America's 100 Must See Exhibits

(First post) @pachyderm pro, now that the Cincinnati Zoo's Elephant House no longer houses elephants, will you be replacing it on the list like how Lintworm replaced the Wilhelma Gibbon Cage?
 
Good question. The difference is Wilhelma's gibbon cage was completely demolished, while Cincinnati's elephant house is still standing and will be preserved as the surrounding yards are merged to create a new giraffe (and others) enclosure. In that sense, it will still very much be must-see, arguably more so with vastly improved husbandry.

There is one enclosure on this list that will soon be no more however; Columbus's migratory songbird aviary. As the zoo redevelops its North American region it will be lost as phase two begins construction. Luckily, there is a new one being built that could be even better than the original, but we shall see.

Funny you bring this up now. I was actually thinking of doing a handful of additional exhibit profiles, essentially replacing the exhibits that I've had a change of heart about and wouldn't have included on this list if I did it today. Stay tuned!
 
So. Looking back on this thread is does Brookfield Zoo's new Tropical Forests deserve a spot?
@Persephone summed it up. Considering it's an extension of an exhibit that's already on this list it would make the cut by association. Without Tropic World it would not be included, but if I made this list today I would include them both in the same spot (similar to how I featured both of Minnesota's tiger enclosures in the same post).
 
@Persephone summed it up. Considering it's an extension of an exhibit that's already on this list it would make the cut by association. Without Tropic World it would not be included, but if I made this list today I would include them both in the same spot (similar to how I featured both of Minnesota's tiger enclosures in the same post).
Would you add or subtract any exhibits if you did this again?
 
Would you add or subtract any exhibits if you did this again?
Most definitely. Over two years since I finished this project and I still stand by a vast majority of my selections. However, there are several that I wouldn't have included if this was made today. Here are the unlucky losers with brief explanations why they would fall short.

Black Bear Falls, Zoo Knoxville: So this one was never on here for being an excellent enclosure. It was one that I viewed as so quirky and over-the-top that it deserved mention. However, after seeing it in person it didn't really leave much an impression on me. Viewing was awkward and cramped so I didn't end up seeing any bears either.

Florida: Mission Everglades, Zoo Miami: When I visited Miami many years ago I remembered really liking this one. Looking back however there are lots of clunky design elements, obvious fencing, haphazardly done mudbanks, etc. It's still a neat complex for families with loads of interactive features, but not as impressive as I remembered it being.

Stork Aviary, Racine Zoo: Well for one it's currently stork-less. Even when it had the lesser adjutants though it was very different kind of exhibit compared to others on this list and I think subconsciously broke my rule about rare species not automatically elevating an exhibit to must-see status. It's by far the best part of the zoo, but this list wasn't the right place to highlight it.

St. Vincent Dolphin Pavilion: At its core (literally) this is a traditional dolphin stadium with a cool viewing opportunity. I overestimated the appeal as a famous American zoo view. Husbandry-wise it's just as flawed as most cetacean pools and doesn't do much differently. In hindsight, there are several other dolphin/whale complexes that could to be highlighted instead of it.

Wisconsin Heritage, Henry Vilas Zoo: While I still find this to be an excellent showcase of badgers, there really isn't quite enough to it to justify it's inclusion on a list like this. The crane exhibit is also empty at the moment, not that it was particularly impressive to begin with. Still something worth seeing, I just overhyped it's brilliance. It's basically just a dirt yard with cool viewing options and lost of neat interpretive material.

As far as which exhibits I would've included instead... I'm not sure I want to say yet. ;) Last Fall I mentioned wanting to do some additional profiles, but in all honestly I don't have the time or motivation to write super long posts on ZooChat much these days. With that said, I do already have replacements selected, so if there's interest I can write up five more profiles when I find a moment.
 
Most definitely. Over two years since I finished this project and I still stand by a vast majority of my selections. However, there are several that I wouldn't have included if this was made today. Here are the unlucky losers with brief explanations why they would fall short.

Black Bear Falls, Zoo Knoxville: So this one was never on here for being an excellent enclosure. It was one that I viewed as so quirky and over-the-top that it deserved mention. However, after seeing it in person it didn't really leave much an impression on me. Viewing was awkward and cramped so I didn't end up seeing any bears either.

Florida: Mission Everglades, Zoo Miami: When I visited Miami many years ago I remembered really liking this one. Looking back however there are lots of clunky design elements, obvious fencing, haphazardly done mudbanks, etc. It's still a neat complex for families with loads of interactive features, but not as impressive as I remembered it being.

Stork Aviary, Racine Zoo: Well for one it's currently stork-less. Even when it had the lesser adjutants though it was very different kind of exhibit compared to others on this list and I think subconsciously broke my rule about rare species not automatically elevating an exhibit to must-see status. It's by far the best part of the zoo, but this list wasn't the right place to highlight it.

