The new schedule includes both in-person animal encounters and virtual classes.
By Frederick A. Hasney IV
Photo: A National Aviary expert feeds a Southern Bald Ibis. Courtesy of the National Aviary
The National Aviary has announced its fall schedule. Due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19, activities will either be in-person as usual or part of a newly introduced virtual series.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the week except for Tuesday, the Aviary is determined to provide a fun and engaging experience for all visitors.
They’ve developed a set of safety guidelines that includes timed ticketing, which allows for maintaining social distancing standards and a lower overall building capacity. Guests and employees will undergo daily health risk assessments that include temperature checks. In addition, surfaces will be disinfected regularly throughout the day.
New in-person animal encounters for the season include personal art sessions with Valentino the two-toed sloth every day at 12 p.m. (pre-register on the Aviary’s website to get an assigned time slot) and penguin feeding sessions at 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. (If you sign up in advance, you can suit up and feed the penguins by hand.)
Virtual options include a speaker series with ornithologists such as Robert S. Mulvihill, art classes with artist Maria DeSimone Prascak of Maria’s Ideas, and 40-minute CyBIRD Distance Learning lessons built for educators.
Check out the National Aviary’s website at www.Aviary.org or call them at 412-323-7235 for more information.
