Antimony96
Well-Known Member
Assuming Kentucky (Louisville) is one for Glacier Run. Hard to think of what others will show up--maybe something from Sedgewick in Kansas? Also probably the National Zoo (DC) at some point.
America's 100 Must See Exhibits
- Thread starter pachyderm pro
- Start date
Assuming Kentucky (Louisville) is one for Glacier Run. Hard to think of what others will show up--maybe something from Sedgewick in Kansas? Also probably the National Zoo (DC) at some point.
Yeah, there's a number of states I think have the potential to be included. Maryland is one I think deserves inclusion- with the zoo having the country's largest African Penguin colony in an incredible exhibit and the National Aquarium having an incredible, unique Australian Exhibit. Kentucky for Glacier Run and/or Islands from Louisville Zoo is another strong possibility, as is Utah for Hogle Zoo's Asian Highlands. While not a state, Smithsonian National Zoo might make an appearance for the District of Columbia, with Asia Trail.
While at this point I'm skeptical we'll get any representation, there are three exhibits from New England zoos I hope to see make the list. Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut has an incredible Beluga complex, Arctic Coast, that I feel deserves to be included, while Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island has a unique area called Marco Polo Adventure Trek with some incredible snow leopard and asiatic black bear exhibits, and Massachusetts' Stone Zoo has an incredible Flamingo aviary called Caribbean Coast that's my personal favorite exhibit I've seen. While at this point I don't think all three will make the cut, I would be disappointed if none of them are featured as must-see exhibits.
Pleistocene891
Well-Known Member
OKC's Oklahoma Trails could also make the list. With Oklahoma, Utah, DC(not a state, but it will definitely be included), Maryland, Kansas, and Kentucky not making the list so far, it looks like New England won't have any representation on the list.
Oklahoma Trails is certainly a possibility, albeit not a certainty. I'm not sure what exhibit in Kansas people are expecting to make the cut though? While Sedgwick County is certainly a highly-regarded zoo, I'm not aware of them having any exhibits that are the best of their kind in the nation. Maryland and Kentucky are the two most obvious states for future inclusion, but I wouldn't say nothing in New England will be included yet- the three exhibits I named are certainly as unique and impressive as any exhibits Utah or Kansas have to offer, if not more so.
My list included exhibits in eight states not yet covered (albeit one was Kansas with the Elephants of Zambezi River Valley featured as a similar exhibit), and I'd honestly say it could be any of the other seven states featured, as all have some great choices.
Similar Exhibits: The Open Sea tank at the Monterey Bay Aquarium is only around a million gallons, but is undoubtedly the next best open ocean tank in the US. While the days of temporarily housing great white sharks have passed, the addition of ocean sunfish proves this tank still has some star power.
@snowleopard
I think this exhibit could have gotten a bit more spotlight, even though it isn't quite as impressive as Ocean Voyager. The tank is still plenty massive and with viewing from both levels of the aquarium really has a distinct feel of depth as animals appear or disappear to or from the next floor. At the time of its installation the viewing window was the biggest of any aquarium in the world. The exhibit pre-dates Ocean Voyager by nearly a decade, having opened in 1996. While it may lack the giant star power of OV's Whale Sharks and mantas, it still had its particular share when the Great Whites were displayed. It still maintains a largely unique roster, with mola, tunas, and Dolphinfish displayed nowhere else in North America. Notable too are the Scalloped Hammerheads and Pelagic Stingrays, as well as the massive school of sardines. (Worth noting too that mola have been held since the early days, not just after the Great Whites as seemingly implied.)
Ocean Voyager may be landscaped and have multiple viewing angles for viewing its giant cartilagineous fish, but I think the Open Sea is the true pelagic exhibit both in design and species included. I don't disagree OV takes the slot, but I felt one of the biggest and more unusual tanks around deserved a bit more text. Not really any need for other pictures as it's literally a bare tank with fish, they'd all look more or less the same.
Still though, this is one of the few exhibits around that continues to impress me every time I see it.
