Sensory Resources & Guides

Sensory Resources

The ABQ BioPark is proud to be a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC). Our staff has completed training and certification in best practices when assisting autistic and sensory-sensitive guests.

Social Narratives

More information coming soon.

Sensory-Friendly Mornings & Low Sensory Events

The ABQ BioPark hosts low sensory events for families as well as adults-only events throughout the year. Check the current upcoming event schedule at BioPark Events.

For the first Tuesday of the month at the Zoo and the third Tuesday at the Aquarium and Botanic Garden, a limited number of tickets will be available from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Front Gate Assistance

For everyday visits, we recognize that the main entrances may be the most stimulating and crowded space you may encounter. If you would like information on a low sensory entrance, please call 505-248-8500 prior to your visit.

Sensory Guides

These tools from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) will help you understand how each sense may be affected by attractions at the BioPark and can guide you towards the best experience for you and your family or group.

To help you determine which areas of the zoo might trigger specific sensitivities, please review the sensory guide below for evaluation results. Then plan your visit to have the most personalized enjoyable experience possible.

Sensory levels: 1= low sensory stimulation, 10= high sensory stimulation.

Zoo

Entrance

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 3 Potential sounds from other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 2 Natural light, outdoor setting
• Smell: 3 some animal scents in this area

Reptiles

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 4 HVAC can be heard in this area, potential sounds from other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors,
• Sight: 4 Dim lighting throughout area, some additional spotlights, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 2 Potential animal scents in this area

Penguin Chill

• Touch: 3 Some interactive screens and items to touch:
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 5 Audio track plays in some areas, potential sounds from other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 4 Natural light, outdoor setting, some dim areas throughout the exhibit, some digital screens, view animals throughout the area
• Smell: 5 Some strong animal scents in this area

Cat Walk

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 3 Potential sounds from animals and other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 3 Natural Light, outdoor setting, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 4 Some strong animal scents in this area

Polar Bear

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 5 Loud echoes from sounds in this area, sounds from rushing water and other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 3 Dim area with mostly natural light, indoor setting, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 2 Potential animal scents in this area

Birds of the Islands

• Touch: 2 Visitors must enter through a gate to access this exhibit, low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 5 Sound: of birds can be loud for some guests, potential sounds from animals and other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 3 Natural light, outdoor setting, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 3 Some animal scents in this area

Ape Walk

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 5 Potential for loud sounds from animals, potential sounds from other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 3 Natural light, outdoor setting, view animals throughout the area
• Smell: 4 Some strong animal scents in this area

Australian Shores

• Touch: 2 Visitors must enter through a gate to access this exhibit, low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 low impact on this sense
• Sound: 3 Potential sounds from animals and other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 3 Natural light, outdoor setting, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 3 Some animal scents in this area

Lorikeet Experience

• Touch: 2 Potential for birds to touch: visitors, visitors must enter through a gate to access this exhibit, low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 4 Background sounds of carousel music, potential sounds from animals and other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 3 Natural light, outdoor setting, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 3 Some animal scents in this area

Africa

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 3 Potential sounds from animals and other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 3 Natural light, outdoor setting, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 3 Some animal scents in this area

Asia

• Touch: 4 Opportunity for young visitors to walk, play, balance, and climb in designated play areas, some hands-on interactive parts of the exhibit
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 4 Potential sounds from animals and other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 4 View animals throughout this area, some overhead, natural light, outdoor setting
• Smell: 3 Some animal scents in this area

Elephants

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 3 Potential sounds from animals and other guests, background sound: of rushing water, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 4 Natural light, outdoor setting, if windy potential for dust to blow in eyes, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 4 Some animal scents in this area

Carousel

• Touch: 5 Riders must stay seated with a seatbelt, riders move up and down in a circle
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 6 Mechanical sounds and music may be loud for some guests, potential sounds from other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 4 Changing scenery as riders move up and down in a circle, natural light, outdoor setting
• Smell: 1 Low impact on this sense

Life on a Limb

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 5 Audio track plays, potential sounds from other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 5 Transition from bright light to dark, some additional spotlights, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 5 Some strong scents from building materials and animals

Aquarium

Entrance

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 4 Sounds of other guests and splashing water, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 2 Mostly natural lighting, indoor setting, View animals throughout this area
• Smell: 4 Some animal and water scents in this area

