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Anyone Collect Zoo/Aquarium Magnets?

Discussion in 'Zoo Memorabilia' started by Blackduiker, 17 Mar 2009.

  1. Blackduiker

    Blackduiker Well-Known Member

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    I try to collect magnets from every vacation, especially from zoos and aquariums. My collection includes:

    Los Angeles Zoo
    San Diego Zoo
    San Diego Wild Animal Park
    San Francisco Zoo
    Honolulu Zoo
    St. Louis Zoo
    Walt Disney's Animal Kingdom
    Chicago Lincoln Park Zoo (From my wife's visit)
    Cabrillo Aquarium
    Aquarium of the Pacific
    Maui Ocean Center
    Waikiki Aquarium
    Sea World (San Diego)
     
  2. Zebraduiker

    Zebraduiker Well-Known Member

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    Hi Blackduiker,

    I do the same, so i've bought a lot of zoo and aquarium magnets during my june/july trip to the east coast of the states, I have now more than 30 diffrent magnets.

    Especially I like the 3D magnets.
     
  3. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Unfortunately, most of the magnets I see at zoos are all made by one company and all feature the same generic stock animal photos - that is to say, NOT animals from that particular zoo. So you could get the exact same magnet with "Los Angeles Zoo" stamped on it and "Reid Park Zoo" and "Phoenix Zoo" and so on.

    If you can find a zoo that actually makes its own magnets (or postcards or whatever) with its own animal photos, that is really special. Sadly, many U.S. zoos (including mine) have handed over their gift shop concession to a national company, which just stamps the zoo name on generic cards and t-shirts. So finding unique merchandise specific to any given zoo is getting harder - a trend I find very disappointing.
     
  4. Zebraduiker

    Zebraduiker Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, thats correct, so I bought an Magnet at the Philadelphia Zoo with diffrent animals on it, so giant pandas for example, which are not being kept at the Phily Zoo...

    But I've got a few nice Whale Shark magnets at the Georgia Aquarium, unfortuantely, no 3D one.
     
  5. Blackduiker

    Blackduiker Well-Known Member

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    Blackduiker

    I've noticed that about generic magnets so I try to only buy them with animals actually represented in that particular collection. But the main point is to show my having visited that institution.
     
  6. ChesterGemsbok

    ChesterGemsbok Well-Known Member

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    Wales, UK
    I'm totally obsessed with Magnets!!!!!!!!
    Any place that sells magnets i have to buy one and Zoos/Aquariums are no exeption!
    ;)
     
  7. Blackduiker

    Blackduiker Well-Known Member

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    Blackduiker

    I Just visited the Sacramento Zoo this past weekend for the first time.
     
  8. Simon Hampel

    Simon Hampel Administrator Staff Member 20+ year member

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    Our fridge is covered with magnets from places we've visited, especially zoos. We were disappointed recently on our trip to South America that none of the zoos we visited had good magnets.
     
  9. blospz

    blospz Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Having gone to more zoos this year, I have started to do that as well. I'll probably continue to do some because I want memorbilla from each zoo to remind me of the visit. The magnet I got from Cleveland Zoo is generic and I wouldn't be surprised if it was used by another zoo. The one I have from the Buffalo Zoo has their animal logo on it. Lastly the one I got from Erie Zoo yesterday was actual unique and was of an animal carousel which reminded me of their great carousel. I'm surprised I have not gotten one from Seneca Park Zoo since I've been there so many times, but I shall do so this summer.
     
  10. Blackduiker

    Blackduiker Well-Known Member

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    Blackduiker

    More recent visits which have included souvenir magnets have been the Exotic Feline Breeding Center, The Living Desert, and the Santa Barbara Zoo.
     
  11. bizzoblaze

    bizzoblaze Member

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    I also collect magnets from the zoos i have been to. i used to collect patches, but i ran out of room so now i have started a new collection of magnets, i have so far
    Columbus OH
    Racine WI
    Milwaukee WI
    Madison WI.
    N.E.W. Zoo Green Bay WI.
    Brookfield Zoo Chicago Il.
    Indianapolis Zoo IN.

    also i think its sad that the magnets all are the same now with just a name stamped on them.
     
    Last edited: 20 Jun 2010
  12. Blackduiker

    Blackduiker Well-Known Member

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    My latest would be from the Phoenix Zoo, which I visited for the first time in April of this year.
     
  13. blospz

    blospz Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I just got another one from the Buffalo Zoo. It's a pretty nice cut out one of the Rainforest Exhibit. Only one flaw...there's a clouded leopard in the background. Except we don't have a clouded leopard...we have an ocelot.
     
  14. Tarsius

    Tarsius Well-Known Member

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    I hope,the japanese Zoosa nd Aquariums, which I will visit during the next 4 weeks, do have cool magnets with rare species, whale sharks or dugong for examples.
     
  15. Talli

    Talli Well-Known Member

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    I collect zoo patches big time, and then lapel pins if they have them. If I can't find either of those, then I will sometimes get a magnet. I agree that a lot of them are generic which is too bad. If anyone wants me to hunt for what they collect in exchange for patches, let me know! I love to trade.
     
  16. Goretex

    Goretex Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Are there any noatable ones for UK zoos?
     
  17. jusko88

    jusko88 Well-Known Member

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    I Do!!! Here's my list.
    Cleveland Metro Park Zoo
    Tampa Lowry Park Zoo
    Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
    Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
    Philadelphia Zoo
    Akron Zoo
    Cape May County Park & Zoo
    The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
    San Diego Zoo
    Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
     
  18. blospz

    blospz Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    My Collection of Magnets:

    Adventure Aquarium - Hippo
    Brookfield Zoo - Great Bear Wilderness & Vintage Hippo
    Buffalo Zoo - Rainforest Falls
    Cleveland Zoo - Generic Collection of Wild Animals
    Columbus Zoo - Australia & Islands Animals, Manatee Crossing, & Polar Frontier
    Erie Zoo - Old Fashioned Animal Carousel
    Lincoln Park Zoo - Animal Squares
    Maryland Zoo - Animal Collage
    National Aquarium - Bay Shot
    National Aviary - Birds within Bird
    Philadelphia Zoo - Vintage Mandrill & Vintage Entrance
    Pittsburgh Zoo - Aquatic Chain
    Seattle Aquarium - Sea Otter
    Seneca Park Zoo - Elephants
    Shedd Aquarium - Animal Collage
    Smithsonian National Zoo - Animal Collage, Flowered Panda, American Trails
    Toronto Zoo - Toronto Architecture in Polar Bear
    Virginia Aquarium - North American River Otters
    Virginia Zoo - Trail of the Tiger, Logo
    Woodland Park Zoo - Matschie's Tree Kangaroo

    Missing:

    Niagara Falls Aquarium (never really looked), Zoo America (didn't want to support them), Binghamton Zoo (didn't collect magnets then), Rosamond Gifford Zoo (not a good collection), Catoctin Zoo (nothing good), Lowry Park Zoo (I feel like we got one but I can't find it).