While waiting for this list to comeback, I think there are also several exhibits that was mentioned under similiar exhibits that should have been its own spotlight on the list. As I said before, I don't think putting Polar Frontiers of Columbus Zoo on the similiar exhibits under Arctic Ring of Life really did that exhibit justice. Because in terms of overall scenery, Polar Frontiers overlook the more grassy side of the exhibit while AROL focuses more on the Arctic side. Polar Frontier's underwater viewing area is certainly very unique as well, with the overhead roof allows the polar bears to play or even rest for a while, something that I feel like the other underwater tunnels don't really allow the bears to do.
The other is Open Sea of Monterey Bay Aquarium. That exhibit once had the significant history of the only exhibit in US to hold Great White Shark for a period of time. And even without it, it truly showcases amazing empty-but-vast sea life where all you can see is practically pure blue, and the Ocean Sunfish and Dolphinfish truly makes this exhibit really unique.
The other is Open Sea of Monterey Bay Aquarium. That exhibit once had the significant history of the only exhibit in US to hold Great White Shark for a period of time. And even without it, it truly showcases amazing empty-but-vast sea life where all you can see is practically pure blue, and the Ocean Sunfish and Dolphinfish truly makes this exhibit really unique.
It is a nice enough part of Shedd, but I'm honestly not convinced of its place here. In the main hall, glare can be a major hindrance, and viewing for many of the tanks can be poor at times. The species list is spectacular, and the tanks themselves are mostly very well done. There are just many other Amazon tanks around the country, some of which are more impressive individually than any singular one at Amazon Rising, especially if you can clearly see into and take photos of them. I understand this exhibit's inclusion here, it makes sense, but I'm just not as big of a fan of it in person as I think I would be on paper.40. Amazon Rising
Shedd Aquarium, IL
Opened: 2000
Size: 8,600 Square Feet (800 Square Meters)
Inhabitants: >250 species of neotropical fish, herps and birds.
Shedd Aquarium recently announced plans to turn its historic galleries into themed complexes which has caused some concern that one of the zoo worlds greatest collections will be dramatically scaled back. However, if this display is any indication, perhaps there is less to worry about than initially thought. A little over 20 years ago, two of the aquarium's original galleries were combined and transformed into a series of outstanding South American tanks and one of the most interesting showcases of Amazonian biodiversity in any zoological institution. The exhibit is centered around representing a flooded forest, with some tanks that will change water levels depending on the season. While theming is present, it's subtle enough to where it isn't overbearing and the quality of the interpretive elements is of an extremely high level. Every tank is beautifully scaped with top-notch detailing and are all packed with a diverse array of species. The larger tanks are also supplemented by a variety of well-done vivaria which further boosts an already extensive collection. The first grouping of floodplain tanks in the gallery are separate from one another, but are all part of a single cohesive ecosystem which can be freely roamed by a variety of lizards, tortoises and birds. Some of the other most notable displays include a lengthy flooded forest tank, a densely vegetated caiman exhibit, and the river channel tank with arapaima and pacu. The latter is due to be expanded as part of the aquarium's centennial campaign, which will further ensure this brilliant gallery remains first in class for years to come.
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Similar Exhibits: Another excellent showcase of neotropical river ecosystems is the Amazonia building at Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Instead of being a gallery, it's structured more like a walkthrough rainforest with many free-roaming species. It's also a bit larger than Shedd Aquarium's display, but the collection isn't even close to being as diverse with a focus on just a few larger tanks that aren't as well designed.
I'm very happy with this inclusion, it is one of the best Asia complexes I've ever seen. The use of water features is unparalleled. Seeing a Greater One-horned Rhino nearly submerged in a pool as if it were a hippo (The size of the pool seeming larger than some I've seen actually meant for hippos) was spectacular, one of my most memorable zoo experiences. I also recall the gibbon exhibits were very nice, as was the building for indoor exhibits, which is really quite reminiscent of Brookfield zoo's Clouded Leopard Rainforest. I know this is higher praise than most see for Denver, but I also think few people have actually visited Denver. Is it a perfect exhibit, no, but I do think it definitely belongs on this list.41. Toyota Elephant Passage
Denver Zoo, CO
Opened: 2012
Size: 10 Acres (4 Hectares)
Inhabitants: Asian Elephant, Indian Rhino, Malayan Tapir, Clouded Leopard, Fishing Cat, White-cheeked Gibbon, Asian Small-clawed Otter, Sarus Crane, Great Hornbill and a few Southeast Asian ectotherms.
