ASHEBORO N.C. (ACME NEWS) —The North Carolina Zoo has introduced a free mobile app designed to help visitors navigate the park and access information during their visit.
Funded by a $1 million grant from the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation, the app includes a live map with GPS, educational content, audio tours, accessibility features, and support for both English and Spanish users.
“This app is a major step forward in making the Zoo more accessible, educational, and interactive for all guests,” said Diane Villa, deputy director and chief communications officer for the North Carolina Zoo. “We’re especially proud to offer it in both English and Spanish, which extends our wildlife education initiatives to a broader audience and enhances support for our state’s Spanish-speaking communities.”
Apart from helping guests navigate the park, the app focuses on four core areas, each built to make the Zoo easier to explore and provide more opportunities to learn;
- Virtual Tours: Explore exhibits remotely or use them to plan your day in advance.
- STEM Career Quests: Try your hand at five zoo careers, including zookeeper, veterinarian, and conservation biologist, through interactive augmented reality activities.
- K-12 Educational Content: Access curriculum-aligned lessons tailored to North Carolina’s Standard Course of Study.
- Audio-Described Tours: Enhance the experience for visitors who are blind or have low vision.
“There are educational videos, virtual tours, and interactive features that allow users to learn from home or as they explore the Zoo in person,” Villa said. “It’s also a powerful classroom tool. The app’s K-12 lessons help connect students directly to science standards in a fun and engaging way.”
The app replaces printed maps, which will no longer distributed as part of the Zoo’s ongoing sustainability efforts. Visitors are encouraged to download the app in advance by searching “North Carolina Zoo” in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
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