Let us take your students on a journey around the world.
What You Need To Know
- Available September-March (Monday-Friday at 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.)
- Guided tours are 45 minutes in length
- Three weeks notice required when making a reservation
- Capacity: 30 students
- Fee: $120 for up to 30 students (Does not include school group admission to the Zoo)
- Cancellation notice is required 1 week before the tour.
Guided Tour Topics
- Ocean Explorer (Scott Aquarium): The ocean covers over 70 percent of our world so it must contain a fantastic variety of life! Become an ocean explorer and see what animals you can discover, and learn how they have adapted to living the life aquatic.
- Rainforest Researcher (Lied Jungle): Layer by layer, virtually every nook and cranny in a rainforest is occupied by some form of life. Become a rainforest researcher and explore our tropical rainforest top to bottom.
- Desert Discovery (Desert Dome): Survival in the sand! Discover reptiles, mammals, and birds which call the desert home. Learn how they have adapted to live in a desert.
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Student Workshops are designed to expand your student's critical thinking skills through interactive STEM learning. Workshops are aligned with Early Learning Guidelines: Nebraska’s Birth to Five Learning and Development Standards.
What You Need to Know
- Available September 1 through March 31
- Times: 9:00-10:00 a.m. or 12:00-1:00 p.m.
- Capacity: 20 students per session
- Workshops accomodate 20 students and are one hour in length. Groups larger than 20 students will be split into multiple workshop times. Please plan your visit accordingly.
- Three weeks notice required when making a reservation
- Fee: $150 for up to 20 students
- Cancellation notice is required 1 week before workshop.
Topics
Commotion in the Ocean - The world’s oceans are home to incredible creatures that are masters of disguise! Students will become ocean explorers, discovering animals and learning how they have adapted to life in the water.
Jr. Vet - Students will explore what it takes to be in this rewarding and challenging field. Learn how to identify symptoms of sick animals, conduct basic exams, and more
Born to be wild - Do all animal babies look like their parents? Which animals hatch from eggs, and which are live-born? This workshop will compare animal babies and development while introducing the basic concepts of life cycles (including metamorphosis) in both invertebrates and vertebrates.
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Student Workshops are designed to expand your student's critical thinking skills through interactive STEM learning. Workshops are aligned with Nebraska's College and Career Ready Standards for Science and Next Generation Science Standards.
What You Need to Know
- Available September 1 through March 31
- Times: 9:00-10:00 a.m. or 12:00-1:00 p.m.
- Capacity: 20 students per session
- Workshops accomodate 20 students and are one hour in length. Groups larger than 20 students will be split into multiple workshop times. Please plan your visit accordingly.
- Three weeks notice required when making a reservation
- Fee: $150 for up to 20 students
- Cancellation notice is required 1 week before workshop.
Grades K-2
Penguins - Who doesn't love these feathered creatures? Put on your penguin research gear and learn about penguin adaptations, make scientific observations, collect data, and more.
Critter Clothes - Students will put their investigation skills to use as they hypothesize, observe, track, record, and discuss the purpose of different animal coverings in mammals, reptiles, and birds.
Grades 3-5
African Grasslands - Become a Wildlife Ranger and explore the Zoo’s largest exhibit, African Grasslands! Students will observe elephants, giraffes, cheetahs and more, using their investigative skills to uncover unique adaptations, while discovering the important role of wildlife rangers. (Available March-October)
Penguins - Who doesn't love these feathered creatures? Put on your penguin research gear and learn about penguin adaptations, make scientific observations, collect data, and more.
Animal Actions - Students will put their investigation skills to use as they hypothesize, observe, track, record, and discuss the purpose of different animal movements.
Make a Reservation Here
Student Workshops are designed to expand your student's critical thinking skills through interactive STEM learning. Workshops are aligned with Nebraska's College and Career Ready Standards for Science and Next Generation Science Standards.
What You Need to Know
- Available September 1 through March 31
- Times: 9:00-10:00 a.m. or 12:00-1:00 p.m.
- Capacity: 20 students per session
- Workshops accomodate 20 students and are one hour in length. Groups larger than 20 students will be split into multiple workshop times. Please plan your visit accordingly.
- Three weeks notice required when making a reservation
- Fee: $150 for up to 20 students
- Cancellation notice is required 1 week before workshop.
Topics
Zoo Careers - Did you know that Omaha’s Zoo & Aquarium has a Graphics department or a Building Engineering team? It takes many talented individuals and departments to run the Zoo. In this program, we will explore some of the more obvious careers, like zookeeping, and some less obvious! This workshop is a wonderful introduction to STEM careers at the Zoo.
Exhibit Design - It takes a large team to create world class exhibits here at Omaha’s Zoo & Aquarium. From understanding animal needs and behavior, to creating spaces necessary for keepers to do their work, and designing interactive areas for visitors, it takes enormous amounts of planning. In this Field Study, students will explore the different components of exhibit design and put their engineering skills to work designing their own exhibit!
Animal Behavior - How do zoos know what to feed their animals or how to keep them stimulated in their environment? How do we know that animals use tools and that some can problem solve? Making good observations is key to answering these questions and many more. Students will take on the role of a field scientist and learn how to make observations and collect data. You choose from one of two animals to observe; Penguins or Gorillas! (Available September-March)
Behavioral Husbandry: Training - Let your students exercise their brains in this challenging field of study. Animal care staff at the zoo use positive reinforcement techniques to shape animal behaviors, which in turn improves daily care. This activity promotes social interaction and stimulates critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Make a Reservation Here
Enhance your high school or college visit with a special talk from one of our Zoo professionals. Fill out the request form with information about your class and learning objectives, and we will work to schedule a special speaker to meet your needs.
Speaker Request Form
What You Need To Know
- Available to high school and college groups only.
- Talks are approximately 45 minutes in length.
- Capacity: 50 students
- Requests must be submitted a minimum of 3 weeks in advance.
- Scheduling is based upon availability of the speaker and must be during Zoo business hours.
- Fee: $200 (does not include school group admission to the Zoo)
- Cancellation notice is required 1 week before talk.
Enhance your high school or college visit with a special arrangement behind-the-scenes tour. Fill out the request form with information about your class and learning objectives, and we will work to schedule a special tour to meet your needs. These tours do not include direct contact with animals.
Tour Request Form
What You Need To Know
- Available to high school and college groups only.
- Tours are approximately 1 hour in length.
- Requests must be submitted a minimum of 3 weeks in advance.
- Scheduling is based upon availability of the area and must be during Zoo business hours.
- Fee: $200 for up to 20 people (students and chaperones)
- Does not include school group admission to the Zoo.
- Groups larger than 20 people (students and chaperones) will require multiple tours and will be charged accordingly.
- Cancellation notice is required 1 week prior to the tour.
Tour Options:
- Diet Kitchen - See how the Zoo preps and prepares diets for the many species of animals that call the Zoo home. This tour is available Tuesdays and Fridays at 9 am.
- Aquarium - Join us behind the scenes to explore the Aquarium from the other side of the glass. This tour is available Wednesdays at 9 am.
- Giraffes - Learn how we care for animals that stand 15 feet above the ground and how our herd rooms are specially designed for our Zoo's tallest residents. This tour is available Thursdays at 11 am.
- Center for Conservation and Research - Head behind the scenes in our Center for Conservation and Research where you will learn about the work Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is doing to help protect animals both in the wild and in Zoos and Aquariums around the country. This tour is available Mondays at 10am.