The Akron Zoo is adding two new resources to its sensory accessibility program, a new Guest Comfort Station and a new program called Sensory Explorers.
The Guest Comfort Station is a room available for nursing mothers, guests experiencing sensory overload or anyone who needs a break during their visit. This space, located in the Komodo Kingdom Education Center, features sound-dampening walls, dimmable lights, comfortable furniture and more. The Guest Comfort Station is supported by The Charles and Salome Reymann Foundation.
Sensory Explorers is a new interpretive program that will launch in summer 2026 and is available for guests with different abilities. The program will feature five sensory boxes throughout the park. Akron Zoo staff and volunteers will offer demonstrations that allow guests to learn more about the animals at the Akron Zoo by touching pelts, skulls, eggs and other biofacts.
The sensory boxes will feature up to 11 animal species that call the Akron Zoo, such as African lions, Galapagos tortoises, Sumatran tigers, Humboldt penguins and more. Sensory Explorers is made possible through support from the Charles and Salome Reymann Foundation and Community Fund Ohio.
These new initiatives are additions to the zoo’s sensory accessibility program. The Akron Zoo was the first zoo in Ohio and second in the country to become certified sensory accessible when the program launched in 2017. Working with KultureCity, the zoo works to train all staff and volunteers to understand sensory processing and overload and offers various resources like sensory bags and weighted lap pads for guests, free-of-charge.
In 2022, the Akron Zoo began offering a custom augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) board, available is available for guests who are non-verbal, minimally speaking or language learning to use as a tool to communicate with Akron Zoo staff members and other guests. This board features Akron Zoo animals, areas in the park and frequently asked questions.
