Rosamond Gifford Zoo

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Zoo to You

The traveling education program that visits you!

Zoo to You is a traveling, inquiry-based educational program that visits schools, libraries, community centers, senior centers/facilities, day care centers, scout groups and more. Zoo to You's mission is to increase awareness of the natural world and encourage participants to be environmentally conscious. Each program includes biofacts (animal-related artifacts such as furs, feathers, and skulls) to create a hands-on experience for participants. Please note: For their health and safety, we do not travel with live animals.

Want to Know More About Zoo to You?

Zoo to You offers programs on many topics, including animal adaptations, habitats and endangered species. Our programs are designed for specified age groups and grades according to the New York State Learning Standards. We have programs available for ages 3 through adult. Please see our programs for ages 1-3 years. Please see our curriculum list above for specific program details. Also, please note that most program themes can be adapted to suit both older and younger students, or mixed age groups. We can also design a program to your specific topic needs or on subject matter not included on our curriculum list. Simply mention your request when you reserve your Zoo to You program and we'll do our best to accommodate your needs. Please allow a minimum of four weeks’ notice for such requests.

Programs are designed to foster hands-on, interactive learning. We recommend you reserve small group programs (fewer than 30 participants) for your group but can accommodate larger groups for an additional charge. We are happy to conduct consecutive programs for several small groups as well. If you are planning a group visit to the zoo, please click here for our Zoo Safari programs. If you would like to know more about our Virtual Zoo to You, please click here.

Zoo to You has a very flexible schedule: weekdays, evenings, and even weekends! Please call (315) 435-8511 x8531 or email [email protected] to check for availability.

Each program lasts approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. The educator adjusts the length of each program based on the interest of the participants. The educator will also shorten or cancel any program if the welfare of the animals is compromised in any way.

The zoo suggests no more than 30 participants per program. This group size allows for a more hands-on and interactive approach to teaching about the animals. If the format of your program only allows for large group numbers, we have auditorium-style programs as well.

The price of each Zoo to You program depends on the size and location of each program. Please see our most current pricing structure and fees list for more information. We request that payment be made in full two weeks in advance.

We request that each program be booked a minimum of two weeks in advance, and we recommend you reserve your program as soon as possible, as dates book quickly. Spring (April-June) and Summer (July-August) are the busiest times of year for Zoo to You, and these dates fill up weeks or even months in advance. Call the Zoo at (315) 435-8511 x8531 to reserve a program today!

The Education Department at the zoo has a collection of small animals that are specifically chosen for virtual outreach programming. The types of animals we may use depend on the topic of the program and animal availability. Due to zoo protocol regarding animal care and scheduling, we are unable to make any guarantees on which types of animals are included in a program. However, we will strive to provide a variety of animals suitable for your group. 

The Zoo to You program locations must be within one hour of the zoo. Outside our travel radius? Please consider a Virtual Zoo to You program!


For questions or to reserve a Zoo to You Program:

Contact (315) 435-8511 x8531 or e-mail [email protected].

Special thanks to the following for support of the Zoo to You Program:

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