Ever felt the need to get a deeper understanding of the Philadelphia Zoo. Well, now there is an opportunity. For the first time in its 150 year history, the zoo is offering guests a chance to visit and have all 42 acres to themselves during an exclusive “Key to the Zoo” Premium Insider Tour. These tours will be happening during the Zoo’s January hibernation while it’s closed to the public. Zoo experts will guide guests to different animal exhibits and take them behind-the-scenes to learn about the zoo’s animals, conservation work, and how the zoo has evolved. One tour even includes the chance to take home a custom work of art painted by an animal. Tours will be held Jan. 26 with the Conservation in Action tours held from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and the History at America’s First Zoo tours from 1-3 p.m. Conservation in Action tickets are $500 (ticket includes: parking, entry, private tour guide, a behind-the-scenes experience, tour of the Solitude, catered lunch, and take-home animal art). Tickets for History at America’s First Zoo are $150 (ticket includes: parking, entry, private tour guide, ambassador animal meet & greet, tour of the Solitude). A limited number of tickets are available at philadelphiazoo.org. “As a long-time member of the Zoo team, I can promise that these tours are like nothing we’ve been able to offer in the past,” says Director of Mission Integration Dani Hogan. “Each tour is built around what is happening at the Zoo on that particular day to create a unique, one-of-a-kind experience for each person there. If you’ve ever been curious about the history of the Zoo, how we care for our animals or the conservation work we do around the world, this is a can’t-miss opportunity to learn directly from our experts in a semi-private setting.” For the Conservation in Action tour, guests spend the morning with a member of the Conservation Education team visiting several of the Zoo’s most critically endangered animals and learning about the crucial conservation work that the Zoo supports. Each tour will be unique, but will include at least one behind-the-scenes experience where guests will get up close and personal with the animals and learn about their individual personalities from the keepers who care for them. The experience ends with lunch in the historic Solitude, where guests will be joined by a member of the Zoo’s Animal Care Team to talk about their experiences saving wildlife around the world. All tours will include at least one behind-the-scenes experience, a one-of-a-kind gift created by one of our animals, and a catered lunch with non-alcoholic beverages. For the History at America’s First Zoo tour, guests will learn about some of the important ways the zoo uses innovative strategies and techniques to help save wildlife, all while being immersed in the historic grounds and structures of America’s First Zoo. All tours will include a one-hour animal tour, an Animal Ambassador meet-and-greet, and a tour inside the Solitude.