Henry Doorly Zoo- Kingdoms of the Night

Kingdoms of the Night at Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha Nebraska. The Dome COST: $31.5 million (includes Desert Dome and Kingdoms of the Night) OPENED: April 2002 The world's largest indoor desert, the Desert Dome, located under the world's largest glazed geodesic dome has become a landmark of Omaha. The Desert Dome features plant and animal life from three deserts of the world: the Namib Desert of southern Africa, the Red Center of Australia and the Sonoran Desert of the southwest United States. The Desert Dome contains 84000 square feet on two levels (42000 square feet on each level). Located beneath the Desert Dome exhibit is the Kingdoms of the Night, the world's largest nocturnal exhibit. Mechanical Facts of the Desert Dome The world's largest glazed geodesic dome stands 13 stories tall. The top of the dome is 137 feet above the main level. Although the building is 230 feet in diameter spanning over one acre, there are no support columns except the outer wall. Geodesic is defined as a dome pattern of triangles that provide a strong structure. A gutter system, on the outside of the dome, is connected to two, 20000 gallon underground storage tanks for the collection of rainwater. This water is used for watering the plants inside. Perfect Panel Placement The 1760 tinted acrylic panels, are three different shades as well as clear, providing maximum shade in the summer and maximum light in the winter. A computer program simulated the height of the sun during the spring, summer ...

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