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| - Overall we really enjoyed the Aviary and spent about 5 hours there.
The length of time we spent at the Aviary genuinely astonished us. On maps, and online, the Aviary appeared to be massive, however, in reality it's actually fairly small.
We bought the all day pass because we wanted to see both shows, and for only $1 more it included the Lorikeet feeding. A note about that last part, it said on the board it included the Lorikeet feeding, however, at the actual enclosure they weren't checking tickets and were charging $3 for food.
They gave us a map and told us where the shows were and what time to be at each one. It worked out perfectly that the first part of the day was moving from one show to the next, with a few minutes in between each to check out some exhibits. Once the shows were over we were able to take our time walking through, and our son could linger at the exhibits he loved the most. We were also able to see almost all of the feedings with the exception of the bats.
The shows were fantastic. Each was about 20/30 minutes long, and very interactive. For the Soar! Show, make sure you line up about 10 minutes earlier, it's on a rooftop deck which is only accessible by elevator. Don't forget your sunglasses! At the end of each show, you have the option to donate $1 by handing the bill to a bird. It's not required, but our son absolutely loved it. And extra chance to be up close and personal.
The Lorikeet feeding was by and large a huge disappointment. Reference my earlier note about them not checking tickets and charging for food. We went to the first feeding, however, the birds apparently weren't hungry, so we weren't even given the option of feeding them and no alternatives or refund was offered. We attempted to get to the second feeding time, but 10 minutes prior the line was wrapped around down the hall.
We also opted to do a Penguin Encounter, an additional $40/person. While it was enjoyable, I wouldn't go so far as to say it was worth the $40. We did the later afternoon encounter and were the only ones there (it maxes out at 8 people). If the encounter had been full, it definitely would not have been worth it. We got to pet the penguin, but the photos with the penguin were waaaaay oversold. It wasn't so much a photo with a penguin as it was a photo with a penguin kinda sorta nearby, and doing whatever it wants.
It was also led by a volunteer, not a trainer as advertised. Don't get me wrong, volunteer Sarah was phenomenal, but when the trainer came in for about 5 seconds to help move the penguin out the penguin became a completely different penguin. He was visibly excited to see his trainer.
Overall, we really enjoyed the Aviary. Our son had a blast and most importantly had fun learning.
I would recommend it to anyone looking for activities while visiting Pittsburgh.
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