-Brenda Hillegas
Yesterday, RowHome Rowan and I headed off to Philadelphia Zoo’s grand opening and ribbon cutting of BIG TIME: Life in an Endangerous Age. This cool new attraction at the zoo gives guests the opportunity to be up close and personal with life-sized, animatronic dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures. Twenty-four of them to be exact…
Travel through BIG TIME to learn about some of Earth’s most catastrophic events- volcanic eruptions and asteroid strikes, rising sea levels, atmospheric changes, and other disasters that caused our creatures to adapt or die off. As you walk around, you’ll discover even more with facts scattered throughout and audio tales (that you can access with a zoo key) in both English and Spanish about the dinosaurs on display. If you have a key from their brief 2019 reappearance, you can use it to unlock all of the new stories. You can purchase one at the Zoo for $3, including a new, limited-edition dinosaur key!
This isn’t just a bunch of awesome dinosaurs to look at! Sure, the 40–foot-long, 3,000 pound, T- Rex is super cool. But BIG TIME is an amazing educational experience! Guests won’t just be seeing what it was like for dinosaurs, but for present day animals and habitats as well. Learn more about the challenges they faced then to the challenges we faced today, how humans changed the you’ll meet animals on the brink of extinction and what we can do as humans to help prevent it from happening. You’ll travel from North America to Madagascar and Australia meeting prehistoric mammals from 2 million years ago!
Before you exit, think about the steps you can take to save our endangered animals and the future of our planet. Grow native plans that sustain pollinators (like the monarch butterfly), send letters and petition for global conservation actions to protect our wildlife, advocate and ask our world leaders to protect 30% of lands and oceans by 2030.
BIG TIME is not to be missed! If you’re taking a trip to the zoo, please allow for some extra time in your schedule to discover this immersive new experience. BIG TIME runs through September 30th. All reservations to the Philadelphia Zoo, including tickets to BIG TIME, must be made in advance online at www.PhiladelphiaZoo.org. Attendance will be capped to ensure a safe experience. Entrance to BIG TIME takes place every half hour. Reserve BIG TIME tickets with your admission to secure your spot. Tickets for general zoo admission are $24 for ages 12+ and $19 for ages 2-11, children under 2 are free, plus entrance for Big Time ($6 for adults and children ages 2+). Zoo members enjoy free admission to the zoo with advance reservation and save on BIG TIME tickets. BIG TIME tickets will sell out! Reserve your time slots online now!
For even more BIG TIME details and a list of all of the creatures you’ll see, you can check out the press release on the RowHome blog here.
The zoo has been following strict safety protocols since it reopened last summer. You’ll be required to fill out a health screening the morning of your visit and adhere to all current social distancing guidelines. Some inside attractions are still closed. Guests are also welcomed to bring their own food into the zoo. More on the zoo’s safety procedures can be found here.
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