virtual field trip to philadelphia zoo

30 Best Zoo and Safari Virtual Field Trips

by Sara Ipatenco

The coronavirus has thrown teachers across the country for a loop. Teaching from home is like nothing educators ever imagined, and being at home makes hands-on educational activities like field trips nearly impossible. Fortunately, many zoos and animal parks around the world offer virtual field trips. Though not as entertaining as the real thing, virtual visits to zoos can enrich your curriculum and give students a break from the virtual classroom.

Here are 30 of the best zoo and safari field trips out there. No permission slip required!

1. San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA

Students can watch live cams of all their favorite animals, including koalas, hippos, elephants, tigers, and more. The Kid’s Corner also offers a wide variety of educational videos hosted by zookeepers. Each video gives facts about different types of animals, so if your students are interested in ocean invertebrates, baby animals, or animal helpers, the San Diego virtual experience is the place for them.

2. Denver Zoo, Denver, CO

Not only is the Denver Zoo the first zoo to use natural enclosures for their animals instead of metal cages, but it also offers a virtual classroom so students can learn about animals in an up close, educational way. In addition to watching animals and zookeepers, students can also participate in the Animal Academy. As part of the Animal Academy, students can earn a virtual Spots and Stripes badge with correct trivia answers!

3. Monterey Bay Aquarium

If you have some future marine biologists in your classroom, the Monterey Bay Aquarium offers a wide variety of live cams. Your students can watch otters, penguins, and jellyfish in action, or they can take a trip through a kelp forest, the open sea, or a shark habitat. For any bird lovers, the aviary cam offers and up close and personal look at many kinds of beautiful birds. You might also consider one of the 45-minute guided virtual tours the aquarium offers specifically to educators.

4. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL

The Sea Curious online program at the Shedd Aquarium is designed to answer kids’ questions about underwater animals in a fun and engaging way. Each episode answers a question through an adventure around the aquarium. Students might learn what powers different animals have, what animals do at night, why some animals are slimy, or why animals lose their teeth.

5. Houston Zoo, Houston, TX

Students can see a huge variety of animals interacting with their habitats via a web cam field trip through the Houston Zoo. The live web cams offer an up-close glimpse of many types of animals including playful elephants, busy insects, curious monkeys, and majestic pink flamingoes. Your students will enjoy seeing the animals play, sleep, take baths, and eat their meals.

6. National Zoo, Washington, D.C.

At the National Zoo, students can view many web cams to see animals in action. Students can learn about big cats, elephants and naked mole rats. The National Zoo also has one of four panda enclosures in the United States and students will be able to see several giant pandas, including the baby panda that was born in August 2020! Students also have access to webinars and self-guided learning experiences to enhance their virtual trip to the National Zoo.

7. Philadelphia Zoo, Philadelphia, PA

The Philadelphia Zoo offers a Philly Zoo at Two live presentation. The program showcases different animals and lets students ask questions about what they are learning. The zookeepers provide interesting facts about each animal to pique your students’ curiosity about different species. If you can’t login in at 2:00, the website keeps an archive, so your students have access to these virtual experiences at any time. If you have some penguin-lovers in your group, the Philadelphia Zoo also offers a Penguin Point cam so students can see these playful creatures in action.

8. The London Zoo, London, England

From watching animal antics to seeing zookeeper videos to tuning in to web cams, students can learn a lot about animals with virtual programs offered through the London Zoo. Students can watch the lemurs eat a snack, hear squirrel monkeys talk, see a baby penguin, or watch the giraffes’ afternoon tea being prepared. The London Zoo also offers Zoo School, which provides a large variety of age-appropriate and printable resources to further enhance your virtual trip to the zoo.

9. Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA

Get to know the animals at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens through their virtual field trip videos. Watch something exciting like a baby gorilla riding on his mom’s head or a colony of busy bees! Calm yourself down as you view as a koala munching on leaves or hippos lazily floating in the water. For a more formal field trip experience, students can take a choose-your-own adventure virtual tour of the entire zoo.

10. Zoos Victoria, Australia

Encompassing three different zoos, Zoos Victoria offers virtual tours of all their locations. A virtual trip through the Healesville Sanctuary will show students animals from the woodlands to the wetlands, including kangaroos, dingoes, koalas, and platypuses. At the Melbourne Zoo, students can see lions, elephants, gorillas, and underwater creatures. A virtual visit to the Werribee Open Range Zoo will get students up close with monkeys, hippos, and cheetahs. Zookeeper talks and virtual animal encounters will round out any online field trip.

11. Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Zoo Atlanta offers many at-home resources to keep children learning. After taking an exciting virtual tour of the zoo, students can also view Zoo2You videos to discover more about different animals. Online virtual Facebook events, storybook readings with the animals, and a free mobile game allow children to explore animals even more.

12. Milwaukee County Zoo, Milwaukee, WI

The Milwaukee County Zoo offers a self-paced virtual experience through several live web cams. Students can watch polar bears, jaguars, lions, tigers, and other animals in a variety of habitats. Another camera shows students what’s happening in Lake Wisconsin. Students can drop in any time to see what their favorite animals are up to.

13. Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh, Scotland

The Edinburgh Zoo is the first zoo in the world to house penguins, and students can have a virtual experience with these magical creatures via live webcams. The zoo also features pandas, tigers, koalas, and lions. This zoo also offers guided virtual tours and online learning experiences.

14. Dublin Zoo, Dublin, Ireland

A virtual field trip to the Dublin Zoo allows students to visit elephants, penguins, and animals from the African Savanna via webcams. Along with the webcams, students can also access the online animal encyclopedia, which provides kid-friendly information about the hundreds of species living at the zoo.

15. Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis, IN

The Indianapolis Zoo brings the zoo to you with a variety of webcams. Students can watch live streams of walruses, penguins, macaws, and tigers. Digital field trips are also available through the Indianapolis Zoo. Your students will get to see many of the most popular exhibits and gain a wealth of knowledge about the animal kingdom along the way.

16. The Alaska Zoo, Anchorage, AK

In addition to a live polar bear webcam, students can also view a variety of YouTube videos showing animals in their homes and interacting with zookeepers. Visit the Learning Yurt to see videos and learn more about central Asian animals, including snow leopards, Bactrian camels, Tibetan yaks, and golden eagles. The Learning Yurt offers crafts and games to go along with a virtual visit.

17. Bronx Zoo, New York, NY

Live from the Bronx Zoo, students can virtually interact with lemurs, langurs, and penguins. Visit the sea lion pool to watch these playful creatures in action! Make a virtual stop by Ocean Wonders and see the sharks sliding gracefully through the water! Jungleworld and the Seabird Aviary are additional virtual exhibits students can enjoy. Students can also book private Zoom sessions to get the chance to come face to face with many of the animals who make the Bronx Zoo home.

18. National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD

Visit an underwater zoo with a virtual field trip to the National Aquarium. Enjoy the Pacific Coral Reef or head over to Shark Alley. Additionally, see a diverse variety of species in the Tropical Rain Forest and Amazon River exhibits. All virtual exhibits at the National Aquarium encourage students to watch animals in action and learn about their natural habitats.

19. Reid Park Zoo, Tucson, AZ

Tune in to live webcams of elephants, giraffes, grizzly bears, lemurs, and lions. As students watch these animals in action, they can also click on the links to learn more about each animal to complete their virtual field trip.

20. Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA

Take a virtual dive into the beautiful underwater world of the Georgia Aquarium. Live webcams allow students to watch graceful fish, playful sea otters, silly beluga whales, fierce little piranhas, and more. Convenient links to animal facts on their website create instant learning opportunities!

21. Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, CA

The Aquarium of the Pacific boasts the largest tropical reef habitat exhibit and is modeled after the natural reef in Palau. Students will get to see a wide variety of colorful tropical fish, jellyfish, sharks, sea otters, and sea lions.

22. WildEarth, Africa

Give your students the ultimate safari experience with WildEarth. Through daily live safaris, students can see leopards, lions, cheetahs, and hyenas in their natural habitat. These experiences include guided walks with experts, drones, cameras, and balloons to help students escape to the wild African savanna. There is also a section dedicated to safaris geared toward children ages 4-18.

23. African Animals Watering Hole, Central Kenya

Located in the highlands of Kenya, the Mpala Research Centre watering hole reveals animals socializing while getting a drink or taking a bath. A virtual trip to the watering hole allows students to see elephants, crocodiles, hippos, giraffes, and other native animals playing in the water!

24. Balule Nature Reserve, South Africa

Enjoy the view from a hidden safari camera at the Bulule Nature Reserve in South Africa. The solar powered camera gives students a glimpse into the natural habitat of some of Africa’s most majestic animals, including lions, rhinos, giraffes, and elephants. Students might also catch a glimpse of more exotic African animals like the antelopes, genets, and warthogs.

25. Asilia, Capetown, Africa

Take a safari from the comfort of home or school with short video clips of African animals in their natural surroundings. Students can view popular and well-known African animals like lions, hyenas, and elephants. Additionally, they may join a walking safari, a boating safari, or see if they can catch a glimpse of any animals as they watch the sunset.

26. Olifants River, Emangusi, South Africa

A camera set on the banks of the Olifants River in Emangusi, South Africa, enables students to watch crocodiles and hippos in action. Students might also see elephants and giraffes grazing along the river. Baboons, impalas, waterbuck, and owls have also been known to make an appearance here.

27. Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa

Home to some of the world’s largest elephants, this virtual field trip allows students to watch the elephants and enjoy the sounds of the wild. Students may also see lions, rhinos, buffalos, and leopards. A night visit will reveal what these animals do when the sun goes down.

