The National Zoo is open every day of the year except December 25. ADMISSION IS FREE!
| Hours* | |||
| Grounds | |
Buildings** | |
| Apr 1 | Open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
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Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| May | |||
| Jun | |||
| Jul | |||
| Aug | |||
| Sep | |||
| Oct | |||
| Nov | Open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
|
Open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Dec | |||
| Jan | |||
| Feb | |||
| Mar 31 | |||
*Early Closings
Please note: Occasionally, the Zoo closes early for very special events. Details will be posted below.
May 9, 2008: The Zoo will close early for Guppy Gala. Most areas of the Zoo will close at noon, with the exception of Asia Trail, Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat, Cheetah Conservation Station, Bird House, and Panda Plaza. The entire zoo, including these areas, will close at 4 p.m.
May 15, 2008: The Zoo will close early for ZooFari. Most areas of the Zoo will close at noon, with the exception of Asia Trail, Cheetah Conservation Station, Bird House, and Panda Plaza. Note that the Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat will close at noon but visitors may be able to see giant pandas from the Panda Café roof. The entire zoo, including these areas, will close at 4 p.m.
October 24-26, 2008: The Zoo will close early for Boo at the Zoo.
December 2008: The Zoo will close early on some December days for ZooLights.
*Late Opening
June 14, 2008: The Zoo opens late once a year for Cockadoodle Zoo, an exclusive event for FONZ members. The Zoo will open to the public at 10 a.m.
** The last admission to buildings is 15 minutes before closing time.
We hope you see every animal at the Zoo each time you visit, however, animals are not on view every minute. Especially during the summer, animals may be resting in shady spots outside or staying cool inside their shelters. Animals at the Zoo and in the wild—and most of us—do what they can to be comfortable when the weather gets hot.
Please note: If you are interested in visiting a specific animal exhibit, please check the animal program (menu at left) for exhibit-specific information. We are renovating some exhibits, which may be closed temporarily when you visit. Details, when available, are posted on exhibit-specific pages. We apologize for any inconvenience.
NOTE: In the spring, many school buses full of children arrive at the Zoo between 10 a.m. and noon. For a more enjoyable, quieter experience, we recommend that you visit later in the afternoon, after 2 p.m. The animals are generally less active in the middle of the day. For tour bus groups, we offer special programs early and late in the day. See Group Packages.
