Upcoming U.S. Zoo Exhibits in 2025

pachyderm pro

pachyderm pro

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
As the year comes to a close, it's time for my annual updated list of new zoo exhibits projected to open over the next few years and beyond. In an effort to be as holistic as possible, I've included everything from major exhibit complexes to individual enclosures to notable renovations. Lots of exciting developments in the works, some of which have been talked about for a genuinely long time. As usual, if there are any I'm missing I encourage you to mention them below.

2025:
Adventure Africa Phase 3: Rhinos - Milwaukee County Zoo
Bear Ridge & Sea Otter Coast - Cincinnati Zoo
Big Cats of Arizona - Phoenix Zoo
Cape Vulture Aviary - Los Angeles Zoo
Colobus Monkey Exhibit - Potawatomi Zoo
Congo Falls - San Antonio Zoo
Elephant Trek Phase 2: Siamang Point - Cincinnati Zoo
Elephant Valley - San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Flamingo Aviary - Philadelphia Zoo
Giant Tortoise Exhibits - Indianapolis Zoo
Kiwi Exhibit - Zoo Miami
Komodo Dragon Exhibit - Saint Louis Zoo
Leopard Forest - Nashville Zoo
Living Seas - Birch Aquarium
Manatee River - Jacksonville Zoo
Nature Museum - Discovery Place Nature
North America Trek - Columbus Zoo
Sand Cat Center - Zoo Boise
Small Cat Exhibits - Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Stingray Pavillion - Memphis Zoo
Rugged Coast - Florida Aquarium
Tiger Exhibit - Beardsley Zoo
Tropical Forests - Brookfield Zoo Chicago
White Rhino Conservation Center - Zoo Knoxville
Wild Oasis - Busch Gardens Tampa
World of Darkness - Bronx Zoo

2026:
African Experience - Franklin Park Zoo
Asia - North Carolina Zoo
Asian Cat Exhibits - Hemker Park Zoo
Aquatic Rehabilitation & Care Complex - Greensboro Science Center
Bear Country - Philadelphia Zoo
Big Cat Expansion - Blank Park Zoo
Changing Oceans - Shedd Aquarium
Destination Discovery - Saint Louis Zoo
Discovery Trails - Detroit Zoo
EdVenture & Exploration Campus - Virginia Zoo
Elephant House Expansion - Sedgwick County Zoo
Expedition Rainforest Biodome - Greensboro Science Center
Forest Trailhead - Woodland Park Zoo
Forests & Jungles of the World - Fort Worth Zoo
Kentucky Trails - Louisville Zoo
Lion Ridge - The Living Desert
Manatee Rescue & Critical Care Center - Zoo Tampa
Pathway to Asia - Reid Park Zoo
Penguin Point - Sylvan Heights Bird Park
Primate Forest - Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Reptile House Expansion - Toledo Zoo
Rhino Valley - Virginia Zoo
Rocky Shores - Florida Aquarium
Sea to Shore - Oklahoma City Zoo
Wild Iowa - Blank Park Zoo

2027 and Beyond:
Africa - Palm Beach Zoo
African Rift Valley Renovation & South America Hall - Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
African River Safari - Nashville Zoo
African Savanna - Gladys Porter Zoo
African Wilds - Tulsa Zoo
African Veldt Redevelopment - Memphis Zoo
Amphibian Reptile Conservation Center - Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Aquarium & Butterfly House - Great Plains Zoo
Australia - North Carolina Zoo
Aviary Building - North Carolina Zoo
Big Cat & Wolf Habitats - Como Park Zoo
Edge of Africa - Henry Vilas Zoo
Gateway to Africa - Brookfield Zoo Chicago
Giraffe Exhibit - Akron Zoo
Giraffe Tower - Cincinnati Zoo
Gorilla Exhibit - Gladys Porter Zoo
Gorilla & Orangutan Exhibits - Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Lion & Tiger Exhibits - Blank Park Zoo
Mexican Wolf Exhibit - Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
Orangutan Exhibit - Pittsburgh Zoo
Pacific Coasts of the Americas - Brookfield Zoo Chicago
Primate Forest - Riverbanks Zoo
Rhino Reserve - Cincinnati Zoo
Safari Trail - Dallas Zoo
South America - North Carolina Zoo
South America - Zoo Tampa
South Carolina Nature Preserve - Riverbanks Zoo
Southeast Asia Exhibit - Nashville Zoo
Southwest Australian Provinces - Brookfield Zoo Chicago
Tropics Building - Milwaukee County Zoo
Tropics Complex - Seneca Park Zoo
 
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I don't know if this technically counts as a renovation, but Cabrillo Marine Aquarium's main Exhibit Hall is closed at the moment for a full refresh and replacement of its (very old and failing) life support systems. All the animals have been removed due to this, and more than likely a good amount of new species will be added. I expect its reopening sometime in mid-to-late 2025 (their website says Fall of next year).
 