28. GRACE Forest Corridor, Democratic Republic of Congo

For students interested in gorillas, this is the safari for them. Students will get to watch gorillas in their natural habitat. A virtual trip here will give students the chance to see gorillas interacting with each other, finding food, playing, and relaxing with long afternoon naps. An evening visit might even give students the opportunity to see the gorillas building themselves night nests.  

29. Winged Creatures in 360 Degrees, Detroit, MI

This field trip takes visitors to three different locations to learn about animals with wings. Students will get to see penguins, raptors, and bats. Throughout the trip, students can view animal habitats and learn how human behaviors impact animals, their homes, and the climate where they live.

30. Channel Islands Kelp Forest, Ventura, CA

Take a peaceful virtual field trip through the kelp forest off the Channel Islands in California. Hundreds of marine species live in the kelp forest, so students are sure to see many exciting and interesting creatures swim by. Watching the kelp sway gently through the water can also be quite soothing.

Children can learn so much from visiting zoos and animal parks. Fortunately, there are many virtual ways to experience these educational locations without leaving the comfort of the classroom or desk chair at home!

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How to Virtually Explore Top Philadelphia Area Attractions

Access the region's stellar cultural and historical sites from anywhere....

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One of the best ways to experience Greater Philadelphia is via the region’s acclaimed museums and attractions.

But there’s another way to explore some of these fantastic destinations and their cultural and artistic offerings: virtual tours, online programming, and a wealth of video experiences — all available online for free at any time.

Check in on the Elmwood Park Zoo giraffes on a rainy day, browse the Barnes Foundation ’s permanent collection from home and explore more than 100 Free Library of Philadelphia databases and shareable content on the go.

To make the most of time at home and to practice social distancing during COVID-19, check out our guide below to some of the best ways virtually visit Philadelphia museums and attractions. As more virtual experiences launch, look out for additions here, too.

Then take the most interesting fact you learned at these virtual institutions and share on social media using the hashtags #visitfromhome and/or #museumfromhome .

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Learn more about burrowing owls, follow along as scientists discover a new species of fish and take a tour of Philadelphia’s natural history museum through The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University ’s Google Arts & Culture site . The digital destination features a handful of storybook-like experiences, as well as close-up photos and descriptions of many of the species and fossils featured in the attraction’s Center City building. The collection of diatom photos gives virtual visitors a whole new appreciation for algae. (No small task!)

Where: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway

American Swedish Historical Museum

Get closer than ever to the colorful murals at the American Swedish Historical Museum with the attraction’s virtual guide . Start with the ceiling mural created by portraitist Christian von Schneidau before diving into 140 smaller murals representing Swedish and Swedish-American history. The museum tells the story of the New Sweden colonists who settled the Greater Philadelphia area in the mid-1600s even before William Penn arrived.

Where: American Swedish Historical Museum, 1900 Pattison Avenue

Barnes Foundation

The endlessly impressive permanent collection at the Barnes Foundation — featuring 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes and 59 Matisses, along with works by Manet, Degas, Seurat, Prendergrast, Titian and Picasso — is all available online . Website visitors can sort by colors, lines, light and more (an homage to Dr. Albert C. Barnes’ mission to connect art and intellectual stimulation), and test out a neat slider tool that shows visually similar and surprising works side by side. Pro tip: Don’t miss the African ceremonial masks, part of Barnes’ private collection curated in the early 1920s.

Where: Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Bucks County Cultural Sites

Take 3D tours of more than 30 cultural and historical sites throughout Bucks County, all accessible through Visit Bucks County’s website . Step inside the Michener Art Museum to view an incredible collection of works by Pennsylvania impressionist painters and stroll the trails of Core Creek Park to explore more of what the county has to offer. One not-to-miss highlight: the architecturally fascinating Fonthill Castle, home to Gothic doorways, 32 sudden stairways, dead ends and 44 rooms — each in a different shape.

Where: Various locations including Fonthill Castle, 525 E. Court Street, Doylestown

The Clay Studio

It’s easy to experience Old City ’s ceramic sanctuary online, thanks to a robust digital catalogue of its permanent collection highlighting more than 700 clay objects. Pottery lovers can also find a series of how-to clay tutorial videos, as well as live-streaming conversations with education assistant Shannon Jones (every Friday at 2 p.m.) on The Clay Studio’s YouTube channel .

Where: The Clay Studio, 139 N. 2nd Street

Elmwood Park Zoo

Check in on popular Elmwood Park Zoo residents like the giraffe, zebra and eagles with EPZoo2U . The online programming is a central hub for the cameras that let virtual visitors see what the animals are up to. Plus, kids can play games and watch videos in the Bubby’s Cub education space and watch live weekday broadcasts featuring educational animal content.

Where: Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown

The Fabric Workshop and Museum

The only museum of its kind in the world, this contemporary art institution is dedicated to the presentation and creation of innovative art. Explore its ambitious permanent collection of sculptures, drawings, paintings and hand screen-printed fabric textiles online, then dive into the work of the museum’s current and former artists-in-residence.

Where: The Fabric Museum and Workshop, 1214 Arch Street

The Franklin Institute

Want to see some club moss get set on fire? Science fans — as well as fans of (always safe!) explosions — have lots of virtual options to enjoy courtesy of one of the oldest and most beloved science institutions in the country. The Franklin Institute’s #SparkOfScience series highlights fascinating experiments like the ones conducted for visitors at the attraction, while interactive activities explore the depths of the human mind . And always be on the lookout for insightful videos and Q&As with Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts and Chief Bioscientist Dr. Jayatri Das on the museum’s social channels .

Where: The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th Street

Free Library of Philadelphia

The digital resources of the Free Library of Philadelphia are as vast as the archives of the institution’s citywide branches. A few clicks and a library card unleash access to ebooks, audio books, movies, TV shows and electronic editions of publications like The New York Times . Plus, more than 100 searchable academic, research, media and visual databases provide access to full-text articles and citations. Not sure where to start? Try TumbleBooks’ animated talking picture books for kids or the Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries, which offers more than 35,000 streaming music tracks by American artists.

Where: Various locations including Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street

Historic Germantown Sites

Several of the historical sites in Germantown offer online resources and video experiences for visitors to enjoy from home. Cliveden’s activity sheets — coloring, word searches, crossword puzzles and more — encourage creativity while teaching kids about the American Revolution; Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion’s online resources dive into topics like the Emancipation Proclamation and how to write messages in Morse code; and Stenton’s History Hunters virtual classroom is full of engaging and educational videos and lessons about Pennsylvania history.

Where: Various locations including Cliveden, 6401 Germantown Avenue

Independence Seaport Museum

Philadelphia’s maritime heritage museum has an expansive digital collection , including nearly 700 maps and charts documenting waterway changes and the city’s contribution to naval history, as well as other works and artifacts that explore the Delaware River’s role in the African American journey through the Middle Passage, enslavement, emancipation, Jim Crow and the civil rights movement.

Where: Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard

Independence National Historical Park Virtual Tours

Get an inside look at Independence Hall from home with this narrated video tour presented by the National Park Service. Along the tour, check out the rooms where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed, the long gallery where British troops held American prisoners during the Revolutionary War and more. Want to do more exploring? Tours of other destinations within Independence National Historical Park (INHP) are available on the park’s YouTube page .

Where: Various locations including Independence Hall, 520 Chestnut Street

Museum of the American Revolution

Take a virtual tour of the Museum of the American Revolution ’s 118,000-square-foot attraction in Old City for an up-close look at museum highlights like George Washington’s Headquarters Tent, the replica Boston Liberty Tree and nearly 500 artifacts from the earliest days of America’s independence. Educators and caregivers can also download the Beyond the Battlefield classroom kit for young students who want a virtual field trip with Lauren Tarshis, author of the children’s novel series I Survived…

Where: Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. 3rd Street

National Constitution Center

The National Constitution Center – dedicated to the four most powerful pages in America’s history — hosts weekly podcast episodes and videos that visitors can enjoy from anywhere. Discussions and lessons explore important historical moments like women’s suffrage and the Vietnam War, as well as current U.S. Supreme Court cases — all through the lens of the United States Constitution. Additionally, the Interactive Constitution space offers insight from constitutional experts and a deep-dive into drafts of the historical document.

Where: National Constitution Center, 525 Arch Street

National Marian Anderson Museum

On Easter Sunday in April 1939, Marian Anderson — truly one of the world’s greatest contraltos — overcame racial barriers to give a command performance at the Lincoln Memorial. In 2020, the National Marian Anderson Museum will live stream a tribute to that historic concert the weekend of Easter Sunday, on Saturday, April 11. Learn more about the great singer’s history and home on the museum’s website anytime and be sure to watch the video archive of live concerts in the Performance Corner .

Where: National Marian Anderson Museum, 762 Martin Street

Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History posts all its videos to its Facebook page , including a speech by 2019 exhibit muse Ruth Bader Ginsburg, interactive experiences from the Jewish New Media Festival and thought-provoking discussions on historical and current topics like anti-Semitism.

Where: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S. Independence Mall East

Penn Museum

Set aside time to travel through time — thousands of years, give or take — in the digital archives of the Penn Museum , home to a million objects and artifacts from around the globe. Start your online exploration with the anthropology and archeology museum’s collection highlights , like the 25,000-pound, 3,000-year-old Sphinx of Ramses . Virtual visitors can also take a close look at pieces from Mexico, Central America, Africa and other parts of the world as they learn about ancient civilizations, economies and colonization and watch fascinating videos that include archival footage of early 20th-century native life in the Phillippines and the excavation of royal tombs in southern Iraq.

