Attractions

EXPERIENCE:
At the Memphis Zoo, get nose-to-nose with polar bears and splashed by sea lions in Norwest Passage. Visit giant pandas "Ya Ya" and "Le Le" in CHINA, a breathtaking Asian-inspired exhibit. Take in the sights and sounds of Yellowstone National Park at the new exhibit Teton Trek, featuring grizzly bears, elk, timber wolves and trumpeter swans. The Memphis Zoo is an interactive and fun experience for the whole family. Find out what has made it America's #1 Zoo! The zoo’s animal inhabitants reside in 19 exhibits in three zones.

Viewing all the exhibits requires a walk of about 2 miles. Trams provide visitors with guided tours for a small daily fee and as a shuttle between distant exhibits. Landscaping plays a key role and features ponds, waterfalls, fountains, streams as well as a mixture of trees, shrubs and native plants.

The zoo is host to several annual events such as Zoo Boo with its haunted forest, Zoo Lights with over 1 million holiday lights and Zoo Brew. Their annual fundraiser is the Zoo Rendezvous

HISTORY:
It all began in 1906 with a black bear named Natch, a retired baseball mascot. In April of that same year, the Memphis Park Commission allocated $1,200 to establish the Memphis Zoo. It all began with 23 simple cages and a row of concrete bear dens and has since become a national award-winning zoological park.

INSIDERS TIP:
The famous lion roar heard at the beginning of classic MGM movies was recorded in the old Carnivora Building at the Memphis Zoo. The lion, known as “Volney” to his keepers, died in 1944.

OTHER INFO:
Tour length: 2-3 hours (self guided)
Admission: $15 adults, $14 seniors, $10 ages 2-11
Hours of operation: Mar-Oct: 9am-6pm.
Nov-Feb: 9am-5pm.
Last admission one hour before close.
Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas day only.
Minimum group size: 20
Group admission: $10.40 adults, $9.60 seniors, $6.40 children
Catering packages