Discover the wonderful world of wildlife at the Abilene Zoo! Home to more than 1,000 animals from around the globe, a visit to the Abilene Zoo is filled with fun and excitement for animal lovers of all ages. Get up close and personal with a giraffe at Giraffe Safari. Check out lions, camels, a white tiger, black rhinoceros and other African species, while the king cobra and 70 other reptiles await you in the Reptile House. Meet animals from the tropics in the colorful Caribbean Cove or meet dozens of native species in Elm Creek Backyard.Treat yourself to a hot dog basket and beverage at the Watering Hole and select a souvenir of your visit at the Zoo Store.  Take a tour on the Safari Express Train and a whirl on the Wildlife Carousel.

Ask for coupons and discounts at the KOA office or contact the Abilene Visitor's Center.

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Located in historic downtown Abilene, Frontier Texas is a western heritage center that allows visitors to relive the Old West through the magic of state-of-the-art technology. Frontier Texas brings the frontier to life and lets visitors meet people who played out their lives on the Texas frontier. Frontier Texas also serves as the official visitor center for Abilene and the Texas Forts Trail Region.

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The National Center for Children's Illustrated  Literature exhibits, tours, collects, preserves and promotes original art from  the finest children's literature.  Continuing to inspire and empower children to read and be creative. Through its programming and outreach, the NCCIL will actively promote children's literacy, both art and reading, in the Abilene community and beyond.

The National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature collaborates with award-winning illustrators to produce exhibitions of their artwork that are distinctive, appealing to museum visitors of all ages, and of the highest quality. In addition to this unique artistic partnership, following its debut at the NCCIL gallery, each exhibition travels to museums, public libraries, and galleries nationwide.

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On June 8, 2017, the Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden was unveiled on the southeast lawn of the Abilene Convention Center with thousands of people in attendance, including the family of Garth Williams. The family traveled to Abilene from Mexico and took part in the ribbon cutting and in the weekend's festivities during the Children's Art & Literacy Festival.The Williams family authorized five sets of sculptures for the garden depicting some of Garth's most iconic characters from best-selling books “Charlotte's Web,” “Stuart Little,” and the popular Little Golden Book “Three Bedtime Stories.” From that book, sculptures were created of “The Three Little Pigs,” “The Three Little Kittens” and “The Three Bears.” Garth Williams was the most revered illustrator of his generation, and these works will be a permanent part of his legacy and Abilene's cultural landscape.

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