For generations of St. Louis families, a trip to the Saint Louis Zoo has been woven into childhood itself: summer mornings spent visiting favorite animals, train rides over and over again, sticky fingers clutching melted ice cream, and family photos snapped in the same spots year after year.
Now, the zoo is preparing to introduce a new generation to those traditions through the Henry A. Jubel Foundation Destination Discovery, a completely reimagined family experience.
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“For me, Destination Discovery is really about connecting with the next generation here in St. Louis,” says Dwight Scott, Dana Brown President and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo. “I’ve loved hearing stories throughout our community about people making wonderful memories at the zoo with family and friends. This is about creating those memories for the next generation.”
Replacing the former Emerson Children’s Zoo, Destination Discovery is far more than a renovation. Zoo leaders describe it as a complete rethinking of what a child-centered zoo experience can be—one built around exploration, movement, hands-on learning, and meaningful interactions with animals and their caretakers.
“It’s not the children’s zoo your parents or grandparents might remember,” says Michael Macek, executive director of the Saint Louis Zoo. “It has been completely reinvented.”
Families can expect an experience that feels more like an adventure playground immersed in nature than a traditional exhibit space.
“I think it will feel like an area of adventure for families,” Macek says, “with lots of kinetic opportunities for kids—digging, climbing, and discovering things.”
The featured animals will include prairie dogs, North American river otters, Chilean flamingos, white-nosed coatis, and Babydoll sheep, all integrated into interactive environments designed to encourage curiosity and connection.
Among the most anticipated features is an immersive otter habitat unlike anything currently at the zoo.
“Guests will walk between North American river otter habitats, and there will be a water pathway above guests’ heads so visitors can watch the otters swim overhead,” Scott says.
Another standout attraction will give visitors the chance to feed flamingos—an experience rarely offered at zoos.
“We’re trying to create experiences our community hasn’t seen before,” Scott says.
Macek believes the flamingo habitat could become one of the most distinctive in the country.
“We’ve designed some incredibly unique animal experiences, including what may be one of the most unique flamingo viewing experiences in the United States,” he adds.
But Destination Discovery is intended to offer more than surface-level fun. The space was shaped around research into childhood development and early connections to nature.
“There’s a critical point in child development, roughly between ages 2 and 10, when children are developing cognitive empathy and an appreciation for nature,” Macek explains. “At its core, Destination Discovery supports our mission by helping children develop empathy for animals and nature during a very important stage in their development.”
That philosophy guided the planning process from the beginning. In 2021, zoo leaders worked with families across St. Louis City and County to better understand what children wanted from the experience.
“Families told us kinetic activities were really important,” Macek says. “Children were also especially interested in learning how animals live within families and communities and how humans can better care for wildlife in their own neighborhoods.”
Another recurring theme emerged from those conversations: children wanted to know how they could help animals themselves.
“So throughout the experience, there will be messaging about what families can do at home to attract wildlife and create habitats in their own backyards,” Macek says.
Education will also play a major role in the new space. Destination Discovery includes an expanded preschool building and additional classroom space for children ages 3 to 5, allowing the zoo to grow a program that already serves thousands of local families.
“We’ve had a preschool here for more than 10 years,” Macek says, “and now we’ll be able to double the size of our classes.”
Sustainability is another major focus. The site will feature mostly native plants, water-capture systems, green roofs, and solar panels, while the building itself is expected to achieve LEED certification.
“Wherever you go in the space, we’re trying to communicate why nature matters,” Macek says. “Not just for animals, but for human health and the health of the planet.”
That long-term vision is also driving a major fundraising effort tied to both Destination Discovery and the zoo’s future WildCare Park in north St. Louis County, slated to open in 2027. “This week, we’re launching the public phase of our campaign, and we want to give our community the opportunity to help bring these projects to life,” Scott says. “We are incredibly fortunate to have tax support from our community to ensure the zoo remains world-class. Philanthropic dollars through this campaign allow us to do more and create new experiences.”
The campaign carries a $170 million goal, with zoo leadership announcing that $152 million has already been secured through public and private support. “The St. Louis community loves the Saint Louis Zoo, and we are very humbled by that support,” Scott says. “We want to give people the opportunity to join us and help make these projects possible.”
For many St. Louis families, the reopening also carries emotional weight. The closure of the former Children’s Zoo during the pandemic marked the end of a beloved experience that introduced generations of children to the zoo.
“Closing the Emerson Children’s Zoo shortly after the pandemic began was one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do in my career,” Macek reflects. “At first, we thought we would eventually reopen the old space, but as the pandemic continued and the world changed, we realized it was the right time to move forward with something entirely new.”
Construction is now nearing completion, though zoo officials note the process extends beyond the buildings themselves.
“Construction will wrap up later this year, and then we’ll open as soon as we can,” Scott says. “But we also have to acclimate the animals to the new spaces.”
Still, Macek believes the wait will be worth it.
“For so many St. Louis families, their zoo experience began with the children’s zoo or another child-focused experience like this,” he says. “We’ve lost five years of that, so I’m excited that we can finally bring it back to the community.”
