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The Zoo will be closed Saturday, Jan. 29, due to winter weather.

The Zoo is open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entry passes are required for all guests, including infants. All visitors ages 2 and older are required to wear a mask in all indoor spaces at the Zoo, regardless of their vaccination status. Fully vaccinated visitors do not need to wear a mask in outdoor areas. Select animal buildings remain closed.

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Latest Panda News

The Smithsonian's National Zoo's 2-month-old giant panda cub receives his second veterinary exam Oct. 19, 2020.
Oct. 26, 2020
#PandaStory: Nine Weeks Old
If you’ve caught a glimpse of our cub on the Giant Panda Cam lately, you may have noticed that he likes to sleep on his back. It’s very cute to watch! 
The Smithsonian's National Zoo's 2-month-old giant panda cub receives his second veterinary exam Oct. 19, 2020.
Oct. 22, 2020
#PandaStory: Second Veterinary Exam
It’s official—our giant panda cub is as round as he is long, received his first vaccine and is 100% adorable. 
Giant panda cub during its keeper exam Oct. 14, 2020.
Oct. 19, 2020
#PandaStory: Weekend Field Trip
Although our giant panda cub is still perfecting his crawling skills, mother Mei Xiang is helping her son see the world beyond their den. Over the weekend, the pair took a brief “field trip” into thei... read more
The Zoo's 7-week-old giant panda cub receives a routine check-up.
Oct. 15, 2020
#PandaStory: Fruitsicles and Feistiness
Tomorrow, our giant panda cub will be eight weeks old! Mei Xiang has always been a devoted mother to her cubs, and this little guy is no exception. 
Giant panda keeper Marty Dearie measures the male giant panda cub's abdominal girth.
Oct. 08, 2020
#PandaStory: Packing on the Pounds
Our 6-week-old giant panda cub is packing on the pounds! Get the scoop on his weekly weigh-in from assistant curator Laurie Thompson. 
A 6-week-old giant panda cub with black-and-white markings, small claws and a light layer of fur rests on a yellow towel
Oct. 05, 2020
It’s a Boy!
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s 6-week-old giant panda cub is a male, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientists confirmed. During the cub’s first veterinary exam Sept. 19, Zoo veterinaria... read more
The Zoo's 6-week-old giant panda cub is just starting to open its eyes.
Oct. 02, 2020
#PandaStory: Six Weeks Old
Giant panda keeper Marty Dearie shares that the Zoo's 6-week-old cub is starting to open its eyes. Check out the latest #PandaStory update! 
The Smithsonian's National Zoo's 1-month-old giant panda cub.
Sep. 28, 2020
#PandaStory: Giant Panda Cub Exam (Sept. 25)
Check out a video of last week's giant panda cub exam! 
The Smithsonian's National Zoo's 1-month-old giant panda cub.
Sep. 25, 2020
#PandaStory: The Cub’s Growing Girth
When Mei Xiang left her den to grab a bite to eat this morning, the Panda Team had another opportunity to conduct a brief exam on our 1-month-old giant panda cub. 
Zoo veterinarians measure the Zoo's 29-day-old giant panda cub Sept. 19, 2020.
Sep. 21, 2020
#PandaStory: First Veterinary Exam
Our giant panda cub has reached a big milestone—today marks one month since its birth Aug. 21. Over the weekend, Mei Xiang left the den, and an opportunity arose to conduct the cub's first veterinary... read more
Giant panda Mei Xiang cradles her cub on Sept. 13, 2020.
Sep. 18, 2020
#PandaStory: 28 Days Old
Guess who is four weeks old today! After 28 days of devoted care from mother Mei Xiang, our giant panda cub is growing into the species’ signature “plump.” 
A close up photo of the 3-week-old giant panda cub.
Sep. 14, 2020
#PandaStory: Cub Day 24
Exciting news! When giant panda Mei Xiang left the den Sept. 13 to eat some bamboo, the panda team was able to retrieve her 3-week-old cub for its first neonatal exam.