Where: Penn Museum, 3260 South Street

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Take to the internet to peruse the stunning and varied collection of historic, modern and contemporary American art that lives at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), and see works by masters like Thomas Eakins, Mary Cassatt, Alice Neel, Andy Warhol, and Kehinde Wiley. PAFA’s YouTube channel features a wealth of videos — past artist talks, discussions with curators and lectures — for your viewing pleasure as well, and don’t miss the live online events and conversations . There’s a 360-degree virtual tour of the Historic Landmark Building and Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building available online, too.

Where: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118-128 N. Broad Street

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

Take in artist Isaiah Zagar’s mosaicked masterpiece on South Street online via a virtual 360-degree tour. The attraction’s captivating tiled passages — weaving both over- and underground — inspire creativity from every angle. Downloadable activity pages invite virtual visitors to make a mosaic at home, complete a Magic Gardens maze and color some cool illustrations.

Where: Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, 1020 South Street

Philadelphia Museum of Art

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the largest art museums in the country — and an absolute must-see on the city’s cultural circuit. A major bonus: The institution hosts much of its stellar collection online . Search by artist to find masterworks from Mary Cassatt, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and more, or search by collector to learn which types of works some of the museum’s benefactors favored. For a real highlight, go on an in-depth, guided tour of the attraction’s entire collection of South Asian Art , with detailed looks at the museum’s epic Pillared Temple Hall as well as guided looks at architecture, paint and more.

Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway

The Philadelphia Zoo

Explore America’s first zoo in entirely new ways during the attraction’s Philly Zoo at 2 video series . Broadcasting five days a week on Facebook, Philly Zoo at 2 takes viewers behind the scenes to get up close with some of the attraction’s more than 1,300 animals as well as to hear fun facts from the zoo’s animal experts. Viewers can look forward to Breezy the Goat’s Birthday Celebration as well as glimpses of outrageously adorable baby animals ( hello, little sloth bear !) that have yet to be introduced to the public.

Where: The Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Avenue

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Virtual Field Trips: Zoos, Aquariums, Farms and Safaris

Take a virtual field trip to see all sorts of animals without leaving home. You can visit zoos, aquariums, farms, and even go on a virtual safari all in the same day!

We’ve rounded up an amazing list of zoos, aquariums, farms and nature preserves that have webcams, live streams, and youtube videos you can watch to learn more about animals. We’ve also included links to online lesson plans and activities for those families wanting to create a richer learning experience from their virtual field trips.

What is a Virtual Field Trip?

Field trips are awesome learning experiences because they get you out of the classroom and take you into an immersive environment. On a virtual field trip , you open a window to explore outside your home or classroom. You can simply observe, or you can add to the experience with some educational information or activities to go along with it.

The list we’ve compiled below is pretty extensive, so be sure to bookmark this page so you can come back to it.

Zoo Virtual Field Trips

Modern zoos are an amazing blend of entertainment and education, coupled with research and conservation. When you visit a zoo, you not only get to see and learn about animals you are unlikely to encounter, but you are also supporting efforts to protect wildlife and the planet.

Wildlife Curriculum

Try one of these resources to add to your virtual field trip experience.

• Virtual Field Trip Guide
• Free Zoo Field Trip Questions
• World Wildlife Federation’s “ Wild Classroom ” – They have 5 “days” of activites set up. There are also 9 educational toolkits currently available.
• National Wildlife Federation Lesson Plans and Webinars – broken up by topic and specifies appropriate grade level.
• Free Digital Versions of Ranger Rick Magazines – Through June 2020.
• Animal Books you can read or have read to you online
• Teacher Guides and Saving a Species Video Series + teacher toolkit from SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

San Diego Zoo (USA)

One of the most famous zoos in the world offers live webcams of baboons, penguins, apes, tigers, koalas, burrowing owls, elephants, polar bears, giraffes, and condors.

There is also archived webcam footage of pandas.

Houston Zoo (USA)

The Houston Zoo has webcams that let you look in on the giraffe feeding platform, the gorilla habitat, the elephant yard, the rhino yard, the chimp window, and even leafcutter ants!

The folks at the Houston Zoo have also been bringing the Zoo to You on their facebook page every weekday at 11am Central Time.

Kansas City Zoo (USA)

The Kansas City Zoo has live webcams showing two types of penguins, giraffes, and polar bears. The penguin cams are listed as separate cameras, but both show the same view. At the time of this post, the polar bear cam was not working.

Zoo Atlanta (USA)

We were fortunate to get to visit Zoo Atlanta a few years ago and we loved seeing the pandas! It’s so nice to know we can drop in and see Ya Lun and Xi Lun from home.

In addition to the webcam, Zoo Atlanta has three at-home learning guides for pre-k to 4th grade, as well as some animal games and crafts .

Philadelphia Zoo (USA)

Visiting the Philadelphia Zoo is unique because the animals are literally all around you as they have paths they can use to go over the walkways. When you can’t visit in person, you can view the penguin point webcam.

In addition, the Philadelphia Zoo has started doing Facebook Live sessions called “Philly Zoo at 2” at 2pm EDT daily.

Milwaukee County Zoo (USA)

On Zoo View TV, you can drop in on the Milwaukee County Zoo’s residents such as Polar Bear, Jaguar, Lions, Hyenas, Tigers, and Penguins… and even fish.

Elmwood Park Zoo (USA)

The Elmwood Park Zoo in Pennsylvania has a giraffe live camera from 10am-5pm EDT. They have also been going live on their facebook page with Zoo School from 11am-11:30am on weekdays.

Reid Park Zoo (USA)

The Reid Park Zoo in Arizona lists zoo cams for grizzly bears, lemurs, lions, elephants, and giraffes. Their zoo site also has a few zoo activity packets that were designed to be completed after a visit to the zoo, but could be done from home, as well.

Detroit Zoo (USA)

The Detroit Zoo in Michigan has live cams and videos they call “Virtual Vitamin Z” to help you get your daily supplement of zoo fun at home. Their live cams show you penguins, snow monkeys, falcons, and otters.

They also have past videos available on their site here.

National Zoo (USA)

The National Zoo has live webcams for you to virtually visit their giant pandas, lions, elephants, and naked mole-rats! And you can get updates on what’s going on at the zoo on the National Zoo Facebook page .

The site also has resources such as educational activities you can do at home and downloadable zoo activities .

Chattanooga Zoo (USA)

The Chattanooga Zoo in Tennessee has four live webcams on their zoo’s site. You can drop by and check out meerkats, snow leopards, tamarin, and the spotted genet.

Greenville Zoo (USA)

The Greenville Zoo has two cams set up to watch their giraffes. One gives you a look inside the barn. The other is a view of the paddock.

Alaska Zoo (USA)

As you might expect, the Alaska Zoo has a polar bear, and you can virtually visit it through its webcam. In addition, the zoo has started doing free live sessions via the Zoom app. Spots are limited and the schedule and links are being posted on the Alaska Zoo Facebook page .

Edinburgh Zoo (Scotland)

Did you know that the Edinburgh Zoo was the first zoo in the world to house and breed penguins? In addition to penguin cams, they also have live streams of pandas, tigers, and koalas.

In addition, the Wildlife Conservation Charity has some interactive learning from home courses for all ages.

Dublin Zoo (Ireland)

The zoo is also home to a scimitar-horned oryx, which is a species of antelope you can no longer find in the wild.

Ireland’s Dublin Zoo offers webcams of penguins and elephants, as well as their African Savanna where you might see giraffes, ostriches, zebras, or rhinos.

Marwell Zoo (UK)

The Marwell Zoo has a live video stream of their flamingos. They also have a photo streams (photos update every 30 seconds or so) of penguins, giraffes and lemurs.

Paignton Zoo (UK)

The Paignton Zoo has webcams set up looking at meerkats and sulawesi crested macaque. Their Flamingo webcam is currently unavailable. They also have a series of YouTube Videos about animals and working with them .

Starting Monday, March 23rd, the Paignton Zoo will be adding downloadable resources to their “ Wild at Home ” program for parents and teachers.

Zoos Victoria (Australia)

Zoos Victoria is an association of three zoos in Australia: Healesville Sanctuary, Melbourne Zoo, and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Their site features webcams where you can see snow leopards (indoor and outdoor), penguins, giraffes, lions, and zebras.