Rotational habitats have become a popular trend in American zoos. If done well they can provide additional stimulation for their inhabitants and greater suspense to the guest experience. Denver has fully embraced this concept more than any other zoo in the country and nowhere is it done on a larger scale than the Elephant Passage. A variety of spacious paddocks are connected via overhead bridges and shutes, rotated between a trio of large Asian pachyderms: America’s only bachelor herd of Asian elephants, as well as Indian rhino and Malayan tapir. Rotational exhibits can be difficult when the species rotating through them have vastly different needs, but since the inhabitants of these exhibits are all relatively similar, it works quite well. There are six paddocks in total (including a smaller yard just for the tapirs), all simple enough to accommodate the different species, but dynamic in design with changes in elevation and several large water features. Many satellite enclosures are featured as well, such as an impressive clouded leopard habitat and a variety of gibbon islands connected by ropes going over the guest pathways which are an easy crowd-pleaser. The main plaza is based on a Southeast Asian marketplace with many highly themed buildings included. The most monumental of these structures is the village hall, which contains many smaller species including a variety of herps as well as fishing cat and Asian small-clawed otter. The biggest visual flaw is that the complex as a whole relies far too much on clunky looking mockrock and also features some rather unattractive sightlines. It may not be very immersive, but it more than makes up for it in its innovation and well done execution of a tricky concept.
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Photo 1: Rotational Elephant/Rhino/Tapir Exhibit
Photo 2: Rotational Elephant/Rhino/Tapir Exhibit
Photo 3: Gibbon Island
Photo 4: Elephant Bridge
Photo 5: Village Hall
Photo 6: Clouded Leopard Exhibit
Photo 7: Elephant House
Similar Exhibits: Sanctuary Asia at Oklahoma City Zoo similarly rotates elephants and rhinos through several acres of spacious enclosures. Each paddock has the aesthetic of a manicured lawn, but is extremely generous in size, adding up to be one of the largest pachyderm facilities in the US. There are also many supporting species like red panda, cassowary, and most notable for zoo nerds, tanuki. The centerpiece of the area is the grand Lotus Pavilion, a massive restaurant/event center where the zoo makes their own Chinese food that also includes a Komodo dragon exhibit.
For whatever reason, I felt pretty unimpressed with the field exhibits at SDZSF when I visited over ten years ago. I know this is a controversial opinion, but it is the genuine way I felt when on the tram ride, although I can't really place why. It wouldn't have been because I was uninterested in ungulates, as I really liked the ungulate yards in the African Woods. Perhaps I thought it looked too 'plain'. Anyhow, I'm sure I would enjoy it more upon revisiting.42. Field Exhibits
San Diego Zoo Safari Park, CA
Opened: 1972
Size: 300+ Acres (120+ Hectares)
Inhabitants: A large variety of hoofstock and birds.
When San Diego Zoo was looking to expand their breeding efforts for exotic hoofstock beyond the capability of their existing property, it took constructing an entirely new park to realize that ambition. The iconic field enclosures are the heart and soul of the Safari Park and were the primary reason for its conception. There are about a dozen field habitats with several additional hoofstock pens dotted throughout the landscape. In terms of size they are obviously unparalleled to most other savannas and the rolling mountains make for some of the most incredible views that can be seen in a zoo. Some have lamented the loss of some rare species in recent years, but averaging one hoofstock birth a day, it's safe to say they are still serving their original purpose exceptionally well. Of course, the enclosures are past their prime in other ways as well, particularly burdened by fond memories of the wgasa bush line monorail. The 30 minute tram tour circumnavigating the enclosures is still an intimate and informative affair, but will never quite stack up to the experience the old monorail provided. Additionally the Asian field habitats can now only be seen from a guided tour that must be booked in advance, despite talk of allowing proper public access to these areas again for ages. Looking past what once was, the field enclosures have still held up wonderfully. While the days of purposefully collecting rare hoofstock have come to an end, the collection still boasts over 40 species alongside many larger birds as well. Seeing large ungulate breeding herds in enormous habitats surrounded by such gorgeous scenery will always make for a remarkable experience.
