Programs are effective through April 30, 2009 except as noted. Locations of programs are posted at the zoo’s South Entrance (N. 50th St. & Fremont Ave. N.) and West Entrance (N. 55th St. & Phinney Ave. N.). 

Winter hours - October 1 through April 30, the zoo opens at 9:30 a.m. and closes at 4:00 p.m.

***NEW *** Flamingos at Woodland Park Zoo, presented by The Boeing Company –

These gregarious, long-legged and long-necked birds are sure to tickle you pink. The exhibit includes several interactive features to engage children in play and learning: three life-size representations of Chilean flamingo nests at the end of a toddler-sized path; child-proof eggs that look every bit as authentic as the real thing; and a bas-relief sculpture of a flamingo head where visitors can touch a simulated filtering structure that demonstrates how flamingos eat. Free with zoo admission.

Zoomazium Programs 

Toddler Animal Program – 10:30 a.m. daily. Could include storytelling with puppets, movement activities and a chance to see and touch a live animal.

Shake, Rattle and Roar – 11:30 a.m. daily. Toddlers and their caregivers can dance, sing and shake with instruments to their favorite animal and nature tunes.

Nature Exchange – 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. daily. Bring in your drawings, photos, research or cool nature items, and earn points to trade for the natural items in our ever-changing collection!

Mystery Box – 3:00 p.m. daily. We need your help to solve the mystery. Children and their caregivers use their observational skills to figure out what is inside the Mystery Box. Includes a chance to see and touch a live animal.

Puppet Show – 3:45 p.m. daily. Animal puppets sing, dance and tell stories. Don’t miss this afternoon favorite! 

Animal Programs

Ocelot Keeper Talk – 11:00 a.m. Fridays. Learn how these fascinating felines are cared for at the zoo and what is being done to conserve them in the wild.

Piranha Feeding – 11:15 a.m. Fridays. Learn how keepers use a variety of feeding techniques to enrich the lives of the zoo’s animals. 

Elephant Talk – 2:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Meet the elephant keepers and learn about the zoo’s magnificent elephants. Discover how Woodland Park Zoo supports elephant conservation in the wild and what you can do to help.

Reticulated Python Snake Feeding – 11:30 a.m. January 29, February 26, March 26, April 30. Snakes swallow their prey whole, and can eat large animals relative to their own size. Find out how while watching a keeper feed a reticulated python or other large snake in the Day Exhibit. Program is dependent on the snake’s appetite (prey fed to snake is not alive).

More Fun…

Animal Encounters

Want a close encounter with the animal kind? Here's your chance to meet a lizard, snake, millipede or other small zoo animal up-close and personal. Look for the Animal Encounters cart!

Bug Club (fee based)

Do you think crickets are cool and ants are outrageous? Then join Bug Club! Bug Club is for children 5 years and older who love bugs! Bug Club meets one Sunday per month. For information or an application, call 206.548.2424 or visit www.zoo.org.

Historic Carousel – 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. weekends, school breaks and holidays through April 30.

Create magical memories riding the classic, hand-carved wooden carousel horses. Cost: $2.00 a ride, in addition to zoo admission. Two party rooms are available to rent for birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, weddings and other celebrations. For a private party, contact the zoo’s Group Sales at 206.548.2590. For a birthday party, contact group.sales@zoo.org.

Classes and Camps (fee based).

A wide variety of classes for children, families and adults are offered throughout the year.  From Eye-to-Eye Tours that take you behind the scenes with a keeper to Tiny Tyke Time for preschoolers and their caregivers, there are many exciting opportunities for individuals or the whole family! Zooper Day Camps, for children ages 4-13, are offered during school vacations throughout the year. For information or an application, call 206.548.2424 or visit www.zoo.org.

Habitat Ramblers: Look for the "Ask Me" button

Habitat Ramblers can be found in the African Savanna, Northern Trail, Tropical Asia or Tropical Rain Forest. With a variety of animal props and enrichment items used by keepers, volunteer Habitat Ramblers share information about bioclimatic zones, animal enrichment activities and conservation efforts.

Willawong Station, The Bird Feeding Experience – 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. daily.

The popular walk-through bird feeding experience transports visitors to the world of the Australian parrot and the Australian grasslands habitat. Willawong Station is a fun opportunity for the whole family to get up close and feed birds in a controlled, safe environment while learning about responsible care for birds both in the wild and at home. The aviary includes approximately 150 free-flying birds, primarily small colorful Australian parrots. Free with zoo admission. During the winter, bird feedings are available at Willawong Station on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays only. Seed sticks are $1 each.

Zoo Overnight and Evening Adventures (fee based)

Come experience the zoo in a whole new light – after dark! Guests explore zoo grounds with an engaging and knowledgeable guide to get the inside scoop on our amazing animals. Zoo Adventures are for the young at heart, ages 7 and up, and are offered on Friday and Saturday nights from March through November. Gather a group of 25 or more to schedule a private adventure or register for one of our general public adventures in the summer. For more information or to register call 206.548.2424 or visit www.zoo.org.

Zoomazium – 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily.

Kids ages 8 and under and their caregivers love Zoomazium! Here kids can connect with animals, habitats and more through the natural language of childhood—play! Crawl through a hidden cave. Climb a giant strangler fig tree. Enjoy daily programs for toddlers and older children. The indoor nature play space is near the West Entrance at N. 55th St. & Phinney Ave. N. Free with zoo admission.

General information

Winter hours – 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily, October 1 through April 30. The zoo is open every day except Christmas Day, December 25. 

Admission fees – October 1 – April 30: Adult (13-64) $11.00; Child (3-12) $8.00; Toddler (0-2) free. May 1 to September 30: Adult (13-64) $16.50; Child (3-12) $11.00; Toddler (0-2) free. Seniors (65+) and people with disabilities receive a discount and zoo members receive free zoo admission year-round.

Parking - $4.50. Beginning February 1: $5. Consider taking the bus, biking, walking or carpooling. Conserving resources is one more way to help animals. Call Metro at 206.553.3000 for bus service to the zoo.

Gifts/Food: Visit the ZooStore for extraordinary gifts and zoo souvenirs. Stop by the Rain Forest Food Pavilion to quench your thirst or appetite. New food concessionaire, Lancer Hospitality, provides a new and improved menu at lower prices. Open daily during regular zoo hours.

Info: For more information or to become a zoo member, call 206.548.2500 or 206.548.2599 (TTY), or visit the zoo’s website at www.zoo.org.

Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is famed for pioneering naturalistic exhibits and setting international standards for zoos all over the world. Conservation, education and excellent animal care are at the core of the zoo’s mission. The zoo helps save animals and their habitats in Washington state and around the world including tree kangaroos, snow leopards, red-crowned cranes, African wild dogs, western pond turtles and Oregon silverspot butterflies. By inspiring people to care and act, Woodland Park Zoo makes a difference in our planet’s future.