St. Vincent Dolphin Pavilion: At its core (literally) this is a traditional dolphin stadium with a cool viewing opportunity. I overestimated the appeal as a famous American zoo view. Husbandry-wise it's just as flawed as most cetacean pools and doesn't do much differently. In hindsight, there are several other dolphin/whale complexes that could to be highlighted instead of it.

Wisconsin Heritage, Henry Vilas Zoo: While I still find this to be an excellent showcase of badgers, there really isn't quite enough to it to justify it's inclusion on a list like this. The crane exhibit is also empty at the moment, not that it was particularly impressive to begin with. Still something worth seeing, I just overhyped it's brilliance. It's basically just a dirt yard with cool viewing options and lost of neat interpretive material.

As far as which exhibits I would've included instead... I'm not sure I want to say yet. ;) Last Fall I mentioned wanting to do some additional profiles, but in all honestly I don't have the time or motivation to write super long posts on ZooChat much these days. With that said, I do already have replacements selected, so if there's interest I can write up five more profiles when I find a moment.
I'm sure a lot of people would be interested in seeing what replacements you have planned. Though I can guess for everyone the Dolphin Pavillion's replacement would be Arctic Coast at Mystic Aquarium:p
 
As far as which exhibits I would've included instead... I'm not sure I want to say yet. ;) Last Fall I mentioned wanting to do some additional profiles, but in all honestly I don't have the time or motivation to write super long posts on ZooChat much these days. With that said, I do already have replacements selected, so if there's interest I can write up five more profiles when I find a moment.
I'm very interested in them. Also it's very funny that one of the "former must-see exhibits" is now open again, and pretty damn good.
 
I've now seen twenty-seven exhibits on this list, so working my way up! It helps Omaha is made up almost completely of must-see exhibits so that trip really juiced my numbers up. :p

With the revisions, I'm down two spots, losing Racine and Indianapolis' dolphin entries, although even Racine is questionable as I only made it within days of the stork leaving the facility, so I never experienced it as intended. I did see the dolphin dome with a dolphin briefly in it, although the experience was kind of below par because there was also a crying toddler. It's not the best dolphin exhibit in the country easily but the dome is a fascinating bit of zoo engineering. I would be most curious what alternative exhibit might take it's spot.

I'd say though, it's very interesting to look back though as I feel a lot of the controversial entries were among the most memorable, and sometimes lead to more interesting write-ups than those for the obviously superior exhibits. ;)
 
I’m up to 23 from the 13 I was at when the list originally finished, although I’d lose the Knoxville bear exhibit if that one’s being removed from consideration. I do agree though, it feels looks way more impressive from pictures than it does in person. I’ve visited the zoo twice since the original writeup has posted, made sure to check the exhibit from all viewing angles on both my way in and out of the zoo, and I’ve only managed to see about 10% of one bear in all that time. The viewing angles really leave a lot to be desired more than anything.
 
I've only seen the following:
  1. Polk Penguin Conservation Center (Detroit)
  2. National Amphibian Conservation Center (Detroit)
  3. Arctic Ring of Life (Detroit)
  4. ProMedica Museum of Science (Toledo)
  5. Migratory Songbird Aviary (Columbus)
  6. Heart of Africa (Columbus)
  7. Manatee Coast (Columbus)
Will be seeing in September:
  1. Reptile House (Cincinnati)
  2. World of the Insect (Cincinnati)
  3. former Elephant Reserve (Cincinnati)
Exhibits mentioned be not must see:
  1. Historic Aviary (Toledo)
  2. Hippoquarium (Toledo)
  3. Historic Aquarium (Toledo)
  4. Wolf Wilderness (Cleveland)
  5. Asian Highlands (Cleveland)
  6. Wild Africa (Binder Park)
  7. Grizzly Ridge Aviary (Akron)
  8. Chimpanzees of Mokomboso Valley (John Ball)
  9. African Journey (Fort Wayne)
  10. Polar Frontier (Columbus)
  11. Asia Quest (Columbus)
  12. Congo Expedition (Columbus)
And exhibits mentioned but not must see but will be seeing in September:
  1. Night Hunters (Cincinnati)
  2. Elephant Trek (Cincinnati)
  3. Manatee Springs (Cincinnati)
  4. Penguin Point (Cincinnati)
  5. Hippo Cove (Cincinnati)
In total, I have/will have seen 27/258 exhibits.
 
I’ve now seen half of the original list. 46/95 after revisions. Midwest hits well above its weight on the list (and in general, frankly). There are a few others that I find borderline. A few I think could be added.

