Memorable Mementos Souvenirs at Zoos and Aquariums

By Sara Karnish

o visit to a zoo or aquarium is complete without a stop in the gift shop. Finding the perfect souvenir is the best way to bring a little bit of the zoo home and end an exciting day of learning and discovery.

“Our top two or three items are almost always tiger plush. It’s one of the things Point Defiance Zoo is most known for,” said Amy Campbell , store director at Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Wash. “We promote the Dr. Holly Reed Tiger conservation fund that supports antipoaching patrols and the Species Survival Plan. It’s something we share with visitors when they come to shop.”

Brenda Young , assistant director of Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro, Mass., said they do not have one standout souvenir in their 350-square-foot shop. “Everything sells great. Plush, which we can’t stock enough of, things with our logo, and anything with our animals on it. We have a photographer who takes pictures of our animals and does our magnets, posters, jewelry, stickers and things—they all sell really well. People gravitate towards them because they show photos of our animals.” Young said she feels guests want to bring home items bearing an image of the zoo’s animals because their plush, and other animal likenesses, resemble the real animals in the zoo. “Guests like making that connection—I hear that a lot. They will purchase a plush or magnet featuring an image of the animal, and its name,” she pointed out.

Likewise, items featuring images of the animals at the Seattle Aquarium in Seattle, Wash., sell well in their 2,500-square-foot gift shop, according to Jasmine Ramirez , store director. “Items like magnets, plush, and jewelry that showcase our sea otters are almost always our best-sellers,” Ramirez explained. “We have two otters here at the Seattle Aquarium named Mishka and Sekiu and they are favorites of guests from all over the world.” Ramirez said when choosing ven- dors and selecting merchandise, she and her team do have a criteria they follow: “Seattle Aquarium is focused on Inspiring Conservation of our Marine Environment, so bringing in items that support that message is important. Finding vendors that share your values of conservation and regenerating the natural world help to present the kind of product that our guests expect.” She

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