The Lincoln Children's Zoo (called Folsom Children’s Zoo & Botanical Gardens between 1979 and 2006) is a privately funded 10-acre (4.0 ha) zoo located in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. The zoo is open from April 15 through October 15 each year.
The Lincoln Children's Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1991. Its mission is "to enrich lives through firsthand interaction with living things."
Arnott Folsom started the zoo with personal funds in 1959, and the zoo opened on Шаблон:Convert of city land in 1965. Folsom wanted a zoo designed for children, with plenty of interaction. The zoo started with about 120 animals, all of which were sold at the end of the season each year, eliminating the need for staff on the off season. When the zoo opened in 1965 it was the only privately funded zoo in the city, but the city still had two other zoos: Ager Zoo and Pioneers Park.
In 1973 the zoo hired permanent staff, and has since kept its animals year round. In 1978, with the opening of the Animal Kingdom building, the zoo had its first all-weather exhibit space.
In 1979 when Folsom died, the zoo was renamed "Folsom Children’s Zoo & Botanical Gardens" in his honor. Then in 1980 the city decided to close Ager Zoo and limit Pioneers Park to native species only, making the Folsom Children’s Zoo the only zoo in Lincoln.
1990sIn 1991 an infrastructure update funded by a $3.6 million bond issue was completed. Improvements included a new entrance and support buildings, restrooms, and expanded parking. The adjoining park also received some improvements.
In 1997 the zoo opened with a makeover funded by a successful $3.4 million fundraising campaign. Improvements included new habitats for the river otters, spectacled bears, Bactrian camels, and gelada baboons. The zoo acquired leopards and singing dogs, and Stegosaurus Fountain and Zooville Square were remodeled. The education complex and veterinary facility were opened, and "Zoo School" opened in collaboration with the Lincoln Public Schools.
2000sThe Butterfly Pavilion opened in 2001, and the zoo started planning for Antelope Triangle Park. The zoos 38 year old train was replaced in 2002 by the new Z.O.&O. Railroad. "Opening the Gates", a new program that provides guided tours in 10 languages, was also launched.
The 2003 season opened with a new home for the Zoo's bald eagles and a new children's play area, and Debrazza's monkeys were introduced to the zoo. Then in 2004, the new Шаблон:Convert Camelot Commons Education Center was opened, and introduced pot-bellied sea horses and a harbor seal to the zoo.
In 2005 the zoo celebrated 40 years. "Dromedary Dock," a feeding station for camels, was opened to let visitors feed the camels, and the size of the diet kitchen was tripled. In 2006, the zoo was renamed back to its original name and the current zoo logo was created. Another renovation of the Stegosaurus Fountain in 2008 turned it into Stego’s Big Dig, and Laura’s Butterfly Pavilion opened as a permanent home for the butterflies.
By 2009 the zoo had about 300 animals of 90 species, and had expanded to the current Шаблон:Convert.
At Firsthand Farm, visitors can touch and feed domesticated animals such as llamas and goats.
Laura's Butterfly PavilionIn 2008, Laura's Butterfly Pavilion got a permanent space of its own where visitors can watch butterflies.
Critter EncounterAt Critter Encounter, visitors can pet and learn more about guinea pigs, doves, tenrecs, and many other small animals as zookeepers show a different animal every hour. The exhibit is open daily during summer vacation and on weekends the rest of the season.
The HiveAt this indoor exhibit, visitors can see and touch a variety of arthropods from around the world. Bugs that visitors can see here include millipedes, centipedes, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, tarantulas, and scorpions.
Stego's Big DigAt this Шаблон:Convert exhibit, children dig around to find hidden bones, and then get help identifying their finds. A shade structure helps keep guests cool, and a small interpretive building was built adjacent to the dig. This exhibit was re-purposed from a hard to maintain Шаблон:Convert diameter fountain into a "dig" exhibit with washed sand and 50–60 clean bones filling the former fountain basin. The original stegosaurus that was the centerpiece of the old fountain is still present but mounted higher.
The zoo has train rides and pony rides. The train goes around the entire perimeter of the zoo.
The zoo provides "keeper talks" to help educate visitors about the animals at the zoo. Shows are held daily at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Visitors need to check at the zoo entrance for the daily locations of these talks.
Guided toursGuided tours must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Cost is the normal entrance fee plus a group fee that depends on the type and length of the tour. Available tours include topic tours, which let the group pick the subject, a 2 hour evening tour, and career shadowing, which lets one person at a time (over 16 years of age) watch and participate in daily zookeeper activities for one hour.
Zoo classes, usually two hours each, and Zoo Camp, daily for one week, provide educational opportunities for children during the summer months.
VolunteersZoo players lets youth in grades 9-12 use their skills acting, playwriting, and performing to put on skits and assist zoo visitors throughout the year, and produce a video. Zoo crew volunteers can help with presentations and other activities in the zoo such as the pony rides.
In June, July, and August, the zoo stays open until 8:00 p.m. on Wednesdays to let visitors see the animals in the evening. Each Wild Wednesday has a different theme, and includes animal demonstrations and other activities for visitors.
Lincoln SafariLincoln Safari is a three year program started in 2008 that is intended to help get people outdoors and to natural places in Lincoln that they have probably not seen before. Participating families and group get a safari bag, a guidebook and a map of the secret places (32 in 2010). The guidebook contains clues to the location of the "rubbing post" at each location, where participants can use a pencil to rub a copy of the pattern on the top of the post. Lincoln Safari is sponsored by the zoo and about a dozen other organizations.