Giant panda Mei Xiang holds her small cub in her arms. The cub has small visible claws and has started to get its black and white markings
Sep. 09, 2020
#PandaStory: Cub Day 19
Our giant panda cub is growing! As our newborn packs on the grams, it is becoming a bit easier to spot on the Panda Cam. 
Giant panda Mei Xiang cradles her newborn cub Aug. 31, 2020.
Sep. 04, 2020
Top 10 Giant Panda Cub Cam Moments
As we celebrate the birth of our newest giant panda cub, take a look back at our top 10 favorite moments from the cub's first two weeks, as seen on the Panda Cam!
Mei Xiang eats sugar cane with her cub.
Sep. 03, 2020
#PandaStory: Cub Day 13
Giant panda Mei Xiang continues to be a wonderful mother to her newborn. Last night, she gently set the cub down on the floor of their den and walked into her main indoor enclosure to drink some water...
Giant panda Mei Xiang holds her 10-day-old cub in her forearms. The cub's tiny paws are peeking out.
Aug. 31, 2020
#PandaStory: Cub Day 10
Our giant panda cub appears to be growing nicely! Over the weekend, the Panda Cam revealed a peek of its tiny paws compared to those of mother Mei Xiang. 
The bigger the giant panda cub gets, the more distinct its markings get. If you look closely, you can very clearly see black eye patches starting to come in.
Aug. 28, 2020
#PandaStory: Cub Day 7
Last night, giant panda Mei Xiang gave us another peek at her precious cub! If you look closely, you can see its iconic black eye markings starting to appear.
Giant panda Mei Xiang briefly placed her cub on the ground in the early morning Aug. 27, 2020.
Aug. 27, 2020
#PandaStory: Cub Day 6
Big news! Early this morning, our Panda Team observed giant panda Mei Xiang leave the den twice to get a drink of water at 4:27 a.m. and 5:59 a.m. Her brief reprieve offered Panda Cam viewers a look a... read more
Giant panda Mei Xiang and her cub, which was born Aug. 21, 2020.
Aug. 26, 2020
#PandaStory: Cub Day 5
Last night around 5:40 p.m., Mei Xiang placed the cub on the floor of her den for just a few seconds, giving all of those watching the Panda Cam a fantastic view of her growing cub.
Giant Panda Mei Xiang holds her cub gently in her mouth as she readjusts her position.
Aug. 25, 2020
#PandaStory: Cub Day 4
Giant panda Mei Xiang and her newborn cub continue to do well. As Mei Xiang shifts from a resting position (laying down) to a nursing position (sitting up) and vice-versa, she occasionally holds the c... read more
Aug. 24: Giant panda Mei Xiang holds her cub born Aug. 21, 2020 between her paws to keep it warm.
Aug. 24, 2020
#PandaStory: Cub Day 3
Mei Xiang, our 22-year-old giant panda, continues to be a devoted mother. Interestingly, she has found a new position to hold this cub.
Giant panda Mei Xiang cradles her newborn cub Aug. 22, 2020. The cub was born Aug. 21, 2020, at 6:35 p.m.
Aug. 23, 2020
#PandaStory: Cub Day 2
Our panda team observed Mei Xiang and her cub overnight and were happy with the behaviors they saw. As expected, Mei Xiang is being an excellent and attentive mother. She has already established posit... read more
Giant Panda Mei Xiang rests with her tiny, newborn cub in her den at the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Giant Panda House
Aug. 21, 2020
Giant Panda Cub Born at Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) gave birth to a cub at Smithsonian’s National Zoo today, Aug. 21 at 6:35 p.m.
An image of an ultrasound showing a giant panda fetus
Aug. 14, 2020
Veterinarians Find Fetal Tissue on Giant Panda Ultrasound
Veterinarians at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo detected tissue consistent with fetal development during Mei Xiang’s ultrasound this morning, Aug. 14.
Giant panda Mei Xiang at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat.
Jul. 20, 2020
Giant Panda Update: From Bamboo Shoots to Training Chutes
Summer is in full swing at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat. Read the latest update on Mei Xiang and Tian Tian from Laurie Thompson, assistant curator of giant pandas.