More Zoos for Virtual Field Trips

• Live Tiger Cam
• Virtual Adventures on Facebook @brecsbrzoo
• Live Webcams : Aquatic Bird Cam, Sea lion Pups (not working)
• Videos on Social Media @BronxZoo
• Remote Learning Resources
• Virtual tour (Series of Short Videos)
• Online Learning Resources
• Live Giraffe Cam (9:30am – 4:45pm MT)
• “Abnormally Normal” Video Series (Facebook)
• Home Safaris daily at 3pm ET on Facebook
• Daily Virtual Classrooms on Facebook at 11am ET @ClevelandMetroparksZoo.
• Live Webcams – Discovery Reef, Bonobos
• YouTube Videos
• Live Webcams – Meerkats, Penguins
• Animal Update Videos (Facebook)
• “Zoo to You” Facebook Lives weekdays at 3pm ET @DenverZoo
• More Videos on Denver Zoo Youtube channel
• Live Webcams : Giraffes, Sea Lions, Meerkats, Siamangs, and Orangutans
• Animal Videos on Facebook @ElPasoZoo
• “Keeper Chats” on Facebook Live @FortWorthZoo
• “ School of Croc ” lives at 10am ET on Facebook
• Live Webcams : Macaque, Macaw, Penguin, Tiger, Walrus
• Videos on the Indianapolis Zoo Facebook page
• Live Webcams : Penguin, Lion, Giraffe, Flamingo, Goat
• Behind the Scenes on Your Screen – learn about Zoo Jobs
• “Zoo to You” Facebook Lives Weekdays 11am ET
• Updates on Facebook @MNZoo
• Learning Corner – Activities and downloadable curriculum for grades 1-12.
• Live Cams with Chat
• Bear Lesson Plans
• “ Do the Zoo at Home “
• Facebook updates and videos @OmahaZoo
• Live Penguin Cam (9am – 5pm daily)
• #BringtheStlZootoYou Videos on Facebook
• Live Webcams : Snow Leopards, Elephants, Amur Leopards (must have Flash Player enabled)
• #ZooOpenOnline with Facebook Lives and YouTube Videos .
• “Zoo School” Facebook Lives (Mondays 11am ET) + random story times and craft videos.
• Archived Live Videos + themed activities for kids that go with each video.
• “ Virtual Voyage ” daily at 2pm on Facebook
• Videos bringing the Zoo to you on YouTube
• Downloadable Activities
• Augmented Reality Zoo Tour (via Zappar App)
• Live Webcams: Bears, Bats, and Tigers
• Updates on the Woodland Park Facebook page
• Live Grizzly Bear Cam
• Updates on Facebook @ZooMontana
• Learning Resources : Activities and Printables
• Facebook Live Q&As – Weekdays 11am ET @ZooAmerica

If you know a zoo with great virtual field trip content like live cams, videos, or activities that isn’t on this list, let us know to add it!

Aquarium Virtual Field Trips

Aquariums focus mainly on ocean life, though many have animals that live out of the water, but live in or near the water.

One Big Ocean Online Curriculum

“One Big Ocean” is an online curriculum from Ocean.org. They have three different programs customized for the level of school. These can be used by themselves, or paired with a real or virtual visit to any aquarium.

• One Big Ocean Elementary
• One Big Ocean Middle
• One Big Ocean Secondary

Online Ocean School

You can also learn about the various creatures and habitats of the Gulf of St. Lawrence at “ Ocean School “, with three weeks of lessons online and more being added.

National Aquarium (USA)

The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland has cameras placed in three exhibits: Blacktip Reef featuring blacktip sharks, rays, and colorful fish; “Jellies Invasion” which you can guess features jellyfish; and “Pacific Coral Reef”. You can also take a virtual tour of the National A quarium with 360 degree images.

Georgia Aquarium (USA)

The Georgia Aquarium is ranked as the best aquarium for families in the United States. We’ve been there, and it is AMAZING! And they have some great, high quality live feeds from their exhibits, too!

You can watch the Ocean Voyager cam where you can see sharks, rays, fish, sea turtles and even huge whale sharks! There’s also the Indo-Pacific Barrier Reef, Southern Sea Otters, Jelly Cam, California Sea Lions, African Penguins, Piranhas, and Beluga Whales.

And while they haven’t been going live, they have been posting videos to the Georgia Aquarium Facebook page .

Shedd Aquarium (USA)

You might have seen the video going around of the Shedd Aquarium’s penguins taking their very own personal tour of the aquarium’s exhibits. If you haven’t, you should check it out.

In addition to the one live stream we found on their site so far, the Shedd Aquarium also has a great series of videos just for kids called “Sea Curious”. They also have some really cool 360 degree videos of sharks!

The Aquarium of the Pacific (USA)

The Aquarium of the Pacific is located in Long Beach, California. They have several webcams that allow you to visit virtually. You can see penguins both above and below the water, a shark lagoon, sea jellies, a tropical reef, blue cavern, and colorful anthias and wrasse exhibit.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium (USA)

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium located on the Gulf Coast in Clearwater, Florida is home to Winter and Hope, the rescued dolphins whose stories were the basis for the movies “Dolphin Tale” and “Dolphin Tale 2”.

You can virtually visit Winter and Hope, along with Nicholas and PJ. The aquarium also has views of its otters, pelicans, and sea turtles.

The Clearwater Aquarium even has downloadable lessons in language, math, and science to go along with a real or even virtual visit to the aquarium. There is also an online Kid Zone with games, activities, and experiments.

California Academy of Sciences (USA)

As the name suggests, the California Academy of Sciences is not just an aquarium. The San Francisco facility is also a natural history museum with a rainforest exhibit and planetarium.

There are a few webcams that allow you to visit right from home. You can look in on penguins, stingrays, a coral reef, and even take control of a camera at the top of a lighthouse on the nearby Farallon Islands.

The site also has lesson plans and materials for kids from preschool through high school.

Tennessee Aquarium (USA)

Live webcams of the secret reef, penguin, and sea otter exhibits. And on their facebook page, they are live streaming Aquarium at Home sessions.

Vancouver Aquarium (Canada)

Canada’s Vancouver Aquarium is home to more than 50,000 animals and features 30 exhibits to explore. When you can’t visit in person, you can still drop in on the sea otters, jellyfish, and penguins via the webcams on their homepage.

Atlantic White Shark Conservancy

Facebook Lives weekdays at 10am @AtlanticWhiteShark . Resources on the website.

Farm Virtual Field Trips

While farms are different than zoos, they can be just as educational and rewarding in connecting us to nature, whether we visit in person or virtually.

Hen Cam (USA)

The Hen Cam comes from a backyard outside Boston, Massachussetts. The feed switches automatically between 3 cameras showing the hens outside and inside. You might also see goats and a bunny named Phoebe.

Peter’s Farm (Holland)

You can see a live stream of the cows, and maybe even some baby calves, at Peter’s Farm in Holland. The stream is only during operating hours, but there is also some YouTube footage for when it isn’t live.

Folly Farm (UK)

Folly Farm has a cute webcam that gives you a peek at its farm animals like sheep, goats and donkeys. The website also lists penguin, giraffe, and lion webcams from the zoo, but they were not working when we visited.

Farm Sanctuary (USA)

This sheep barn camera is at the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen , New York. They also have a recorded virtual tour of the farm showing you some of their other animals.

Goats Live (??)

Not sure where it is coming from, but this camera is pointed at some goats and streams 24 hours a day.

Farm Food 360 (Canada)

Farm Food 360 has virtual tours of all different kinds of farms. There are milk & cheese, dairy cow, sheep, pig, mink, grain, egg, and oat farms, feed mills, and an apple orchard.

Chatsworth Farm (Canada)

Chatsworth Farm is an over 2,000 acre family-run farm in Canada where they grow grain and legume crops, alfalfa, and raise beef cattle, sheep, turkeys, ducks, and chickens for eggs and meat. They have a few video tours on their webpage and they’ve also been live streaming recently on the Chatsworth Farm Facebook page .

Horse Shoe Farm (USA)

This camera pans back and forth showing the outdoor pens of the Horse Shoe farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina. The horses are not always outside, though.

Virtual Farm Field Trips on YouTube

We found a whole bunch of Farm tours and Q&As on YouTube. Here are links to those. Some are individual, but others are whole playlists with multiple videos.

• American Dairy Association Indiana (4 videos)
• Ohio Pig Farms (50+ videos, several very recent)
• Grow Next Gen (discusses various topics)
• Ohio Beef Council (18 videos)
• New York Beef Council (4 videos)
• American Dairy Association Northeast (12 videos)
• Pennsylvania Beef (no playlist, but at least 3 tours among their many videos)
• Milk Means More (4 tours to a Michigan Dairy farm)

Safari Virtual Field Trips

SafariLive (Africa)

Live Streamed safaris from the African wilderness. You never know what you are going to see, and your tours are guided by knowledgeable guides who sometimes answer questions from viewers.

SUNRISE SAFARI (Monday to Sunday)

• Central African Time (CAT): 06:00am – 09:00am
• East African Time (EAT): 07:00am – 10:00am
• Eastern Standard Time (EDT): 00:00pm – 03:00am

SUNSET SAFARI (Monday to Sunday)

• Central African Time (CAT): 15:30pm – 18:30pm
• East African Time (EAT): 16:30pm – 19:30pm
• Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT): 09:30am – 12:30pm

Cumbria Wildlife Trust (UK)

Over on the Cumbria Wildlife Trust webpage, you can drop in on webcams of a few different animals from across the United Kingdom. There is a camera pointed at the bird feeders at Plumgarths Wildlife Garden, Grey Seals at the South Walney Nature Preserve (archive footage when cam is not working), a Badger cam from Rydel, Ambleside, and an Osprey cam from Foulshaw Moss Nature Preserve (says cam will be available late March 2020).

Explore.org Webcams (Worldwide)

Explore.org has countless live streams from all over the world that you can choose from, including several locations already mentioned in this post. But our favorites are the ones you can view outside of a zoo, aquarium, or farm setting.

Some of these also have great audio, so you can make it full screen, turn up the volume, and have a window to the world. Great for background or meditation.

• Tembe Elephant Park (Africa)
• Honeybees going in and out of a hive
• Flying Foxes (bats)
• Hear Orcas (and occasionally see them) underwater
• Sea Lions hauled out onto rocks
• Polar Bear Cubs

Wolf Conservation Center

The Wolf Conservation Center in New York is dedicated to protecting and preserving wolves in North America. They have several live feeds of various species of wolves. And if you want to learn a little about wolves , you can do that, too.

Bald Eagle Cam (USA)

Despite being the national symbol of the United States, we don’t get to see Bald Eagles all that much. But with the camera set up at Duke Farms in New Jersey, we can look right into a Bald Eagle’s nest! They even have a scavenger hunt you can print out for the kids to watch the nest and see if they spot any of those things.

