Published: August 29, 2008 08:27 pm            

Zoos and museums keep families entertained and educated

By KANDACE MCCOY

kandace.mccoy@register-news.com

For families with cost savings in mind, day and weekend trips are not limited to outdoor activities such as hunting, swimming or camping. Zoos and museums can provide families with a wealth of entertainment and education as well.

West of Mt. Vernon in St. Louis, there are not only a number of museums and science centers, but also the city’s zoo. In the early 1900s, there was a drive in the city to establish a zoological park.

The St. Louis Zoological Society was formed in 1910 and three years later the City of St. Louis set aside 77 acres in Forest Park for a zoo, naming a Zoological Board of Control. Following the formation of that board, state legislation provided that “the zoo shall be forever free,” according to the St. Louis Zoo’s Web site, and to this day admission to the park is free, with exceptions for some attractions.

Some of the Zoo Zones within the park includes River’s Edge, an exhibit of elephants, cheetahs and hyenas among others; The Wild, an exhibit which features polar icecaps to tropical rain forests, penguins, bears and great apes; Discovery Corner, an exhibit of pet-friendly bunnies and goats and visitors can follow a butterfly’s flight as well as check out amphibians; Historic Hill, a stroll the 1920s architecture with primates, birds and reptiles in modern habitats; Red Rocks, an exhibit of lions, tigers and other big cats who keep an eye on zebras, giraffes and antelope; and Lakeside Crossing, an area of souvenirs and refreshments.

The 90 acre zoo, which sits amid the 1,293 acres of Forest Park in St. Louis, is open every day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day in the summer, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the remainder of the year, except for Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Admission to the St. Louis Zoo is free, with the exception of the following attractions: Dinoroarus, Children’s Zoo, Conservation Carousel, Zooline Railroad, Motion Simulator, 3-D Movie and Sea Lion Show.

Families can opt to purchase a Safari Pass, a one-day $10 per person pass which includes admission to the Children's Zoo, Zooline Railroad, Sea Lion Show (while in season), Conservation Carousel, Motion Simulator and 3-D Movie.

Parking is available on the zoo’s North Lot on Government Drive and South Lot on Wells Drive and cost $10 per vehicle. More information about the St. Louis Zoo can be found at www.stlzoo.org or by calling (314) 781-0900.

In Evansville, just a two hour drive east of Mt. Vernon, the Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden is home to over 700 animals and thousands of exotic botanic species. According to the zoo’s Web site, admission fees are $8.50 per adult, $7.50 for children and children 2 years of age and under are free. Rates are discounted in the off season months of November through February.

The Mesker Park Zoo first opened in 1928 and is situated on 50 acres on Evansville’s north-west side and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the park’s Amazonia attraction area, visitors see numerous varieties of rainforest species which range from those found high in the canopy to the forest floor.

Tropical trees and palms scale as high as 45 feet tall, creating a tropical setting for monkeys and birds. And as visitors learn more about the rain forest and its inhabits, a jaguar just may be lurking.

More information about Mesker Zoo and Botanic Garden can be found at www.meskerparkzoo.com or by calling (812) 435-6143.

From the family who founded Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari comes the Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville, a project which began through the Junior League of Evansville as the Hands On Discovery. For over 14 years, Hands On Discovery provided a “hand-made, home-made” laboratory for children throughout the area.

However, a large number of groups and school groups were seeking field trips to the Hands On Discovery, and many had to be turned away due to lack of space. The museum eventually found a new home downtown in the old Central Library building.

Following a closure of nearly two years for renovations, the museum was reopened in 2006 and named the Louis J. Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville.

For information about the museum you may call (812) 464-cMoe (2663).

Locally, the Cedarhurst Museum and Center for the Arts provides families with a majority of exhibits and classes. Situated on a a 90-acre site here in the King City, Cedarhurst celebrates the arts year-round with visual and performing arts programs for the public.

Visitors can explore rolling meadows and woods, home to Cedarhurst Sculpture Park, the museum's outdoor gallery with over 60 large-scale sculptures, and visit the Mitchell Museum with contemporary art exhibitions in two galleries, including the Children's Gallery.

Enjoy works by Mary Cassatt, Maurice Prendergast and Childe Hassam among others. Many of the museum's American painting collection were acquired by founders John R. and Eleanor R. Mitchell. Also coming in September is the Cedarhurst Craft Fair. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

Information on Cedarhurst, its galleries, classes, exhibits and the Cedarhurst Craft Fair can be found by calling 242-1236 or by visiting www.cedarhurst.org.

        

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