Families in Binghamton don't have to travel east to New York City or west to Buffalo to see exotic animals. The Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park dazzles children with mammals, birds and reptiles. The exhibits include alligators, tigers, leopards, penguins and wolves. The zoo, which opened in 1875, also has age-appropriate programs for kids. The week-long summer ZooSchool has classes for kids in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade that teach about animals. The Junior Biologist program, for kids in sixth through 12th grades, allows students to assist zookeepers. The Binghamton Zoo also holds events throughout the year, such as scavenger hunts, ice cream days and seasonal-theme days.
Children's imaginations can run wild at The Discovery Center of the Southern Tier. The venue features hands-on exhibits that let kids sample a variety of careers and adult experiences. For example, children can pretend they're artists, dentists, doctors, firemen, pilots and television news anchors. The Story Garden sits outside the building. Children can read books, while playing in 10 areas that have interactive displays, such as a foot bridge and a water pump to splash flowers and vegetables. The Discovery Center of the Southern Tier is on the grounds of Ross Park.
The Roberson Museum and Science Center's motto is "imagine. explore." Children will do plenty of both during their visit. The museum's exhibits don't cover just one theme. Exhibits vary from the history of Binghamton's sports to artifacts from 2,000 years ago to aviation. The museum also has a planetarium with a projector that provides an image of the night sky, including reproducing a realistic picture of the moon, planets, stars and sun. Additionally, the Roberson Museum and Science Center has events throughout the year, including a model train and doll fair.
