Rediscovering the Omaha Zoo: A Sensory-Friendly Experience
This piece was written by a young adult with autism.
In March of 2024 I took a trip to the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo to celebrate my friend’s birthday. It had been many years since I had last visited the world-renowned zoo – and during this trip I was reminded why I had avoided it. While I enjoyed the exhibits, the noise and large crowds deterred me, and greatly impacted my desire to visit again.
When I joined Autism Action Partnership this past May, I learned that our organization would be holding an autism-friendly event at the zoo. I was intrigued – this sounded like a great opportunity for me to be able to enjoy the zoo without the intense overstimulation I had felt before.
One thing that surprised me as we arrived at the gate was the number of attendees that were like me. I often feel outcasted in public, but here I felt at home with other people, and their families, who understood me.
The exhibit I was looking forward to the most was the Hubbard Gorilla Valley. I love primates, and getting a chance to enjoy them without the worry of getting pushed around by crowds was exciting. We got to see a family of gorillas, enjoying snacks provided by the keepers. I was glad to be able to stay and watch as long as I liked.
I was glad to be able to stay and watch as long as I liked.
Next, we visited the Owen Sea Lion Shores. My friend and I were dazzled by the animals coming up to the glass, performing for the audience. This attraction was quite popular with families, as everyone could watch the sea lions swimming about.
We then visited the Asian Highlands. I felt helpful showing other families where they could spot the elusive Red Panda, well-camouflaged within a tree. This was a rare occasion where we got to see the Siberian Tiger, napping in view of the guests.
The last exhibit we visited was one I was hesitant about – the Bay Family Children’s Adventure Trails. Based on the name, I assumed this exhibit was for children only. However, given we were already at the event we decided to check it out. There was a large playground, surrounded by nice trails for people of all ages to enjoy. While observing the area, I noticed these large tube-like structures circling the area. To my shock and delight, there were Squirrel Monkeys in them!
Image Source: https://clrdesign.com/project/omaha-zoo-childrens-adventure-trails/
I thought I knew all the exhibits that had primates, but thanks to this event I had a new must-see attraction.