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore intends to break ground on their new red panda exhibit in 2025, so perhaps a 2026 target opening

Salisbury Zoo perhaps next year for new coati exhibit, I'm not sure when for the new Andean bear exhibit (probably best for the 2027 and beyond list)

Who knows with National Aquarium and the future of Pier 4 (current dolphins).
 
Seems two great children’s zoos will open in 2026! I think I will prefer Saint Louis though ;)


(Detroit will again fumble the bag)
 
The Minnesota Zoo intends to break ground on a new lower plaza and Japanese Macaque exhibit sometime early next year. I’d expect it to be opened sometime in 2026. The repurposing of the old dhole exhibit is also slated for next year.
 
It has not been announced yet, but the Akron Zoo will be opening a giraffe conservation center in 2028.
 
One thing I'm really happy about is that next year's exhibit openings look a lot more diverse -- elephants, bears, colobus, kiwi, tortoises, flamingos, manatees, leopards, komodos, stingrays, tigers, sand cats -- than some lists from the last couple of years which concentrated more on bears, elephants and megafauna. There's very little repetition here, which in my opinion is great news for zoos across the board. I'm especially glad to see species like vulture, kiwi, sand cat, and leopards getting to be the faces of renovations as these are not the typical fundraising megafauna species and are all animals that could use fresh attention and commitments.

I personally find Tropical Forests, Adventure Africa and World of Darkness among the most exciting projects. Local bias is absolutely playing a big role in the first two, and I've waited my entire posting history to see Brookfield's primates outdoors, but I'm excited to see Milwaukee's improved barn for rhinos and hippos as well, and of course I would be excited about a new nocturnal house anywhere, but especially at the Bronx, one of the best facilities in the nation! Wonders of Water also is local and interesting.

It is amusing to have two midwestern giants opening new children's zoos in 2026, both of which will contain some unique, rare small carnivores in need of attention, and a surprising number of forest and jungle-themed exhibits are on the agenda for that year as well, though it's of course a common zoo subject.

Would be interesting to see someone revisit the 2024 thread with a year in review of the new developments that did open up this year.
 
The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper, Utah is set to open their Science Learning Center in 2025. The 128,000 square-foot addition to the aquarium is divided into three hubs: education, community event space, and the Cloud Forest Habitat. The education hub will feature eleven classrooms and high-tech laboratories as well as a daycare space. The community event space will be used for corporate events, seminars, weddings, and galas. The Cloud Forest Habitat will provide a five story, quarter-acre conservatory for the aquarium's Expedition Asia species and feature new species never before seen in Utah.

Proposed species for the Cloud Forest Habitat:
  • Clouded leopard
  • Asian small-clawed otter
  • Matschie's tree kangaroo
  • Prevost's squirrel
  • Ground birds (Victoria crowned pigeon, Palawan peacock-pheasant)
  • Free-flight birds (fruit-doves)
  • Komodo dragon
  • Reticulated python
  • Asian vine snake
  • Leaf turtle
  • Giant salamander
  • Fire eel
  • Spiny eel
  • Freshwater pufferfish
  • Coral reef fish
  • Warm water community fish
  • Giant Asian river fish
  • Shrimp
  • Tropical invertebrates (giant beetles, orchid mantis)
You can find the most recent plans for the new facility here.
 
The World of Darkness Building Bronx Zoo was the First Nocturnal Animal House of its time unless I'm wrong here back in 1969 and closed in 2009 due to budget cuts. The zoo was forced to downsize its staff and animal collection after New York City cut funding for the state's zoos, aquariums, and botanical gardens.

It's going to be re-opened and improved hopefully sending a new trend of Nocturnal Houses.
 
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