Zoos in the US where every exhibit is open

CarLover

CarLover

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
With the pandemic, many zoos have closed their indoor exhibits, and guests are only allowed outside. This counts for the zoo I used to go to the most, the Philadelphia Zoo. I enjoy indoor exhibits because they offer an escape from the weather and see the most change out of a zoo's collection. I am aware some zoos have opened everything to the public. The Dallas Zoo for instance is allowing guests to walk around outside without masks and only put them on when going inside. What other zoos are showing leniency on COVID policies and allowing guests to see all the animals?
 
Zoo Tampa/Lowry Park has been open completely for some time, at least since last August. Masks indoors were required when I went a few weeks ago, I am not sure if they still are as the Governor disallowed local mandates (but businesses can still require it) as of yesterday. It was not really enforced at the zoo anyways when I went last.

The Florida Aquarium is also completely open.
 
SwampDonkey said:
Zoo Tampa/Lowry Park has been open completely for some time, at least since last August. Masks indoors were required when I went a few weeks ago, I am not sure if they still are as the Governor disallowed local mandates (but businesses can still require it) as of yesterday. It was not really enforced at the zoo anyways when I went last.

The Florida Aquarium is also completely open.
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Both places are on my bucket list. I haven't been to Florida since August 2019, and every time I go, it's for Disney. I would like to go to Florida and not have Disney be the main focus.
 
Hopefully the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is close to Phoenix. I'm going next month.
 
CarLover said:
Hopefully the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is close to Phoenix. I'm going next month.
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It's in Tucson, about two hours south of Phoenix. There are two zoos in Phoenix, Phoenix Zoo and Wildlife World Zoo. I have no idea of their status, they may be fully open.
 
Despite the current construction going on, San Diego Zoo is fully open with the exception of the new Komodo Kingdom and Hummingbird Aviary that are slated for June 1st opening date. I don’t believe any exhibits were closed off and they don’t have any current indoor exhibits that I can think of. Most Californian zoos and aquariums won’t be letting up on the mask mandate until further notice with us barely entering Yellow Tier as of tonight at Midnight from what I’ve seen.
 
The Kansas City Zoo says on their website that all exhibits and buildings are currently open. I will be taking a trip there in two weeks as my wife hasn't gotten a chance to see that whole zoo yet, as last year when we went there were numerous areas closed.

Also, I'm planning a trip to St. Louis and Memphis over Memorial Day weekend and it looks like the Memphis Zoo is 100% open as well.
 
birdsandbats said:
I'm assuming the only thing closed at Saint Louis is the Children's Zoo?
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There are a couple areas that are closed as well listed here:
  • Antelope House
  • Aqua Tunnel at Sea Lion Sound
  • Butterfly Dome at Insectarium
  • Jungle of the Apes (inside)
  • Wild Wonder Outpost Discovery Room
 
MGolka said:
The Kansas City Zoo says on their website that all exhibits and buildings are currently open. I will be taking a trip there in two weeks as my wife hasn't gotten a chance to see that whole zoo yet, as last year when we went there were numerous areas closed.

Also, I'm planning a trip to St. Louis and Memphis over Memorial Day weekend and it looks like the Memphis Zoo is 100% open as well.
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How much of Henry Doorly is open? I will be making a trip there this August and want to make sure I see as much as possible.
 
pachyderm pro said:
How much of Henry Doorly is open? I will be making a trip there this August and want to make sure I see as much as possible.
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Almost all of it is open. The only things that aren't open are:
  • Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom Pavilion
  • Grewcock Butterfly Pavilion
  • Lower Level of Lied Jungle
  • Bay Family Children's Trails
  • Alaskan Splash Pad
  • Aviary (might be done by August)
  • Gorilla Valley and Orangutan Forest (supposed to be re-open in July from refurbishment)
  • Cat Complex but that's pretty much empty and going to be torn down soon.
All the big main exhibits are open though. The way things are going in Nebraska, by August I feel like a lot of the things that are closed will re-open this summer.
 
An update, Phoenix Zoo is mostly open. I asked them on Instagram if their reptile building at the Arizona Trail was open and it is. That is something I really want to see because there are many herps there that I've never seen before. Also, there is the chance I will see Arabian oryx, coyote, California condor, and gerenuk for the first time and finally get a good picture of a spotted hyena.
 
MGolka said:
There are a couple areas that are closed as well listed here:
  • Antelope House
  • Aqua Tunnel at Sea Lion Sound
  • Butterfly Dome at Insectarium
  • Jungle of the Apes (inside)
  • Wild Wonder Outpost Discovery Room
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The Antelope House and Jungle of the Apes indoors are normally closed in summer anyways, and I have no idea what Wild Wonder Discovery Outpost even is.
 
The Memphis zoo is mostly open. I know the walk-through aviary in the bird house is blocked off for people to go through.
 
When I visited the Maryland zoo over the fall all was open except for the giraffe house and otter tunnel. The Primate house was limited capacity and I had to wait to get in.
 
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