NYC Arts: The Complete Guide to Art and Culture

The Staten Island Zoo packs weeks' worth of fun into eight manicured acres. The zoo, which was constructed as a WPA project in the 1930s, was the first educational zoo in the nation, and there's much to learn about bats, leopards, rattlesnakes and other animals representing roughly 250 species. The zoo is especially well known for its variety of venomous reptiles. There is an aquarium teeming with 46 species, as well as a children's zoo where youngsters can feed animals and participate in other educational activities. The Tropical Forest features piranhas, ocelots, spider monkeys and a wide variety of creepy crawlers. African Savannah at Twilight, a permanent exhibit featuring baboons, meerkats and more, was inaugurated in 1997.

The zoo also has a Reptile Wing. This 13,500-square foot exhibit space includes a two-level alligator pool, a variety of interactive exhibits and it will be home to 120 species.

• Disability Access: Fully accessible
• Disability Assistance:
  Vision: Guided tours available for blind or partially sighted visitors. Call (718) 442-3101.
• On-Site Food