CULTURE + ENTERTAINMENT
The most “iconic” building of Reptile Gardens is the Sky Dome —two levels showcasing everything from one of the largest collections of reptiles anywhere, their collection of venomous and non-venomous snakes, amphibians, “big bugs,” sculptures from Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, and the Safari Room . “The Sky Dome was Earl’s idea, and at the time was the first major indoor jungle in the country,” said Maierhauser. “We tried a fascinating number of animal and bird species there. Some worked, some did not. It remains the centerpiece of the park.” For those who aren’t particularly fond of snakes and lizards, many exhibits in the Sky Dome also include fossils and minerals. The Dome has an exact cast of an Archelon Turtle Fossil —the largest turtle ever found (the actual fossil was discovered by paleontologists a short distance from Reptile Gardens in the 1970s, but was sold by Brockelsby to a museum in Vienna, Austria). “ALL GUESTS RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY SEASON PASS WITH THEIR ADMISSION SO YOU CAN RETURN AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT OVER THE SEASON—A GREAT OPTION FOR LOCALS!” Joe Maierhauser
28 | 605MAGAZINE.COM
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online