Art
This snapshot captures an ordinary November afternoon at an American zoo in the 2010s. For millions of families, the zoo was an affordable outing—a chance to see animals, spend time outdoors together, and escape the routines of home and school. By the 2010s, zoos had become central to how many Americans experienced nature and leisure.
Art · Full story
You walk through the gates on a cool fall day, your phone already out to snap photos. Around you, kids press against railings, pointing and calling out animal names. The air smells of popcorn and fallen leaves. Someone nearby is filming everything on their phone—the lions, the crowd, themselves in front of the habitat. It's a ritual as American as it gets.
Reflect
What public spaces do you and your family visit together to take a break from daily life?