Zoos have been captivating audiences for centuries, with their origins tracking back to ancient Egypt. It’s believed that Queen Hatshepsut established the first public animal exhibit in 1480 BCE. The innate curiosity humans — both adults and children — have for animals has made zoos enduringly popular. Today, they continue to draw massive crowds, with over 700 million people visiting zoos worldwide annually. In the United States alone, these wildlife parks welcome approximately 181 million visitors each year.
These animal parks are the perfect opportunity to spend time with your family and learn about various animal species from around the world. The United States has over 400 zoos to explore but there are a handful that have a reputation for going above and beyond to care for animals, save endangered species, and create special breeding programs.
In this article, we have prepared an ultimate guide to the best zoos in the U.S. that everyone should visit at least once along with a brief explanation of what makes them so special.