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Having visited the first two, as well as the old SDZ insect house, which I rather quite liked, I can definitely say Cincy is the strongest out of them. I used to love the STL zoo one, but visiting recently, Cincy is more 'clean', has much better signage, and does not have fake animals. The STL zoo insectarium is still nice, however.
Sometimes, over-the-top is nice, and Memphis zoo certainly feels like a guilty indulgence at times. The species list was great, and this was a memorable part of my visit. My main complaint is that the pandas could have slightly better accommodations, I do wonder what will go in there when they are gone.
Probably the most certain pick for this list. Ocean Voyager is one of the greatest exhibits in the US, and I'd say in the whole world, even against similar exhibits in East Asia, due to its sheer size (I believe it is the largest aquarium in not just NA but the whole world). Their Manta Rays and Whale Sharks are two of the coolest species I've ever seen, and amongst the largest as well. The tank was more lively than any other I've seen with all of the various other species of fish, and the tunnel and multiple viewing areas were spectacular. It is difficult to really put it into words, you have to see it to believe it. Truly the definition of 'must-see'.50. Ocean Voyager
Georgia Aquarium, GA
Opened: 2005
Size: 6.3 Million Gallons (24 Million Liters)
Inhabitants: Whale Shark, Manta Ray and a large selection of other coral reef fish.
At over six million gallons, this is the single largest fish tank in North America and takes up well over half of the total volume of the entire aquarium. Reaches depths of over 30 feet and with a width of 130 feet, even the largest residents can be obscured by the blue abyss. The layout for guests is far more interesting than just a single big window. There are multiple viewing areas including a lengthy underwater tunnel, various smaller pop-up bubbles, and several enormous viewing windows. The largest window comes out at 23 feet tall and 61 feet wide, making it among the top five largest in the world. The whale sharks steal the show and are the true stars of the tank. They are the only ones outside of Asia and watching them is an awe-inspiring experience. Unfortunately, of the animals initially imported from Taiwan only two remain and there has been some uncertainty on whether they will receive additional individuals once these two pass on. The manta rays are the other stars who are also magnificent and are similarly the ones to be found in North America. The headliners are of course supported by thousands of vibrant schooling fish including and another half dozen species of shark and 10 other species of ray. This superb stockist tops off what’s one of the most brilliant zoological experiences ever created.
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Similar Exhibits: The Open Sea tank at the Monterey Bay Aquarium is only around a million gallons, but is undoubtedly the next best open ocean tank in the US. While the days of temporarily housing great white sharks have passed, the addition of ocean sunfish proves this tank still has some star power.
@snowleopard
In comparison, Monterey Bay Aquarium's Open Ocean was also very nice, and I enjoyed it, but having seen Ocean Voyager prior, I was not as easily blown away by it. The large school of pacific sardines was very fun to watch, and the pelagic stingrays are now personal favorites of mine.
Unfortunately, this is no longer true. It only ever was true seasonally, I believe, when mola are brought in as rescues. The sea turtle is gone as well, leaving not much in the way of true 'star power' in the way of whale sharks, but still a solid 'supporting cast'.
I really don't want to come across as bashing the open sea, as watching a single sardine separate from the school franticly dodge the dolphinfish and tuna. I was at the edge of my seat, anticipating blood until the lucky sardine frantically managed to return to the school. It felt straight out of a BBC documentary. A very nice tank, just not as impressive if you've seen one about 5 times larger.
They've typically held mola pretty routinely and continue to do so - though you are correct they are rotated out once they start getting too large and there are times they don't have any but that's been the process from the start.
The turtles are periodically moved to a different tank on the roof to get some vitamin D, so if you're basing your comment on not seeing them it's not necessarily true. The website lists the aquarium as still having them, and I've found MBA to be fairly reliable with that.
