Jr. Penguin Encounter

Jr. Penguin Encounter

Member Savings Price: $29.70 per person
Non-Member Price: $33 per person
Includes General Admission
Ages 6 and under
Daily at 10:30 am

For the little ones, a specially designed Jr. Penguin Encounter awaits, created to spark joy and wonder in kids under 6. Watch the twinkle in your child’s eyes as an adorable penguin struts right in front of them. 

  • Get up close to a real African Penguin! 
  • Watch as a National Aviary expert transforms into a penguin themselves during a fun dress-up activity! Learn about the birds’ unique adaptations through an engaging story. 
  • Learn all about African Penguins from an Aviary expert!
  • Guests are encouraged to take photos or videos and to ask questions.

Book Jr. Penguin Encounter!

African Penguin during a Junior Penguin Encounter

Email [email protected] or call 412-258-9445 for more information or with questions.

Additional Information

  • This experience is reserved for families with children under 6 years old. Children must be accompanied by a paying adult over 18 years of age.  General Admission is included with your encounter reservation.
  • Book before you visit to guarantee your experience. Same-day registration is based on limited program availability and cannot be guaranteed.  
  • At the National Aviary, we give our animals the choice to participate in interactive experiences with caring guests, like you!  Please provide your contact information when booking your Encounter. If our Animal Ambassador needs a day of rest, we will contact you to reschedule your Encounter. The comfort and safety of our animals and our guests is always our top priority. Thank you for understanding!

The National Aviary is such a gem! Expect to spend about 1.5-2hrs to see everything. We booked a Junior Penguin Encounter for our family as our 1 yr old is really interested in birds at the moment, and it was a really great experience! The guide was very informative, and Sunshine the penguin was awesome. If you are interested in an encounter, definitely book ahead of time because they do fill up quickly.

Jr. Penguin Fan

Proceeds from National Aviary Animal Encounters support our work
to save birds and protect their habitats.

In The News

See All News

Meet Wanda, a critically endangered Vietnam pheasant hatched at the National Aviary | CBS News

The National Aviary is introducing visitors to Wanda, a critically endangered Vietnam pheasant chick that hatched this spring.

Read More »

Guam kingfishers hatched at National Aviary among first released into wild in nearly 40 years | CBS News

Three Guam kingfishers that hatched at the National Aviary have been released on an island in the Pacific, marking the first time their species has been in the wild in nearly 40 years.

Read More »

Guam Sihek Released to the Wild | National Aviary

Nine Guam Kingfishers have been released to the wild on Palmyra Atoll, making them the first of their kind to reside in the wild since the 1980s.  

Read More »

Take an Enchanting Journey through Forests this fall at the National Aviary! | National Aviary

Explore the Aviary’s new fall seasonal theme, Forests Presented by Peoples; learn more about the creatures who inhabit these woodland areas during TWO new daily activities, and say “hello again!” to the adorable Eurasian Eagle-Owl making her Animal Ambassador debut!

Read More »

  Extinct in the Wild birds head to new home ahead of first wild release | National Aviary

Precious Guam Kingfishers arrived on the Pacific Island as part of a project to re-establish a wild population 

Read More »