Borderline

Pepper Family Wildlife Center: I get the concept and it’s an above average lion exhibit. I like that a historic building was salvaged. Didn’t blow me away or anything.

Penguin and Puffin Coast: Again, I like this building. I can see a case. I just don’t agree with the case.

Cincinnati Zoo Elephant House: No longer even houses elephants. I understand this is an architecture nod, but I genuinely think the zoo’s reptile house serves better as an old school zoo building.

Stuff I would add

Monterey Bay Habitats: Almost a crime that this didn’t make it. So many cool invertebrates, fish, and birds. MBA near its best.

SHARKS! Predators of the Deep: I haven’t been to New York. Maybe Georgia’s just belongs in honorable mention tier, but it’s a very solid exhibit.

The Wilds: First, the mid-size carnivore complex with its vast predator exhibits belongs on the list. So do the seemingly endless hoofstock paddocks belong here. I know the latter made it as an honorable mention, but it’s way bigger than San Diego Safari Park’s in raw acreage.

Jellyfish: I don’t care if it’s MBA’s Open Sea, Georgia Aquarium’s entrance, or the various jellyfish galleries at the Ripley’s, visually stunning jellyfish tanks should have a presence on the list. They’re basic, but they scratch an itch. I would go with MBA for historicity or the Ripley’s for pure visual spectacle.

Also I’m not really going to fight for this but I think Kansas City’s Australia walkthrough genuinely might belong on here for the moment my brain broke realizing that I had already been in the walkthrough portion for several minutes. It’s that big.


Edit; Heron aviary at Brookgreen Gardens belongs here, too. Maybe the entire Lowcountry Zoo. It’s a vibe. Heron aviary is massive for its inhabitants. Could potentially see it getting relegated to honorable mention status, though.
 
Monterey Bay Habitats: Almost a crime that this didn’t make it. So many cool invertebrates, fish, and birds. MBA near its best.

Also I’m not really going to fight for this but I think Kansas City’s Australia walkthrough genuinely might belong on here for the moment my brain broke realizing that I had already been in the walkthrough portion for several minutes. It’s that big.

Full agreement here! The KCZA Australia area was the best outdoor Australian exhibit I've ever seen. Excellent theming, good variety of species, and that tree kangaroo enclosure may just give their chimp exhibit a challenger for the best exhibit in the park. Wild Extremes is just slightly better in my opinion for having an even tighter geographic focus and truly some of the finest fake rocks I have ever seen and touched.

Monterey Bay Habitats also belongs in the rafters with the best aquarium galleries in the country. Top five for sure and it ain't #5. The aquarium literally has color wheels to organize the species based not only on compatibility and accuracy to the particular habitat being represented, but also on how aesthetically pleasing they look with each other. I'd say that's all you need to know but the innkeeper worms, predatory chitons, and other rarities really round it out. MBA is simply in a league of their own when it comes to exhibitry.
 
I was genuinely surprised at how many of these exhibits I've seen in person, and also surprised that I missed some of the entries I should have seen due to timing (having a flight later in the day in Zoo Miami's case and visiting well before they built Florida: Mission Everglades, visiting just shy of Africa Rocks' opening and completely skipping the old Children's Zoo/Reptile Walk at San Diego Zoo (heresy), also visiting a couple years before the initial phase of Walkabout Australia opened at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, etc.)

California Academy of Sciences, Osher Rainforest
Los Angeles Zoo, LAIR
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Into the Deep
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Kelp Forest
Oakland Zoo, California Trail
San Diego Zoo, Elephant Odyssey
San Diego Zoo, Monkey Trails and Forest Tales
San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Condor Ridge
San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Field Exhibits
National Zoo, Asia Trail
National Zoo, Bird House
Disney's Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safaris
Maryland Zoo, Penguin Coast
National Aquarium, Australia: Wild Extremes
Saint Louis Zoo, 1904 World's Fair Flight Cage (saw the exterior since I visited in winter, hopefully will be able to make time to see it during peak season)
Saint Louis Zoo, Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium
Saint Louis Zoo, Penguin and Puffin Coast
Saint Louis Zoo, Red Rocks
Saint Louis Zoo, River's Edge
Bronx Zoo, Congo Gorilla Forest
Bronx Zoo, Gelada Reserve
Bronx Zoo, JungleWorld
Bronx Zoo, Madagascar!
Bronx Zoo, Mouse House
Bronx Zoo, Wild Asia Monorail
Bronx Zoo, World of Birds (First Floor)
New York Aquarium, Ocean Wonders: Sharks
North Carolina Zoo, Watani Grasslands Reserve
Woodland Park Zoo, Gorilla Exhibit
Woodland Park Zoo, Jaguar Cove
Woodland Park Zoo, Living Northwest Trail
 
