The Fort Worth Zoo has opened its new Exploration & Learning Center, a state-of-the-art facility that zoo officials say will serve as an additional hub for education programs and advance the zoo’s mission of strengthening the bond between humans and wildlife.
The Exploration & Learning Center (ELC) is the zoo’s second on-site education facility. Nestled behind the behind the Museum of Living Art, the ELC will eventually be surrounded by Forests & Jungles of the World, the fourth and final phase of the zoo’s $130-million “A Wilder Vision” development project.
The ELC was made possible by a matching grant from the Once Upon a Time Foundation; major support from the Sid W. Richardson Foundation and the Morris Foundation; and grants from Tarrant County and the Junior League of Fort Worth Inc.
“Our dream is to inspire future conservationists and foster a commitment to wildlife stewardship in the next generation,” said Ramona Bass, chair of the Fort Worth Zoological Association board of directors. “There is a dangerous disconnect between children and the environment and now more than ever we must instill an appreciation of wild things and wild places within our community.”
In recent years, the demand for the Zoo’s formal education programs has grown significantly, the zoo said. Summer Camp enrollment has grown 45% since 2018 with hundreds of children on the wait list each year. Zoo Preschool has grown 30% in the last six years. To accommodate the growing demand, the zoo education staff has utilized every available space and maximized scheduling to allow as many children as possible to participate.
The new facility will:
- Expand educational offerings, including homeschool classes, scout programs, custom field trips and overnights.
- Allow for additional participants in Summer Zoo Camp. The zoo will welcome its first gathering of Summer Zoo Campers to the new ELC on Monday, June 3.
- Expand classes for middle and high school students targeted toward careers in STEM professions.
- Allow the zoo to offer professional development programs and teacher institutes for educators on-site.
- Increase availability of financial assistance to offer more students the opportunity to experience Summer Zoo Camp.
The ELC is approximately 11,000 square feet with flexible interior walls to maximize functionality, providing six classrooms and multipurpose space. One end of the building has large overhead doors that open onto a stone plaza and the other end has sliding glass doors that open to the 2,500-square-foot deck, providing natural light and offering the ability to seamlessly extend learning outdoors. The building has a separate area that can be used as an extra classroom or as a stage. Several smaller rooms provide space for storage, a prep kitchen and additional office space.
Information for this article was provided by the Fort Worth Zoo.