11 Best Zoo Animal Cams

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Looking for your next adventure, but don’t want to leave the house? 

Well, if you haven’t heard of zoo animal cams, you are in for a treat!

This article contains affiliate links to things that you might like.

Zoo Animal Cams

Animal cams allow you to take a trip to the zoo, ride through a safari, or even dive underwater with some of your favorite animals. 

Zoo animal cams are seriously the next big thing and whether you just want to relax and hang out with your favorite dolphin or turn it into an educational wildlife lesson, animal webcams are where it’s at. 

Check out what we think are 11 of the best zoo animal cams!

The Best Zoo Animal Cams for Kids

Hattiesburg zoo – hattiesburg, mississippi.

Housing a number of unique animals, the Hattiesburg Zoo began back in 1950. 

At that time, its most popular resident, Miss Hattie the Elephant, stole the hearts of visitors. 

Today, Chewy the Sloth and his family are charming the zoo’s guests. 

If you have the time (remember sloths are slow!) take a look at the Hattiesburg Zoo Sloth cam to see what Chewy is up to.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – Colorado Springs, Colorado

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is an awesome independent zoo that looks to educate all of its visitors through interactive experiences.  

Hand feed the animals, get up-close, and fall in love with the wildlife. 

We absolutely adore their Giraffe Cam because it allows viewers to watch the herd interact with each other, as well as, with zoo guests. 

Click this link to see Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Giraffe Cam or check it out below! 

Bronx Zoo – Bronx, New York

The Bronx Zoo gives a unique perspective into the natural world of wildlife right in the middle of a bustling city. 

With over 6,000 of nature’s wonderful creatures, the Bronx Zoo is the perfect place for animal lovers of all ages. 

What’s more amazing, is that if you can’t make it to the actual zoo, they have a wonderful selection of animal cams.  

From sea lions to lemurs, check out these hotspots at the Bronx zoo here .     

Taronga Zoo – Sydney, Australia

The animals of the Taronga Zoo love its visitors! 

With a beautiful harbor side setting, this zoo offers a chance for people to connect with the wildlife in their natural environment.   

While escaping to Australia might be a bit of a challenge these days, don’t worry! 

You can still visit by viewing Taronga TV, a 24/7 virtual live streaming video. 

Hang with the lions, elephants and tigers, or you can even chill out with an oryx or bilby. 

Tune in here:  https://taronga.org.au/taronga-tv#animallivecams

Smithsonian National Zoo – Washington, DC

The Smithsonian National Zoo is one of the oldest zoos around, and if that’s not cool enough, it is always free of charge to visit. 

A few of the most notorious animals reside here including the newly born Giant panda known as Xiao Qi Ji , exotic Sumatran tigers, gigantic Aldabra tortoises, and more! 

Taking you on an animal adventure, the Smithsonian National Zoo lets you discover nature through a number of awesome exhibits and unique events. 

Take a closer look at a few of the Smithsonian National Zoo’s residents on their animal cams !

Maryland Zoo – Baltimore, MD

The Maryland Zoo, also known as, the Baltimore Zoo, is one of the top spots to immerse yourself into the wild world of nature. 

With exhibits like Penguin Coast and the Polar Bear Watch, visitors are able to observe up-close how animals live in their own habitat. 

If want to get even more personal with some of the wildlife, the Maryland Zoo lets you dig deeper with their live cams and feed.

Watch the Maryland Zoo flamingos on the Flamingo cam !

Greenville Zoo – Greenville, South Carolina

The Greenville Zoo has so much to discover. 

Providing one-of-a-kind experiences for both young and old, exploring the diverse wildlife that the Greenville Zoo has to offer has never been better. 

From Secret Safari’s to the Adopt-an-Animal Program, connecting with the animals is fun and easy. 

Take a glimpse into a giraffe’s life with the Greenville Zoo Giraffe cam !

Woodland Park Zoo – Seattle, Washington

The Woodland Park Zoo is an award winning zoological garden where visitors can discover their love for animals in their natural habitats. 

Providing interactive play spaces for children, rooftop gardens, a tropical rainforest walk and so much more, the Woodland Park Zoo is an exceptional place to connect with the natural world.

Discover the tigers, bats, and grizzly bears of Woodland Park Zoo through their amazing animal webcams !

San Diego Zoo – San Diego, California

The San Diego Zoo is home to over 3,700 animals and 650 different species. 

What’s distinctive about this zoo, in particular, is its Skyfari. The Skyfari is a gondola lift that gives visitors an aerial view of the whole zoo! 

In addition, the San Diego Zoo has some of the coolest webcams to view from the comfort of your own home. 

Koalas, polar bears, elephants, pandas and more can all be seen online.

Visit the San Diego animals in action here on their animal cams ! 

Philadelphia Zoo – Philadelphia, PA

Offering a wide range of activities, guided tours, and exclusive experiences, the Philadelphia Zoo let’s you take a walk on the wild side to create a most memorable visit. 

Distinctive to the Philadelphia Zoo is ZOO360. 

Haven’t heard of it? 

Well, it’s an overhead mesh tunnel system that was built for the animals. 

This not only gives wildlife more places to go, but also gives them a most unique view of their human guests. 

Can’t get there to check it out? 

View their Philly Zoo at 2 Live Stream Series .

Or go straight to a visit with the penguins !

Melbourne Zoo – Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne Zoo is home to one of the most unique visitor experiences around, called the Roar and Snore. 

This is an interactive overnight guided tour that’s available for zoo guests to take part in. 

Melbourne zoo is great place to visit, but if that’s not an option, they will bring the zoo to you via their Animals at Home LIVE virtual tours and animal cams.

Meet the animals of the Melbourne Zoo including snow leopards, pigmy hippos, and more !

Zoo Animal Cams for Kids

We hope you’ve enjoyed these amazing live animal zoo webcams! 

While these are our favorite zoo cams to watch, there are many options to choose from. 

Do you have a favorite not on this list?  Feel free to share! 

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Virtual Field Trips to the Zoo: A Chance to Explore

When you think of common field trip destinations, zoos are probably at the top of your list, right alongside local history museums and art galleries. After all, zoo field trips are a great way for students to learn about the animal kingdom, get outside, and have fun. But zoo field trips can be inaccessible. Many students don’t live within easy driving distance of a zoo. What’s more, field trips to the zoo can be very expensive. Average zoo tickets cost between $8 and $13, a total that can add up quickly — and that’s not to mention the cost of buses or meals, or the difficulty of finding chaperones. All of those challenges can make alternative field trips appealing. Virtual field trips to the zoo are a great way to get the benefits of zoo field trips (and more) without the time, difficulty, or expense. 

In this article, we’ll explore those benefits and more. Specifically, we’ll answer the following questions:

What are virtual zoo field trips? 

• What are the benefits of virtual field trips to the zoo? 
• How can you make use of animal virtual field trips? 

The definition of a virtual zoo field trip might sound self-evident. But each of these terms — virtual, zoo, and field trip — deserves further exploration. There are many different kinds of virtual field trips to the zoo, ranging from immersive tours of real-life zoos to animal virtual field trips that focus on interacting closely with a specific animal.

What are virtual field trips?

Perhaps the most unfamiliar element of the term “virtual zoo field trip” is virtual . After all, virtual field trips are a relatively new phenomenon, and the potential uses of virtual reality (VR) in the classroom are vast and ever-expanding. 

Broadly speaking, virtual field trips describe experiences that meet the following criteria:

• Virtual field trips involve immersive experiences with augmented or virtual reality that take place in the digital world of the metaverse .
• Virtual field trips include some sort of educational experience for students of any age. 

That’s it! Beyond those two descriptors, virtual field trips can encompass a broad set of immersive programs. They can support classrooms of various ages, from virtual field trips for kindergarten to educational VR for high school students, and can cover a variety of topics, from social studies to science. 

Just take a look at these examples of real virtual field trips offered by Kai XR to get a sense of the possibilities of virtual field trips: 

• Students go on a free virtual field trip using a VR headset to tour the White House with Michelle and Barack Obama, learning about the branches of government, the job responsibilities of the president, and how the building has evolved with different presidents. Afterwards, they answer questions about what they learned on the tour.
• Students explore the life and career of Tiera, an aerospace engineer with NASA . They learn about her work designing Mars space missions, building their understanding of STEM-related career paths and learning about equity in scientific workplaces. 
• Students take a virtual field trip to the Malaysian Rainforest, where they meet with elderly residents and learn about modern problems with deforestation and palm oil agriculture. The virtual field trip gives them exposure to other cultures and other countries that they would otherwise be unable to visit. 

Virtual field trips to the zoo are a subcategory of all virtual field trips. Virtual field trips to the zoo are just what they sound like: immersive virtual experiences that teach students about zoos, bring them face to face with exotic animals, or teach them about endangered species. 

What are the benefits of virtual zoo field trips?

Virtual zoo field trips have many benefits, ranging from the educational to the social. Here are just a few of the possible reasons why educators might want to bring educational VR to their classrooms and zoo field trips:

• Virtual zoo field trips can create closer relationships with animals and support pro-environmental attitudes. 
• Virtual zoo field trips allow students to see animals they wouldn’t see at most zoos.
• Virtual zoo field trips can incorporate additional educational content and enhance students’ learning experiences.
• Virtual zoo field trips can be more accessible and cost-effective than alternatives — in fact, there are many free virtual zoo field trips.
• Virtual zoo field trips can serve as a complement to or preparation for in-person field trips to the zoo. 

Some of these benefits of virtual zoo field trips are shared with real life, in-person zoo field trips. Other benefits, like accessibility, are unique to virtual field trips to the zoo.

