The holiday season brings opportunities to make lasting memories with family at the National Aviary. Encounter beautiful birds in lush habitats, festively adorned with thematic lights and décor. Explore hallways, gardens, and grounds decked with garlands, lights, and wreaths, enjoy games and crafts for people of all ages, and have a chance to meet Santa! Wander through the Wetlands and trek to the Tropical Rainforest to see habitats illuminated with thematic lighting. Seasonal offerings from Atria’s, the soft glow of twinkling lights, and cheerful live entertainment make for a wonderful winter experience at the National Aviary.
Special holiday events include photos with Santa and a penguin, a holiday brunch with Santa featuring appearances from penguins, and exciting Holiday Penguin Camps to keep children learning and having fun over winter break. The National Aviary will offer extended evening hours with a festive menu featuring cocoa, cider, and specialty cocktails with holiday music on Thanksgiving Weekend and Wednesdays in December before Christmas.
New light displays, including larger than life swans and lighted birds in trees, will adorn the National Aviary’s building. Our habitats will be illuminated, creating unforgettable experiences in rooms where birds fly freely. Festive décor will line the hallways, providing the perfect place for taking memorable and unique family photos among lighted trees, and even with a life size light-up penguin family!
National Aviary Holiday Events Schedule:
Holiday Lights and Late Nights
- Thanksgiving Weekend (Friday, November 29, Saturday, November 30, and Sunday, December 1); and Wednesdays in December before Christmas (December 4, 11, and 18)
- Open until 9 p.m.
- Included with admission
The National Aviary warms up the cold nights of early winter with extended hours and a holiday light display! Escape the chilly weather and spend a very merry evening exploring our lush, tropical habitats, where you’ll get close to feathered friends flying freely around you, illuminated with beautiful thematic lights. Beginning at 5 p.m., live entertainment, games and crafts for people of all ages, a cash bar with festive cocktails, and seasonal café offerings for purchase from Atria’s make for a cozy evening as you take in the sights and sounds of the National Aviary at night.
Photos with Santa and a Penguin – Saturdays, November 30 and December 7, 14, and 21
- November 30, December 7, December 14, December 21
- 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Included with admission
Bring your camera, and don’t forget your wish list! Santa and his penguin helper will be visiting the National Aviary to help you prepare for the holiday season. Visitors will have the opportunity to take photos with Santa and one of the National Aviary’s African Penguins!
Brunch with Santa – Sunday, December 8
- Sunday, December 8
- Two Seatings: 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
- Members: $39 for adults, $19.50 for children. Nonmembers: $44 for adults, $22 for children. Children 3 & under free. Price includes admission.
- Call 412-258-9445 to register. Space is limited; reservations required.
Santa invites you to an extra special holiday brunch! Enjoy a host of delectable brunch items from Atria’s, served buffet-style. Reservations include general admission to all of the National Aviary’s habitats, a special bird appearance, a children’s craft kit, and photos with Santa and a penguin.
Holiday Penguin Camps
- 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- Friday, Dec. 27, 2019 for ages 6-8
- Monday, Dec. 30, 2019 for ages 9-12
- Registration available at aviary.org or contact education.programs@aviary.org and 412-258-9439. Space is limited; reservations required.
Enjoy a day of holiday fun with our penguins! Holiday day camps are a great way to stay active during the school break, learn something new, and have fun with feathered friends. Help prepare breakfast for the National Aviary’s colony of African Penguins and learn what makes these endangered birds so special! Gift certificates are available.
The National Aviary will be closed November 1, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, and will close early on New Year’s Eve.
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About the National Aviary:
The National Aviary is America’s only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated to birds. Located in Allegheny Commons Park on Pittsburgh’s historic Northside, the National Aviary’s diverse collection comprises 500 birds representing more than 150 species from around the world, many of them threatened or endangered in the wild. The National Aviary’s large walk-through habitats create an intimate, up-close interaction between visitors and free-flying birds, including opportunities to hand-feed and to meet many species rarely found in zoos anywhere else in the world. For more information, visit www.aviary.org.
The National Aviary inspires respect for nature through an appreciation of birds.
