The Philadelphia Zoo is the nation's oldest. It tends to be well-known for its great ape exhibits.
I remember loving the Philly Zoo when I was a kid, except we always went with camp on the hottest days of the summer. Since then, my family and I have been to many zoos around the country, and even one internationally. I now find that the Philly Zoo suffers from some of the same problems as other older zoos: the exhibits are still predominated by the older cage style.
Newer zoos were designed to showcase the animals in more natural habitats, sometimes including several species in the same area. Also, zoos such as the Cleveland Metropark Zoo, ensure the animals can be seen at all times throughout the year. The Philly Zoo, as experienced by several members of my family, is severely lacking in this area. Additionally, the zoo recently shipped their elephants to other locations due to lack of funds for improving their exhibit. Unfortunately, this is not being seen as a temporary change. And as my daughter states since she was very young, it's not a zoo without elephants.
That's not to say that everything about this zoo is bad. Several exhibits have been revamped to showcase the animals in more natural environments. The great ape house, which had to be rebuilt due to a fire, is centrally located and a relaxing place to spend some time in the middle of your visit. Likewise for the big cat exhibit, but there are fewer places to sit.
Unfortunately, of all the zoos I have visited, the Philadelphia Zoo isn't near the top of my list. Amazingly enough, the top zoo on my list is Cleveland's, followed closely by the National Zoo in Washington DC. If Philly continues to modernize and naturalize the exhibits, as well as becomes more winter-friendly, my opinion of it may increase.
10 words or less: Disappointing compared to many others.
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