Virtual zoo field trips promote environmentalism

Given the ongoing threats of climate change and global warming, it’s essential that students — the leaders of the future — develop an understanding of why saving the planet is so important. With that in mind, both in-person and virtual zoo field trips can help students develop pro-environmental attitudes. 

One University of Stirling study of over 130 middle school students found that both “in-nature” and “virtual-nature” field trips can give students’ comparable educational experiences and “nurture student pro-environmentalism.” Connecting with nature helps students develop environmental values, building care and concern for the planet. In fact, the study indicates that spending time engaging with nature is the most significant factor that influences people to advocate for the environment. 

Other research from the University of Stirling in Scotland focused even more specifically on virtual zoo field trips. The researchers found that virtual field trips were useful for both adolescent students (ages 13 to 18) and adults, all of whom felt that VR experiences gave them more personal connections to zoo animals. 

Some animal virtual field trips go even further, teaching kids specifically about environmentalism and what they can do to help endangered species. For example, Kai XR offers virtual field trips about ocean pollution and wildlife protection . In our “The Ocean is Broken” experience, students use virtual reality to explore the ocean and learn about overfishing and human impacts on the environment. In the “Helping Wildlife” experience, students meet with scientists who work to preserve local wildlife. Both of these virtual field trips can easily be paired with discussion questions and additional learning activities to help students further build their environmental consciousness.

Virtual zoo field trips are more realistic

It might sound like an oxymoron to say that virtual zoo field trips can be more realistic than in-person ones. But virtual field trips allow you to get up close and personal with animals, seeing them in their natural environment. Whereas in-person zoo field trips always maintain a separation between student and animal, virtual zoo field trips allow students to interact closely with the animals in question, without the barrier of a cage or enclosure. 

The 2021 University of Stirling study also found that this is one of the main benefits of using educational VR in zoo contexts. Being able to interact so closely with animals is both more entertaining and more educational. Just listen to what some study participants had to say about their free virtual zoo field trip experience:

• “I thought it was very informative. It was very good to be able to look around and actually see them close up. I guess it seems more personal.”
• “You get a lot more information about them, I think it can make the visit more interesting.”
• “They look more natural in the video.”
• “You see more because it is more true to life than an enclosed environment here.”

Imagine not just seeing a lion in a cage, but being able to travel with and stand among a pride of lions in the savannah. Imagine not just watching a zebra at the zoo, but running with them during their annual migration. Imagine safely getting face to face with a grizzly bear or an elephant. These are the kinds of experiences that a virtual zoo field trip makes possible.

Virtual zoo field trips can go even further, enabling students to meet with animals that they couldn’t see at a zoo at all. Some animals simply cannot be kept in zoos — for example, deep-sea creatures or extinct animals. Virtual zoo field trips, by contrast, let students interact with creatures that humans never get to see in person. Kai XR offers virtual field trips to explore the Great Barrier Reef and meet the Giraffatitan Dinosaur — experiences you wouldn’t have at any zoo, no matter how close you could get to the animals. 

Virtual zoo field trips can go beyond in-person experiences, providing students with valuable entertainment and knowledge.

Virtual zoo field trips enhance learning experiences

In-person zoo field trips are usually lots of fun, but they aren’t always the most educational experiences. Classrooms are constrained by the resources the zoo has to offer, and it can be difficult to provide a curated experience targeted to specific educational goals and standards. Chaperones are often more focused on keeping track of classrooms than they are on providing an enriching educational experience. By contrast, virtual zoo field trips can focus more specifically on certain learning standards, encouraging content knowledge in addition to student enjoyment. 

One study of 211 eighth grade students investigated how virtual and in-person field trips help students learn about biology and ecology. During both the in-person and virtual trips, students explored a local trial and conducted fieldwork. The researchers found that the in-person and virtual version had only “minute differences” in student knowledge acquisition, and that both experiences helped students develop skills for future assessments. They noted that virtual experiences allowed students to focus on developing specific skills relevant to the instructional content, with fewer distracting elements.

While virtual zoo field trips might have the most obvious relevance for science classes, they can also help students learn about other content areas. For example, a recent study investigated the use of a virtual zoo field trip to promote Chinese language learning. The researchers leveraged students’ love of animals to teach vocabulary and pronunciation, using the medium of a virtual zoo field trip to motivate language development. The results showed that the free zoo virtual field trip had a significant impact on the students’ language performance, highlighting the broad applicability of these virtual field trips. 

Virtual zoo field trips are more accessible

From both a physical and economic standpoint, virtual zoo field trips tend to be more accessible than in-person alternatives. One of the major benefits of virtual field trips is that they can be accessible to all kinds of students who might not be able to go on an in-person animal field trip, including:

• Students with mobility restrictions
• Students with severe allergies
• Immunocompromised students
• Students in remote learning settings
• Students with other special needs

This is especially true of virtual zoo field trips. Trips to the zoo, while fun, can be inaccessible for a variety of reasons: maybe your school isn’t located anywhere near a zoo, or maybe the local zoo is too expensive, or maybe the zoo is an overly stimulating or otherwise physically inaccessible environment. Zoo trips can also be very expensive, especially for whole classrooms: one researcher estimated that an in-person zoo field trip could cost upwards of $600 for a classroom of 25 students, not counting the lost instructional value due to long transit times and bus trips. By contrast, there are many free zoo virtual field trips. Even paid virtual field trips to the zoo tend to be much cheaper than the in-person alternative because of travel costs. 

Virtual zoo field trips are also much less of a logistical hassle: because they can occur in the classroom and during the course of a normal school day, educators don’t have to deal with the stress of finding a time that works for everyone, taking students out of other classes, obtaining transportation, finding chaperones, and all the other tasks that usually make in-person field trips so complicated.

Virtual field trips to the zoo can complement in-person zoo field trips

In-person and virtual options don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Rather, virtual zoo field trips can serve as preparation for or a complement to an in-person learning component. In fact, the existing literature explains that in order to maximize the benefits of in-person field trips, students should be adequately prepared beforehand and should receive relevant additional instruction that reinforces their knowledge after the field trip. 

Virtual zoo field trips can form part of the preparation and after-the-fact learning enhancement for field trips to in-person zoos. Students may appreciate their visit to a lion or zoo enclosure more if they’ve learned something about lions or flamingos beforehand. Understanding these animals’ natural habitats, eating habits, group structures, and more can keep students more invested in the learning experience, and can transform a field trip from a fun day at the zoo to a deeply enriching and rewarding visit.  

Virtual Zoo Field Trip Case Studies

Clearly, virtual field trips at the zoo can be enjoyable and educational experiences for students. So how do you get started with animal virtual field trips? 

Thankfully, there are already dozens of options to explore when it comes to virtual zoo field trips. Kai XR offers many animal-centric virtual field trips that are accessible from most kinds of wireless devices, like tablets, laptops, smartphones, and VR headsets. These virtual field trips are appropriate for kids of all ages, and can serve as a great way to bring VR into the classroom . 

To name just a few of the many options:

• Students can go on a virtual field trip with a professional biologist to learn about rhinos and how they are facing extinction. 
• Students can travel with African penguins to explore this endangered species in their native environment.
• Students can dive underwater and snorkel through the Great Barrier Reef , identifying underwater species. 
• Students can discover the disappearing oases of the Sahara desert and listen to people’s experiences with desertification and climate change.
• Students can relax with some pink flamingos at the San Diego Zoo while exploring the fields of health and science.
• Students can have a playful experience at the Puppy Bowl and get a sense of what the world looks like from a puppy’s perspective.
• Students can get a close look at a pack of wolves and how they interact with each other when they’re in their natural environment. 
• Students can tour Valeen’s Reef alongside a father and son who are working to protect the delicate ecosystem. 
• Students can safely spend time swimming with a hammerhead shark while wearing their VR headsets.

All of these virtual field trips with animals and more are easily accessible on Kai XR’s website. Many of them come with viewing guides and discussion questions to enhance the learning experience. 

So what are you waiting for? Start exploring virtual zoo field trips today! And if you want to learn more, consider checking out these other articles: 

• Breaking Educational Barriers with the VR Classroom
• Learn Through Exploration with Virtual Field Trips for Kindergarten
• VR In School : A Comprehensive Guide to a Safe School Curriculum
• The Educator-Friendly Guide to Metaverse Games ‍
• How to Find the Best VR Games for Kids

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We are excited to announce our new Virtual Field Trip! We have 2 exciting options available.

1. DOWNLOADABLE SELF-GUIDED VIRTUAL TOUR

We will continue to offer our downloadable Virtual Tour in Powerpoint format. The content has recently been updated with new information and graphics. Please click here to download the self-guided Virtual Tour.

2. LIVE VIRTUAL TOURS 

We have a brand NEW live, interactive Virtual Tour hosted by the same entertaining tour guides who host our live guided in person tours.

The Constitutional Walking Tour's Virtual Field Trip is a great way to experience Historic Philadelphia. In light of what educational institutions are doing around the world, The Constitutional has developed updated distance learning Virtual Tours hosted by the same entertaining tour guides who host our live guided in-person tours.

The Constitutional's live guided Virtual Tours are part of our contingency plans to provide unique educational experiences, even if in-person outdoor walking tours of Historic Philadelphia may be interrupted due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Similar to how many schools are offering virtual instruction, we are offering Virtual Field Trip instruction, tours and activities in order to ensure learning continuity and complement educators' efforts to do the same.

Using the Zoom platform, The Constitutional can provide Virtual Tours to students learning together in a classroom or assembly room, or to students individually joining an online tour meeting at the same from their homes, but participating as a group. To download and preview what the Virtual Tour looks like, click here .