ASDM - Desert Loop Trail
ASDM - Life on the Rocks

LA Zoo - LAIR

MBA - Into the Deep
MBA - Kelp Forest

SDZ - Africa Rocks
SDZ - Elephant Odyssey
SDZ - Gharial Pond
SDZ - Hummingbird Aviary
SDZ - Monkey Trails & Forest Tales
SDZ - Scripps Aviary

SDZSP - Condor Ridge
SDZSP - Field Exhibits
SDZSP - Walkabout Australia

SNZ - Asian Trail
SNZ - Bird House

DAK - Kilimanjaro Safari

Miami - Amazon & Beyond
Miami - Florida: Mission Everglades
Miami - Wings of Asia

GA - Ocean Voyager

Atlanta - Scaly Slimy Spectacular

Brookfield - Regenstein Wolf Woods
Brookfield - Tropic World

LPZ - Pepper Family Wildlife Center
LPZ - Regenstein Center for African Apes

NAIB - Australia: Wild Extremes

Detroit - Arctic Ring of Life
Detroit - National Amphibian Conservation Center
Detroit - Penguin Conservation Center

St. Louis - 1904 World’s Fair Flight Cage
St. Louis - Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium
St. Louis - Penguin and Puffin Coast
St. Louis - Red Rocks
St. Louis - Rivers Edge

Omaha - African Grasslands
Omaha - Asian Highlands
Omaha - Desert Dome
Omaha - Kingdoms of the Night
Omaha - Lied Jungle
Omaha - Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium

Bronx - Congo Gorilla Forest
Bronx - Gelada Reserve
Bronx - Jungle World
Bronx - Madagascar!
Bronx - Mouse House
Bronx - Wild Asia Monorail
Bronx - World of Birds

NYA - Ocean Wonders: Sharks

Cincinnati - Elephant House
Cincinnati - Reptile House
Cincinnati - World of the Insect

Toledo - Promedica Museum of Natural History

OKC - Oklahoma Trails

Nashville - Expedition Peru: Trek of the Andean Bear
Nashville - Gibbon Islands
Nashville - Unseen New World

Tennessee Aquarium - Appalachian Cove Forest

Dallas - Giants of the Savanna

FWZ - Museum of Living Art

Houston - McNair Asian Elephant Habitat

So that's 61 of the 100 that I've seen to date. Next weekend I should be seeing one of the former, (probably) turned current Must-See in World of Darkness. I have seen the previously World of Darkness of course, too, though I don't remember it well.

~Thylo
 
I've seen 81 out of the original 100 and here are the 19 exhibits I'm missing:

*Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center - bear exhibits
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - Water's Edge: Africa (I visited in 2010 and 2014)
Smithsonian's National Zoo - Bird House (I visited in 2008)
Zoo Miami - Florida: Mission Everglades (I visited in 2008)
Zoo Atlanta - Scaly Slimy Spectacular (I visited in 2008)
Lincoln Park Zoo - Pepper Family Wildlife Center (I visited in 2008)
Indianapolis Zoo - International Orangutan Center (I visited in 2008 and 2012)
Maryland Zoo - Penguin Coast (I visited in 2010)
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo - Sea Lion Shores (I visited in 2008, 2012 and 2018)
New York Aquarium - Ocean Wonders: Sharks (I visited in 2012)
*Duke Lemur Center - Lemur Forests
Columbus Zoo - Heart of Africa (I visited in 2008)
Toledo Zoo - Promedica Museum of Natural History (I visited in 2008 and 2018)
Memphis Zoo - Teton Trek (I visited in 2008)
Memphis Zoo - Zambezi River Hippo Camp (I visited in 2008)
Nashville Zoo - Expedition Peru: Trek of the Andean Bear (I visited in 2010)
Houston Zoo - Galapagos Islands (I visited in 2010 and 2015)
Houston Zoo - South America's Pantanal (I visited in 2010 and 2015)
Henry Vilas Zoo - Wisconsin Heritage (I visited in 2014)

* these two zoos are the only ones I've never toured out of the 50 on the list
 
Out of these exhibits, I've only seen 13 of them due to my small amount of zoological facilities visited.

California Academy of Sciences, Osher Rainforest
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Kelp Forest
Smithsonian's National Zoo, Asia Trail
Disney's Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safari
Brookfield Zoo, Regenstein Wolf Woods
Shedd Aquarium, Abbott Oceanarium
Shedd Aquarium, Wild Reef
Bronx Zoo, Congo Gorilla Forest
Bronx Zoo, Gelada Reserve
Bronx Zoo, Jungle World
Bronx Zoo, Madagascar
Bronx Zoo, Mouse House
Bronx Zoo, World of Birds
 
Back
Top