Hours
The National Zoo will close early on Thursday, May 16, for our ZooFari event.
View our ZooFari early closing times
The National Zoo is open every day of the year except December 25. ADMISSION IS FREE!
| Summer (April-October) |
Winter (November-March) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Exhibit Buildings | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Grounds | 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. | 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Visitor Center, Shops, and Concessions | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Last Admittance | 7 p.m. | N/A |
Animal buildings and exhibits open at 10 a.m. but some animals can often be seen in their outside enclosure as early as 8:30 a.m.
Cheetahs, zebras, gazelles, oryx, Przewalski's horses, lions, tigers, birds, and many other animals can be seen outside much of the time, and many more animals are on exhibit throughout the day in our air-conditioned and heated buildings (including the Reptile Discovery Center, Invertebrate Exhibit, Small Mammal House, Bird House, and Amazonia).
The Zoo is a popular destination and parking lots fill quickly, so we encourage you to arrive early in the day before animal buildings open or take Metro to the Zoo during peak attendance times.
Early Closings and Late Opening
On occasion, the National Zoo closes early or opens late to host special events.