If you are a customer who had a field trip planned for the Fall 2020 season, please contact us to arrange a live Virtual Tour. New customers, please contact us at 215.525.1776 or [email protected] for pricing.

Synchronous Learning

Synchronous learning means that The Constitutional's tour guide, along with the school's teacher(s) and students will be experiencing Historic Philadelphia together at the same time. Synchronous learning enables students to ask questions and receive answers straight away. Learners can also collaborate freely with other learners. Synchronous connections provide good time for faculty and students to review material, introduce new work, ensure they are on the same page and build connections.

Keeping the Lights On

While we recognize that The Constitutional's Virtual Tour is not the same as being there in person, it is at least something we can offer this year as far as distance learning that is comparable to many other distance learning programs that schools and colleges have recently started offering. Additionally, by offering the Virtual Tours hosted by live tour guides, we are able to provide some work to our staff to offset the unplanned downtime.

Leslie Bari Group Sales 215.525.1776, x 101 [email protected]

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40 Amazing Educational Virtual Field Trips

No permission slips needed.

Virtual field trips are a game changer. Not only do they fill in for real field trips when budgets and other roadblocks prevent in-person options, but virtual field trips also open doors to educational experiences all over the country and the world, both past and present. No fundraising or permission slips required!

(Note: For anyone who needs it, YouTube offers a closed-captioning option. Just click the CC button in the bottom right-hand corner.)

1. Amazon Career Tours

Amazon Career Tours are free virtual field trips that inspire students to pursue careers of the future. Tour whenever, wherever on Kahoot! Each tour comes with a Teacher Toolkit that includes a facilitation guide and student worksheets.

• (New!) Amazon Music: Careers Behind the Beats : From studio to streaming, check out how computer science and amazing professionals make listening to your favorite songs possible.
• Amazon Fulfillment Center Tour : Explore how packages get delivered at lightning speed and how computer science, engineering, and real people work together to make the magic happen. 
• Data Center Tour 1: Uncovering Cloud Computing : Do students know what “the cloud” actually is? Find out how we went from renting movies at the store to streaming them from anywhere at any time.
• Data Center Tour 2: Keeping Data Safe and Sustainable : Discover the infrastructure that keeps your information safe and sustainable while diving into data careers of the future.
• Space Innovation Tour : Students will learn about the amazing technology on board the Orion spacecraft in NASA’s Artemis I flight test and hear from the engineers who made it all possible.

There are so many amazing online options when it comes to zoos that we couldn’t narrow it down to just one. Most zoos have live webcams in some of their most popular exhibits, such as the KC Zoo Polar Bear Cam and the Giant Panda Cam at Smithsonian’s National Zoo . However, some zoos offer a more in-depth look. You’ll definitely want to check out the San Diego Zoo as their site for kids includes behind-the-scenes videos and stories, as well as a variety of printable activities and online games. Check out our full list of virtual zoo goodness.

3. The Aquarium

It’s a similar story with aquariums. You have your pick of live webcams, but our favorites are the Georgia Aquarium’s Ocean Voyager webcam (wait for the whale shark!) and the “Jelly Cam” at Monterey Bay Aquarium (so soothing). The Seattle Aquarium even has a 30-minute video tour . Want more under-the-sea fun? Here’s our ultimate list of virtual aquarium field trips.

4. The Farm

The classic preschool field trip goes online! You can have your pick of dairy farm field trips, but we like this one from the Dairy Alliance  and this one from Stonyfield Organic . Farm Food 360 gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in Canadian farm and food tours—from raising pigs to making milk and cheese. We’re also loving these virtual egg farm field trips from the American Egg Board.

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5. An Art Museum

We found 20 art museums with virtual tours , including the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s # MetKids and its awesome Where’s Waldo? setup. And you can’t miss the world-famous Louvre in Paris (no passport needed!). Check out the current virtual tours: Traveling Materials and Objects, the Advent of the Artist, the Body in Movement, and Founding Myths: From Hercules to Darth Vader!

6. A National Park

From webcams at Hawaii volcanoes to a virtual run along the rim of the Grand Canyon , you have tons of options here. Our top pick would have to be Yellowstone. The interactive maps are a great way to see the Mammoth Hot Springs and Mud Volcano, but we think kids will be psyched about the Old Faithful Geyser livestream and the opportunity to make their own predictions for its next eruption . Check out everything the National Park Service has to offer virtually.

7. A Planetarium

Through Stellarium Web , kids can explore over 60,000 stars, locate planets, and watch sunrises and solar eclipses. If you enter your location, you can see all the constellations that are visible in the night sky in your corner of the world.

8. A Recycling Center

Take your students on a virtual field trip of a recycling center and a modern landfill . Plus, there’s a full-on curriculum that includes lesson plans, take-home handouts, and more.

9. Slime in Space

Nickelodeon teamed up with two astronauts on the International Space Station to demonstrate how slime reacts to microgravity and had kids reproduce those same demonstrations back here on Earth. It makes for an amazing 15-minute virtual field trip .

10. Nature Lab

The Nature Conservancy has a brand-new virtual field trip entitled “You’re the Scientist! Citizen Science, Frogs & Cicadas.” Check out their full library of videos on topics like climate change and water security.

11. Discovery Education

Discovery Education hosts a variety of virtual events —each with a companion guide with hands-on learning activities. Current offerings include “Making a New Life: The Courage of a Refugee” and “The Future Is Now” (architectural and engineering innovations). Stay tuned for their upcoming civics virtual field trip, “The American Ideal.”

12. The Great Lakes

This virtual field trip from Great Lakes Now has three components: coastal wetlands, algae, and lake sturgeon. Each video is a quick five minutes long.

13. The Strong National Museum of Play

Explore online exhibits and discover the history and evolution of play. Check out board games that changed play, sports video games that shaped digital play, and the making of Monopoly to name a few.

14. U.S. Census Bureau

Kids can learn about the most recent Census and how census data is collected and used. This virtual field trip also features interviews with subject matter experts and an interactive challenge.

15. National Constitution Center

The “Museum of We the People,” the Constitution Center serves as a “headquarters for civic education.” Check out the Interactive Constitution section , and be sure to watch the virtual tour .

16. The Johnson Space Center

Houston, we have a virtual field trip. Three, actually. All with companion educator guides. The star of the show is the behind-the-scenes tour of the Johnson Space Center .

17. Birthplace of Music

Boise State put together this fully interactive virtual field trip with text, photos, audio, and video about the history of music. The four featured music locations are: Vienna, Austria; New Orleans, Louisiana; Cleveland, Ohio; and Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia.

18. Colonial Williamsburg

This living-history museum provides a look into life in an early American community. The website offers five different webcams featuring areas such as the tavern and the armory.

19. Mount Vernon

This virtual experience of George Washington’s home is incredibly well done. Enter the different buildings—from the opulent mansion to the chilling slave quarters—and click on different items for video and text explanations.

20. Mount Rushmore

This virtual tour comes with a real tour guide! Blaine Kortemeyer is the Assistant Chief of Interpretation and Education, who lends his expertise on the building of this national monument. The 3D Explorer is also an excellent tool.

21. The Manhattan Project

Take a visit to the National WWII Museum for “a cross-country virtual expedition to discover the science, sites, and stories of the creation of the atomic bomb.” Don’t forget to download the classroom guide!

22. The White House

For a look inside the iconic building, check out the 360° tour of some of the most historic rooms of the People’s House, from the Situation Room to the Oval Office. Examine each room and check out the contents up close.

23. The Smithsonian

The National Museum of Natural History’s virtual experiences are self-guided, room-by-room tours of permanent, current, and past exhibits. Be sure to send kids to the second floor Bone Hall so they can take a look at all different kinds of skeletons.

24. Google Arts & Culture

A collaboration with over 1,200 leading museums and archives, Google Arts & Culture is an incredible storehouse of monumental works of art. We recommend the Street View and Play sections.

25. 360 Cities

Boasting the world’s largest collection of 360° image videos, 360 Cities provides kids with the opportunity to see stunning panoramas across the globe, including their video of the ice floe on the Vistula River in Poland.

26. Buckingham Palace

It’s the official residence of the Queen of England, and boy, is it opulent! Get a peek inside the gorgeous Grand Staircase, White Drawing Room, Throne Room, and Blue Drawing Room.

27. The Great Wall of China

See one of the wonders of the world with this amazing, thousands-year-old fortification system known the world over. This virtual tour has four scenes available (you have to pay to get access to all 14). The bird’s-eye view of Mutianyu pass is a highlight.

28. Easter Island

Most of us recognize the giant stone statues of Easter Island, but what’s the story behind them? Nova’s online adventure “Secrets of Easter Island” delves into the mystery with a virtual tour.

29. Son Doong Cave

National Geographic lets you explore the world’s largest cave, located in Vietnam. Use the interactive map to enjoy the fully immersive experience (sound on!).

30. Ancient Egypt

You don’t need a time machine! Discovering Ancient Egypt has a ton of free resources, but it’s the interactive pyramid map and 3D temple reconstructions that really give it a field trip feel.

31. Back Through Time

Virtually visit Turn Back the Clock , a museum exhibit that ran for two years at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. Through compelling personal stories, innovative interactive media, and pop culture artifacts, the exhibit takes guests through seven decades of history—from the dawn of the nuclear age to significant policy questions our leaders face today.

No, really! You can absolutely “go” to the red planet. With Access Mars , you can see the actual surface of Mars, recorded by NASA’s Curiosity rover. Trust us—don’t skip the intro. And if your kids liked that, check out this 4K tour of the moon . These may go down in history as some of the best virtual field trips your students get to experience.