Ah, I should have put 'as of right now' clarification to those statements. Regardless, it should be noted those two species are not mainstays as much as other star species are at other institutions.
I honestly do not understand why you think this isn't deserving. The tanks are among the most excellently aquascaped in the country, the exhibit is incredibly immersive for an aquarium, it has a huge diversity of species, more species than nearly every other every other exhibit in the country, AND manages to actually have all of its species from an actual ecoregion. This is easily among the most deserving exhibits in the entire country. Glare being a problem on a couple of the tanks is only a minor issue.
Glare, at least from my experience, is also a problem in more glass-fronted exhibits than it isn't, lol. Arguably more a problem in the materials/design than it is a problem in the specificities of this or any other specific exhibit. Can certainly be frustrating though regardless.
I do think it makes sense to be on this list, as I stated:
However, I just am not the biggest fan personally. This thread is about 'Must-see' exhibits, and for me personally, glare is not something I'd consider must-see. The main hall gets really bad, which is not always a problem for most types of exhibits, but specifically because there are so many species, most of whom are small, the glare makes it difficult and frustrating to track down and view many of the species, and you can almost forget about photography in many of the tanks.
The two side halls are very nice, but as a whole, amazon aquaria are quite common. CAS has a very nice Amazon section, with a walk-through tunnel tank more impressive than any singular one at Amazon Rising. Maybe no other amazon aquaria are quite as nicely furnished, none with as impressive of a species list, and none taken as a whole as comprehensive as Amazon Rising. It makes sense that Amazon Rising is on this list and I wouldn't argue with pachy over its inclusion, but I personally think pretty much any of the 4 historic galleries are more deserving of a spot than it (Not to say Amazon Rising is not deserving of a spot)
I know you have a lot of reverence for Shedd, but when I first went through Amazon Rising, I thought 'is that it?' to myself and felt slightly underwhelmed. The opposite of how I feel about rivers and the other historic galleries.
Yes, but having everything together is what's impressive about Amazon Rising. On the contrary, I think the exhibit feels much larger than it actually is.
We'll see how it goes, but I would be shocked if Waters of the World doesn't make it on this list, too.
Water Planet is amazing, one of my new all-time favorite exhibits, but I'd actually be quite surprised to see it here. The Philippine Coral Reef or Osher Rainforest is probably more likely, with the amazon section I mentioned actually being directly beneath the rainforest, separate from the Water Planet gallery.
51. Wings of Asia
Zoo Miami, FL
Opened: 1984
Size: 54,000 Square Feet (5,000 Square Meters)
Inhabitants: >80 Southeast Asian bird species and a variety of turtles and fish.
Europe has become a dominant force in recent years when it comes to enormous walkthrough aviaries. While the US does not boast as many of these mega-aviaries, there are still some spectacular ones to be found. Netting over an acre and a half of lush rainforest makes for an amazing exhibit by itself, but the intricate design makes this aviary truly exhilarating. Containing over 400 specimens including birds as large as Sarus cranes and painted storks, even a casual birder could spend all day inside of the structure trying to find every species. You start inside of an air-conditioned lobby including underwater viewing for a pond with a selection of larger turtles and fish. From there the guest path traverses through a lowland forest before slowly heading uphill towards the canopy overlook. The vegetation is incredibly thick which makes it a challenge to locate every species. Instead of traditional signage, visitors can pick up a field guide that lists every species inside the aviary which makes it much easier to identify the inhabitants. While signage is minimal otherwise, just outside of the aviary is a large plaza with educational displays detailing modern birds and their relation to dinosaurs. It all adds up to be one of the most impressive aviaries in any zoo and arguably the single best one on the continent.
@Sarus Crane
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Similar Exhibits: When it comes to other notable Asian aviaries, perhaps only the previously mentioned Owen’s Aviary at San Diego is on the same level. Zoo Tampa’s Sulwesi aviary is a pleasant example of what can be done for Tropical birds on a smaller scale with fewer resources, even if the stocklist is hardly accurate to the name.
