Henry Doorly Zoo is often called ‘world-class,’ but it takes constant updating to stay among the elite
King of the region?
How Henry Doorly compares with nearby zoos
Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
Size: 130 acres
Species: 535
Attendance (2015): 1.68 million
Membership (total memberships in 2015): 76,319
Marquee exhibits: Lied Jungle, Scott Aquarium, Desert Dome, Kingdoms of the Night, Hubbard Gorilla Valley and Orangutan Forest, Cat Complex, Expedition Madagascar, African Grasslands
Newest major exhibit: African Grasslands, a 28-acre, $73 million savanna with some species intermingling; marquee animals include elephants, giraffes and lions
Summer adult admission: $18.95
Single adult annual membership: $69
Lincoln Children’s Zoo
Size: 7 acres
Species: 100+
Attendance (2015): 218,000
Membership (households in 2015): 8,200
Marquee exhibits: Animal Kingdom (pygmy marmosets, bats, tree kangaroo, bush babies, golden lion tamarins), The Hive (flying squirrels, alligator, lizards, bees), Butterfly Pavilion
Newest major exhibit: Tortoise Trek, with four species of tortoises including endangered Galapagos tortoises, plus three species of macaw; one of the few barrier-free tortoise habitats in the country
Summer adult admission: $9.75
Single adult annual membership: $79
Blank Park Zoo (Des Moines)
Size: 30 acres
Species: 195
Attendance (2015): 470,000
Membership (households in 2015): 10,000
Marquee exhibits: Australia Adventure, Hub Harbor seal/sea lion pool, Myron & Jackie Blank Discovery Center (red pandas, bird conservatory and 15,000-gallon saltwater aquarium)
Newest major exhibit: Jamma Kwa Africa, a 3-acre, $4 million exhibit with rhinos, giraffes, ostriches, addax and more
Summer adult admission: $13
Single adult annual membership: $69
Great Plains Zoo (Sioux Falls, South dakota)
Size: 45 acres
Species: 160
Attendance (2015): 316,000
Membership (households in 2015): 6,000
Marquee exhibits: Snow Monkeys, Rare Rhinos of Africa, Face-to-Face Farm, Asian Cats, Delbridge Museum of Natural History (included with admission)
Newest major exhibit: Renovation of the zoo’s brown bear habitat, to be completed by 2018
Summer adult admission: $11
Single adult annual membership: $47.50
Kansas City Zoo
Size: 202 acres
Species: 500+
Attendance (2015): 911,336
Membership (households in 2015): 27,579
Marquee exhibits: Helzberg Penguin Plaza, Polar Bear Passage, Orangutan Canopy, Tropics, Sea Lion Splash
Newest major exhibit: Koala Flats
Summer adult admission: $14.50 ($7 for residents of Clay and Jackson Counties)
Single adult annual membership: $64 (adult plus one)
Riverside Discovery Center (Scottsbluff)
Size: 23 acres
Species: 67
Attendance (2015): 37,500
Membership (households in 2015): 500
Marquee exhibits: chimpanzees (recently renovated), Amur tiger (recently renovated), heritage barn (native and exotic farm animals)
Newest major exhibit: Dino Dig (2015, $56,000)
Summer adult admission: $6.50
Single adult annual membership: $70
How the Omaha zoo stacks up
The Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium just opened its largest and most expensive project. Zoo CEO Dennis Pate said he considers the San Diego Zoo, the St. Louis Zoo and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium some of his zoo’s peers. Here’s how Omaha compares.
Trip Advisor “Travelers’ Choice” U.S. Ranking (2015)
Note: Compiled via customer satisfaction reviews
1. San Diego Zoo
2. Henry Doorly Zoo
3. St. Louis Zoo
11. Columbus Zoo
Size (in acres)
Columbus: 143
Omaha: 130
San Diego: 100
St. Louis: 93
Species
San Diego: 800
St. Louis: 603
Columbus: 600
Omaha: 535
Attendance (2015)
St. Louis: 3.25 million
San Diego: 3.2 million
Columbus: 2.2 million
Omaha: 1.68 million
Members (households in 2015)
San Diego: 250,000
Columbus: 80,000
Omaha: 76,319*
St. Louis: 50,000
* — (total memberships, not households)
Admission (summer)
St. Louis: free
Omaha: $18.95
Columbus: $19.99
San Diego: $50
Parking Spaces/Cost
Columbus: 6,000/$10
Omaha: 3,000/free
St. Louis: 2,116/$15
San Diego: 0 (free neighborhood parking)