33. The Battleship New Jersey

Take a virtual tour of this historical battleship located on the Camden waterfront. This battleship has traveled more miles than any other!

34. The Vatican

No need to travel to Rome! Take in the amazing art and architecture located in the Vatican Museums with these 360-degree views.

35. Space Center Houston

Download the app and climb aboard the virtual tram line! Take a virtual walk through the Space Center Houston with informational stops along the way.

36. The Louvre

Virtually visit museum rooms in the famous Louvre located in Paris. Even check out The Louvre kids’ site for student-friendly galleries and stories. You can’t visit The Louvre without seeing the Mona Lisa , so check out their immersive Mona Lisa experience available in the app store.

37. Ellis Island

This interactive tour of Ellis Island lets students explore places like the Baggage Room and the Stairs of Separation through short stories, historical photographs, videos, and audio clips. Students can also hear the stories of real kids who recently immigrated to the United States, explore colorful charts and graphs with immigration data, and watch a 30-minute movie that includes a Q&A with National Park Service Rangers who explain what coming to America was like for many immigrants.

38. Plimoth Patuxet Museums

Travel back to the 17th century with options for free, on-demand, digital resources or a live, 1-hour virtual school program led by a Plimoth Patuxet Contemporary Indigenous Museum Educator. Students explore Wampanoag daily life and history; discover the real history of Thanksgiving and the legend behind it; meet a 17th-century Pilgrim; get an interactive sneak peak into 17th-century wardrobes; and learn about simple machines and water power at the Plimoth Grist Mill. There are also options for virtual hands-on history workshops, including Wampanoag Pottery and Write Like a Pilgrim.

39. Children’s Museum Houston

When you can’t visit the museum in person, 3D virtual field trips to the Children’s Museum Houston are the next best thing. All videos are produced and curated by museum educators and feature hands-on activities that can be done in the classroom. Topics include nutrition, math, states of matter, forces and properties of water, and more.

40. Museum of the American Revolution

Beyond the Battle Field is a virtual field trip for grades 2-8 hosted by Lauren Tarshis, author of the I Survived historical-fiction series for kids. Students will meet a museum educator as well as the museum curator, and explore artifacts and documents from the American Revolution. Plus they’ll hear the stories of teens who served during the war. There’s also a Classroom Kit available with a vocabulary list and discussion questions by grade level.

If you liked this roundup of the best virtual field trips and want more resources like this, be sure to  subscribe to our newsletters.

Plus, check out the best field trip ideas for every age and interest (virtual options too) ..

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15 Fun Virtual Zoo Field Trip Options

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Fun field trips to the zoo are awesome, but sometimes it just isn’t possible to go. That is okay though!  As long as you have access to the internet, you can take your kids on a virtual zoo field trip at any time. 

Maybe the zoo you want to visit is too far away. Or maybe one of your kids is sick.  Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate. Perhaps zoo admission tickets are just not in your budget right now. 

Whatever the reason, a virtual zoo tour for kids can be a great alternative to a traditional field trip.

A virtual field trip has lots of advantages:

• It is free – some zoos offer a virtual field trip rate, but every zoo listed here offers free online options
• You can visit multiple zoos in one day, regardless of location
• See just the animals you are interested in
• No need to pack a bag full of snacks, bottled water, and sunscreen
• You can ‘visit’ every day
• You are not limited to zoos just in your area
• It is quicker – there is no traveling, walking around, or time spent dealing with crowds
• See wild animals from the comfort of your own home

Taking a virtual zoo field trip can be a great motivator for kids.  I admit that sometimes I offer this ‘reward’ for finishing schoolwork. They finish their lesson and then go on a virtual zoo field trip to visit their favorite animals.

Virtual zoo field trips can include webcams, live cameras, and live streams on their Facebook page.

Take a Virtual Zoo Field Trip

I listed the animals that are featured on webcams at each zoo because, if your kids are anything like mine, they want to see a specific animal. It is also handy for times when kids love different zoo animals.

Updated 9/23

1. Smithsonian National Zoo

(Planning an in-person visit to the National Zoo?  We went all the time when we lived in Northern VA!  Check out my post full of tips to make the most of the National Zoo .)

Check out these animals on the National Zoo webcam:

• Naked Mole Rats
• Cheetah cub
• Giant Pandas

The zoo offers printable zoo webcam bingo cards to encourage kids to watch the wild animals for a while.

2. Greenville Zoo

3. milwaukee county zoo.

• Humbolt Penguins
• Lake Wisconsin

4. Chattanooga Zoo

• Snow leopard

5. Houston Zoo

• Giraffe (This is my favorite live zoom cam for giraffes!)
• Elephant (most visible between 10:30am and 3:00pm CDT)
• Leafcutter Ant
• Giant River Otter

6. San Diego Zoo

• Panda (the pandas have recently returned to China, however, there is a prerecorded video available)
• African Penguins
• Burrowing Owl

Related Post: Great And Tango Makes Three Penguin Book Activities

7. Oakland Zoo

• Grizzly Bear
• Mountain Lion

The Oakland Zoo offers a variety of free lesson plans for multiple grade levels.

8. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

9. kansas city zoo.

• Bornean Orangutan (currently on the critically endangered species list )

10. Woodland Park Zoo

(We visited the Woodland Park Zoo when we lived in Washington.  Don’t let the small number of webcams fool you.  It is a huge zoo!  Check out my tips for a successful visit to the Woodland Park Zoo if you live in the Seattle area.)

• Grizzly Bears

Woodland Park Zoo offers downloadable educator resources to help students of all ages learn about these amazing animals.

11. Alaska Zoo

An educational polar bear activity packet is available to download.

12. Detroit Zoo

• Snow Monkeys

13. Zoo Atlanta

14. bronx zoo.

The Bronx Zoo offers a few great digital resources. My favorite are the Quests. Kids click an interactive map to learn about a region of the world and the animals who live there.

15. Edinburgh Zoo

Many zoos also offer virtual programs for small groups hosted by zoo educators, but they can come with a steep price. I suggest taking advantage of all the free educational resources first. Find all of the activity ideas by visiting the education department section of the web page.

If you decide to book an official program, get together with a few other families to make the expense more reasonable.

Do you know of any other zoos with webcams?  Leave it in the comments and I will add it to the list so more families can enjoy the animals.

Visit a zoo today!

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Welcome! My name is Jennifer. I am a teacher at heart. Before my children were born I was a public school teacher. Now, I am a homeschooling mom of two.

As i was looking though the zoos i was thinking i have never heard or seen them and i thought ” those are so cool” and i just really was paying attention to the animals and i saw a few that i new,And i thought is was cool and interesting to find more zoos to go and explore.

I like the San Diego because they have some animals I like!Like: Panda, Kola Bear, Penguins & Tigers! Maybe in Woodland Park Zoo should have more animals because it only has 3 types of animals and you could put more like the San Diego Zoo!But I really like this site.

Thank you. This is an excellent resource. I can have my students visit the zoo as part of their remote learning experience.

I am glad it helped 🙂

the cats are so cute

but of corse they can be deadly

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April 26, 2024

Philadelphia Zoo's Summer Ale Festival returns in July to support animal conservation

The fundraiser brings out craft breweries, food trucks and musicians for an adults-only evening..

The Philadelphia Zoo will hold this year's Summer Ale Festival on Saturday, July 20. Dozens of breweries will be joined by food trucks, live music and DJs.

Animal lovers can support the Philadelphia Zoo's conservation efforts by sipping beer at this year's Summer Ale Festival, which brings together several dozen breweries for a night of wildlife appreciation on July 20.

Summer Ale Festival gives adults the chance to sample a mix of craft beers, ciders, seltzers and hard iced-teas as they admire big cats, apes and other animals. Food trucks are stationed at the zoo for the event, which runs from 7-10 p.m.

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This year's lineup of breweries includes familiar brands like Tired Hands Brewing Co., Dock Street Brewing Evil Genius Beer Co. Chestnut Hill Brewing Co. and Wissahickon Brewing Co. Nascent beer makers like Bucks County's Bitchin' Kitten Brewery and out-of-towners, like Connecticut's sustainability-focused Two Roads Brewing Co., are part of the beer lineup, too.

Food trucks include Calle Del Sabor, Bacon on.a Stick, Grubaholics, Deke's BBQ and Bonjour Creperie.

Live bands and local DJs will perform at stations throughout the zoo. The evening event draws a lighter crowd than a typical afternoon at the zoo, making it easier to get close views of the animals.

In addition to supporting the zoo's global conservation work, proceeds from Summer Ale Festival help fund care for the zoo's animals and community programs.

The event is only open to people who are 21 and older. The event is rain or shine. Tickets only can be purchased through the zoo's  website . 

General admission tickets cost $75. Taps close 30 minutes before the end of the event. Early admission tickets cost $90 to enter the festival at 6 p.m. All tickets come with complimentary parking and free shuttle service from 30th Street Station. For a limited time, the zoo is selling $60 general admission tickets and $75 early-access tickets. All zoo members receive a $10 discount.

Summer Ale Fest

Saturday, July 20 7-10 p.m. | $60-$90 Philadelphia Zoo 3400 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia

Michael Tanenbaum PhillyVoice Staff

[email protected]

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Do chaperones and/or teachers receive free admission, how much is bus parking and where is it located, are we allowed to bring lunches do we need to reserve a time for lunch, are masks required, are guided tours available, are there any unavailable calendar dates, can we purchase tickets at the box office, how do i reschedule, where do we go when we arrive, what if i need first aid or have a lost child, where should i meet my group at the end of the day.

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