@SwampDonkey
@SwampDonkey
Zoo Miami, FL
Opened: 1984
Size: 54,000 Square Feet (5,000 Square Meters)
Inhabitants: >80 Southeast Asian bird species and a variety of turtles and fish.
Europe has become a dominant force in recent years when it comes to enormous walkthrough aviaries. While the US does not boast as many of these mega-aviaries, there are still some spectacular ones to be found. Netting over an acre and a half of lush rainforest makes for an amazing exhibit by itself, but the intricate design makes this aviary truly exhilarating. Containing over 400 specimens including birds as large as Sarus cranes and painted storks, even a casual birder could spend all day inside of the structure trying to find every species. You start inside of an air-conditioned lobby including underwater viewing for a pond with a selection of larger turtles and fish. From there the guest path traverses through a lowland forest before slowly heading uphill towards the canopy overlook. The vegetation is incredibly thick which makes it a challenge to locate every species. Instead of traditional signage, visitors can pick up a field guide that lists every species inside the aviary which makes it much easier to identify the inhabitants. While signage is minimal otherwise, just outside of the aviary is a large plaza with educational displays detailing modern birds and their relation to dinosaurs. It all adds up to be one of the most impressive aviaries in any zoo and arguably the single best one on the continent.
@Sarus Crane
@red river hog
@Leaf Productions
@Leaf Productions
@geomorph
Similar Exhibits: When it comes to other notable Asian aviaries, perhaps only the previously mentioned Owen’s Aviary at San Diego is on the same level. Zoo Tampa’s Sulwesi aviary is a pleasant example of what can be done for Tropical birds on a smaller scale with fewer resources, even if the stocklist is hardly accurate to the name.
@SwampDonkey
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Antimony96
Well-Known Member
We are so back
I wish that exhibits like this Miami aviary and the two impressive walk-throughs at Disney's Animal Kingdom were possible up north. Unfortunately, this is a style of exhibits that, while impressive, aren't that accessible to most zoos due to weather conditions, such as snow which would place too much weight on the mesh cover of such a large aviary. As such, any of the northern zoos with large aviaries build them indoors under geodesic domes or otherwise indoors, which can still make for a very impressive display, while large outdoor aviaries are fairly limited to Florida, Southern California, Texas, etc.51. Wings of Asia
Zoo Miami, FL
Opened: 1984
Size: 54,000 Square Feet (5,000 Square Meters)
Inhabitants: >80 Southeast Asian bird species and a variety of turtles and fish.
Europe has become a dominant force in recent years when it comes to enormous walkthrough aviaries. While the US does not boast as many of these mega-aviaries, there are still some spectacular ones to be found. Netting over an acre and a half of lush rainforest makes for an amazing exhibit by itself, but the intricate design makes this aviary truly exhilarating. Containing over 400 specimens including birds as large as Sarus cranes and painted storks, even a casual birder could spend all day inside of the structure trying to find every species. You start inside of an air-conditioned lobby including underwater viewing for a pond with a selection of larger turtles and fish. From there the guest path traverses through a lowland forest before slowly heading uphill towards the canopy overlook. The vegetation is incredibly thick which makes it a challenge to locate every species. Instead of traditional signage, visitors can pick up a field guide that lists every species inside the aviary which makes it much easier to identify the inhabitants. While signage is minimal otherwise, just outside of the aviary is a large plaza with educational displays detailing modern birds and their relation to dinosaurs. It all adds up to be one of the most impressive aviaries in any zoo and arguably the single best one on the continent.
@Sarus Crane
@red river hog
@Leaf Productions
@Leaf Productions
@geomorph
Similar Exhibits: When it comes to other notable Asian aviaries, perhaps only the previously mentioned Owen’s Aviary at San Diego is on the same level. Zoo Tampa’s Sulwesi aviary is a pleasant example of what can be done for Tropical birds on a smaller scale with fewer resources, even if the stocklist is hardly accurate to the name.
@SwampDonkey
@SwampDonkey
One of my favorite exhibits ever. I easily spend an hour here each time I visit. The diversity is just stunning and it feels like real birding when you are searching for birds among the foliage. The air conditioned entry and exit buildings are also well needed given Miami’s climate.