo
32. Promedica Museum of Natural History, Toledo Zoo
33. Rhino Savanna, The Living Desert
34. Russia's Grizzly Coast, Minnesota Zoo
35. Scaly Slimy Spectacular, Zoo Atlanta
36. Seabird Aviary, Oregon Coast Aquarium
37. South America's Pantanal, Houston Zoo
38. Tiger Base Camp + Tiger Lair, Minnesota Zoo
39. Tropic World, Brookfield Zoo
40. Walkabout Australia, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
41. Water's Edge: Africa, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
42. Watani Grasslands Reserve, North Carolina Zoo
43. Wings of Asia, Zoo Miami
44. World of the Insect, Cincinnati Zoo

The following exhibits were mostly popular, but also had at least one or more people disagree or in some cases strongly disagree. Regardless, at least 50% of voters agreed with the exhibits’ inclusion overall.

1. 1904 World's Fair Flight Cage, Saint Louis Zoo
2. African Grasslands, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
3. Amazon Rising, Shedd Aquarium
4. Arctic Ring of Life, Detroit Zoo
5. Asian Highlands, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
6. Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium, Saint Louis Zoo
7. CHINA, Memphis Zoo
8. Desert Dome, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
9. Elephant Odyssey, San Diego Zoo
10. Florida: Mission Everglades, Zoo Miami
11. Gharial Pond, San Diego Zoo
12. Gibbon Islands, Nashville Zoo
13. Heart of Africa, Columbus Zoo
14. Hummingbird Habitat, San Diego Zoo
15. International Orangutan Center, Indianapolis Zoo
16. Kilimanjaro Safari, Disney's Animal Kingdom
17. Kingdoms of the Night, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
18. LAIR, Los Angeles Zoo
19. Lied Jungle, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
20. Life on the Rocks, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
21. Madagascar, Bronx Zoo
22. McNair Asian Elephant Habitat, Houston Zoo
23. Mouse House, Bronx Zoo
24. Ocean Wonder: Sharks, New York Aquarium
25. Osher Rainforest, California Academy of Sciences
26. Penguin and Puffin Coast, Saint Louis Zoo
27. Penguin Coast, Maryland Zoo
28. Red Rocks, Saint Louis Zoo
29. Regenstein Center for African Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo
30. Regenstein Wolf Woods, Brookfield Zoo
31. Reptile House, Cincinnati Zoo
32. River's Edge, Saint Louis Zoo
33. Sea Lion Shores, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
34. Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
35. Teton Trek, Memphis Zoo
36. Toyota Elephant Passage, Denver Zoo
37. Unseen New World, Nashville Zoo
38. Whooping Crane Alcove, International Crane Foundation
39. Wild Asia Monorail, Bronx Zoo
40. Wild Reef, Shedd Aquarium
41. Zambezi River Hippo Camp, Memphis Zoo

That means there were just 7 exhibits where less than 50% agreed on their inclusion on this list.

1. Black Bear Falls, Zoo Knoxville
2. Elephant House, Cincinnati Zoo
3. Pepper Family Wildlife Center, Lincoln Park Zoo
4. Predator and Prey Exhibits, Milwaukee County Zoo
5. St. Vincent Dolphin Pavillion, Indianapolis Zoo
6. Stork Aviary, Racine Zoo
7. Wisconsin Heritage, Henry Vilas Zoo

For just about all of these it’s understandable why they weren’t as popular as the rest. Many of these are very niche, unorthodox, or on here for historical significance more than quality husbandry. No matter which way you slice it, it's clear that I probably overdid it a little with the representation for Wisconsin. There is one however that does baffle me; the Pepper Family Wildlife Center at Lincoln Park Zoo. I have no idea why this exhibit wasn't a more popular choice, although what’s strange is that 50% of people had a neutral opinion of this exhibit rather than flat out agreeing or disagreeing. Perhaps that could be the result of most people having not seen it since it reopened two years ago, but at the same time Galapagos Islands and the National Zoo’s Bird House just opened this year and were mostly well received, so I guess it's just an anomaly of the poll.

