The Hamilton Family Children’s Zoo and Faris Family Education Center, also known as KidZooU, is the keystone project in the ongoing transformation of the Philadelphia Zoo’s historic campus. The renovation of the former pachyderm exhibit has provided a new home and expanded program for the much-loved children’s zoo. The Pachyderm House was designed by Philadelphia architect Paul Cret in 1938, and the original facility opened to the public in 1941. The Pachyderm House was home to the Zoo’s elephants, rhinoceroses, tapirs and hippopotamuses for many years, during which various minor modifications were made to the building.
However, in recent years, partly due to advancements in animal management guidelines, the zoo made the difficult decision of relocating the pachyderms to larger exhibits, within the zoo and elsewhere, so that the animals could enjoy more enriching and diverse experiences. When the Pachyderm House’s exterior yards and large indoor areas became available, it was selected as the home for the new children’s zoo and education center. Although the design process began in 2006, construction did not begin until late 2011, and the zoo opened to the public last summer.