Needing to improve the African elephant exhibit, the Kansas City Zoo turned to PGAV to rethink this centrally located attraction. The transformed Elephant Expedition features a welcoming ceremonial entrance on Mane Street providing guests an expansive view of the elephant run, waterfalls and wading pool. The new guest plaza wraps around the pool and provides ample space to host educational presentations of these majestic animals.

PGAV also extended the adjacent existing guest path to be ADA accessible while safely connecting the ends of the exhibit. A more transparent guest barrier better accommodates the vantage point of children and a new covered events plaza overlooks their housing at the far end of the run. 

Additional amenities for guests include a new food service venue, shaded seating, tram stops, gender neutral restrooms, an adult changing room and a mother’s room.  The new waterfall and wading pool incorporate a filtration system, turning an existing dump and fill pool into a recirculated water feature that will save millions of gallons of water a year.

PROJECT INFORMATION

PROJECT SCOPE

SERVICES PROVIDED

5.1 acres

Architecture, Site Development, Master Planning, Programming, Sustainable Design, Exhibit Design