Lastly, I asked if this were America's 101 must-see exhibits, what would be the last one? I received a diverse array of answers including many that were featured as similar exhibits or honorable mentions. Only one was suggested more than twice however and that was Arctic Coast at the Mystic Aquarium.

Here are the other answers that were submitted.

1. Asia Quest, Columbus Zoo
2. Bird House and Garden, Saint Louis Zoo
   
3. Congo Expedition, Columbus Zoo
4. Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley, Sedgwick County Zoo
   
5. Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
   
6. Gorillas of the African Forest, Houston Zoo
   
7. Islands, Louisville Zoo
   
8. Lion Camp, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
9. Mid-sized Carnivore Conservation Center, The Wilds
   
10. Open Ocean, Monterey Bay Aquarium
11. Orinoco Rainforest, Dallas World Aquarium
    
12. Rare Rhinos of Africa, Great Plains Zoo
    
13. Sanctuary Asia, Oklahoma City Zoo
14. Sea Lion Cove, Fresno Chaffee Zoo
15. Texas Wilds, Fort Worth Zoo
16. Underwater Beauty (closed), Shedd Aquarium
17. Watershed Heroes, Sequoia Park Zoo
18. Zoo 360, Philadelphia Zoo

Somebody also submitted "Byron Comp III" and I have no clue what that means.

With that, we’ve finally reached the finish line! Following up "Europe's 100 Must-see Exhibits", which I still believe to be the finest piece of work ever produced on this site, was a daunting task. I had anticipated this spiritual successor would receive similar interest, but even I wasn't expecting such great participation. After six months since the beginning of this project, we've generated 83 pages of discussion and 1,654 replies from over 100 members across the globe. That is ridiculous in the best possible way and I am incredibly grateful. Along the way there's been intriguing discussion, detailed personal anecdotes and fierce debate regarding the selections and it's been a blast to watch it all unfold. Above all else it's been great to familiarize people with exhibits they might've been unaware of prior to this thread. That's what the whole point of this exercise is after all, so even those few exhibits that people vehemently disagreed with added value one way or another. So one last time I'd just like to say thanks to everyone who made this thread such a success. While it may be over, I plan on jumping back in from time to time to provide additional accounts when I feel necessary to do so.

And now I slip back into obscurity until @lintworm comes up with another idea I can copy...

Jokes aside, I have other ideas for wholly original long form threads down the line. I've even gotten a head start on one within these last few weeks, but don't expect it too soon. If my agonizingly slow rate of getting these final posts done hasn't made it glaringly obvious, I've gotten pretty burnt out from writing long, in-depth posts in threads like these. At the halfway point of this thread people listed their five favorite exhibits presented up to that point, so I will leave you with my personal top 10 favorite "must-see" exhibits that I've seen in person (which is why there isn't anything from Bronx, for example).

Honorable Mention: National Amphibian Conservation Center, Detroit Zoo
10. Pepper Family Wildlife Center, Lincoln Park Zoo
9. Amazon Rising, Shedd Aquarium
8. Monkey Trails and Forest Tales, San Diego Zoo
7. African Grasslands, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
6. Charles H Hoessle Herpetarium, Saint Louis Zoo
5. Wings of Asia, Zoo Miami
4. Russia's Grizzly Coast, Minnesota Zoo
3. Africa Rocks, Sam Diego Zoo
2. Kingdoms of the Night, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
1. Field Exhibits, San Diego Zoo Safari Park

fini.

 

[CGSwans]

Congratulations and thanks again, Pachy.

 

[lintworm]

And now I slip back into obscurity until @lintworm comes up with another idea I can copy...

That is why I am currently working on something which I don't think you can copy . And you frankly shouldn't want to as it is much more work intensive than this thread, phase 1 alone, which should be coming within 2 months hopefully will already be over 100 posts . I do however have an idea for you, but let's give it time

For now well done for a job well done and brought to conclusion

 

[SwampDonkey]

"Byron Comp III" and I have no clue what that means.

It was built after Byron Camp 1 and 2




j/k I have no idea what that is.

 

[birdsandbats]

Somebody also submitted "Byron Comp III" and I have no clue what that means.

Interestingly, "Byron Comp III" appears to be a rather prolific Pinterest user who mostly posts zoo maps.