Poo at the zoo: Rome biopark opens feces exhibition for curious children
Rome is known for its ancient Colosseum, but a less traditional attraction is making headlines in the Italian capital. A zoo has opened an excrement exhibition, teaching visitors all about poo.
The Rome Biopark is the proud owner of the exhibition, which includes interactive sections and realistic models of doo-doo.
"Poo is life," the zoo's president, Federico Coccia, said during the exhibition's opening ceremony on Thursday, making clear that the attraction - despite its content - is far from crappy.
"Without animal poo, there wouldn't be fertile ground and so there wouldn't be trees, oxygen, food...there wouldn't be any life," he continued, as quoted by the Local.
Visitors can enjoy a number of poo-related activities, including 10 interactive sections ranging from 3D installations to realistic models of all kinds of feces.
Poo enthusiasts who enjoy a bit of investigative work can brush up on ways to identify the source of a pile of excrement by studying its characteristics. Because you never know when you might need to distinguish elephant poop from the giraffe variety.
Meanwhile, those who fancy a historic look at poo – because modern poo is so ordinary – can take a peek at fossils of dinosaur doo-doo.
Those who don't actually enjoy animals but find themselves stuck at the zoo with their friends can spend time at a section which focuses on the human digestive system. Visitors can insert plastic models of different foods into a machine, pull a lever, and watch the digestion system in action.
Although the exhibition is aimed mostly at children, organizers said adults may also enjoy learning about the peculiarities of poo.
The exhibition will run until June 30, with special family days taking place on May 19 and 26. During those days, families can take part in workshops and guided tours.