Stingrays

• Touch: 3 Stingrays might splash guests, guests should be aware of balance walking on varying surfaces
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 5 Stingrays might make loud splashing sounds, sounds of other guests, potential for dose proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 4 Potential for water to splash in eyes, mostly natural lighting, indoor setting, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 4 Some animal and water scents in this area

Shark Tank

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 5 Area may be crowded, sounds of other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 4 Some dim areas, some additional spotlights, transition from dark to light, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 4 Some animal and water scents throughout the area

Coral Reefs

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 4 Sounds of other guests and splashing water, potential for close proximity/share space with other visitors
• Sight: 4 Mostly natural lighting, indoor setting, view animals throughout the area, some animals are overhead
• Smell: 4 Some animal and water scents in this area

Touch Pool

• Touch: 3 Guests can touch stingrays in this area
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 4 Sounds of other guests and splashing water, sounds of HVAC can be heard in this area, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 4 Potential for water to splash in eyes, mostly natural lighting, indoor setting, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 4 Some animal and water scents in this area

Otters-Underwater Viewing

• Touch: 3 Can interact with digital screens, opportunity to crawl in a log
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 4 Sounds of other guests and splashing water, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 3 Mostly natural lighting, indoor setting, some digital screens, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 4 Some animal and water scents in this area

Otters-Outdoor Viewing

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 2 Background sounds of other guests and splashing water, potential sounds of traffic, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 3 Natural lighting, outdoor setting, transition from dim lighting to bright lighting, view animals throughout this area
• Smell: 2 Some animal and water scents in this area

Jellies

• Touch: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 4 Sounds of other guests and splashing water, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 6 Dark area, may be difficult to see for some guests, transition from light to dark, some additional spotlights, view animals throughout this
  area
• Smell: 4 Some animal and water scents in this area

Botanic Garden

Butterfly Pavilion

• Touch: 3 Can feel mist and some water droplets, visitors can explore this area at their own pace, potential for visitors to touch plants when walking along pathways
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 2 Sound from mist being sprayed, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 4 Potential for water to drip in eyes, natural light, outdoor setting
• Smell: 2 Potential plant and water scents in this area

Castle Courtyard

• Touch: 2 Visitors can explore this area at their own pace, varying surface areas and textures, potential for visitors to touch plants when walking along pathways
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 2 Typically a quiet area unless events are scheduled, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 2 Natural light, outdoor setting
• Smell: 3 Some plant scents in this area

Children's Fantasy Garden

• Touch: 5 Visitors can play musical instruments and slide down a tunnel slide, varying surface areas and textures, potential for visitors to touch plants when walking along pathways
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 4 Sounds of musical instruments and other guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 2 Natural light, outdoor setting
• Smell: 2 Potential plant scents in this area

Desert Observatory

• Touch: 1 Area feels hotter than other exhibits, low impact on this sense
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 2 Typically a quiet area, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 2 Natural light, indoor setting
• Smell: 2 Potential plant scents in this area

Garden Railroad

• Touch: 2 Visitors can explore this area at their own pace, potential for visitors to touch plants when walking along pathways
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 3 Mechanical sounds from trains, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 2 Natural light, outdoor setting
• Smell: 2 Some animal and water scents in this area

Japanese Garden

• Touch: 2 Visitors can explore this area at their own pace, varying surface areas and textures, potential for visitors to touch plants when walking along pathways
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 2 Typically a quiet area, sound of rushing water, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 2 Natural light, outdoor setting
• Smell: 2 Some water and plant scents in the area

Mediterranean Observatory

• Touch: 2 Visitors can explore this area at their own pace, area feels more humid that other indoor areas, potential for visitors to touch plants when
  walking along pathways
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 4 Sounds of mist being sprayed and fans, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 3 Mist sprays around the exhibit, natural light, indoor setting
• Smell: 4 Some water and plant scents in this area

Rose Garden

• Touch: 2 Visitors can explore this area at their own pace, varying surface areas and textures, potential for visitors to touch plants when walking along pathways
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 2 Typically a quiet area, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 2 Natural light, outdoor setting
• Smell: 3 Scent of roses in the area

Specialty Gardens

• Touch: 2 Visitors can explore this area at their own pace, varying surface areas and textures, potential for visitors to touch plants when walking along pathways
• Taste: 1 Low impact on this sense
• Sound: 3 Some sounds from nearby guests, potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors
• Sight: 2 Natural light, outdoor setting
• Smell: 2 Potential plant scents in this area