Enjoy egg hunts, games, food trucks, live music and special animal demos throughout the day. Don't miss a special talk with Denis Hayes and Steve Monfort — the conservation professionals who started the Earth Day and Earth Optimism movements — at 12:30 p.m. in the Conservation Pavilion.

Whether sampling Bird Friendly coffee, learning about local citizen science projects or discovering some of the Smithsonian’s greatest conservation success stories, there are dozens of exciting opportunities to celebrate wildlife and wild places at the Zoo during this event.

This year's education stations include:

• Black-footed ferret recovery and reintroduction
• Coral conservation
• Giant panda research
• Global Health Program
• Guam rail conservation
• Kiwi conservation
• Loggerhead shrike conservation
• Przewalski’s horse conservation
• Scimitar-horned oryx recovery and reintroduction
• Bird Friendly Coffee
• Conservation Nation
• EEHV Laboratory
• Eyes and Ears in the Forest
• National Zoo Sustainability Committee
• Nature Play
• Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum
• Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
• Virginia Working Landscapes
• Wildlife Health Sciences

Meet dedicated partners working to engage communities in conservation action, including:

• Anacostia Watershed Society
• City Nature Challenge
• Cornell University Sustainable Design
• D.C. Department of Energy and Environment
• Earth Conservation Corps
• Earth Day Network
• EcoTeen Action Network
• Save the Golden Lion Tamarin

Earth Day and Earth Optimism: Making the Case for Positivity for the Planet

12:30 p.m. in the Conservation Pavilion

Celebrate Earth Day and Earth Optimism with two of the conservation professionals who started these incredible movements!

Join Denis Hayes, organizer of the first-ever Earth Day celebration, and Steve Monfort, John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and co-founder of the Smithsonian Conservation Commons, for a moderated discussion on the past, present and future of Earth Day, Earth Optimism and conservation. 

This program is free and open to the public; seating is first come, first served. This program is best suited for environmentally conscious teens, university students and adults.
 

This year's double celebration means double the music, too, with one stage in front of the Great Cats gift shop and one stage in the band shell by Lion/Tiger Hill. Expect family-friendly performances by:

• The Rainbow Rock Band
• Only Lonesome Bluegrass Band
• Aura Quartet
• After-U Band

10 a.m.

• Meet an Armadillo | Small Mammal House

10:30 a.m.

• Meet a Cheetah Keeper | Cheetah Conservation Station*
• Meet a Farm Animal | Kids' Farm
• Meet a Great Cats Curator | Great Cats Circle, between the two yards to the right of the Speedwell Conservation Carousel
• Meet a Naked Mole-rat | Small Mammal House

11 a.m.

• Asian Small-clawed Otter Feeding | Asia Trail*
• Amazon Fish Feeding | Amazonia Fish Pools
• Elephant Training Demo | Elephant Outpost*
• Meet a Farm Animal | Kids' Farm
• Meet a Reptile | Reptile Discovery Center
• Orangutan Keeper Chat | Great Ape House

11:15 a.m.

• Sea Lion Demo | American Trail, sea lion exhibit

11:30 a.m.

• Keeper Chat | Think Tank
• Meet a Great Cats Keeper | Great Cats Circle, between the two yards to the right of the Speedwell Conservation Carousel*
• Meet a Red River Hog | Cheetah Conservation Station*

12 p.m.

• Meerkat Feeding | Small Mammal House
• Meet a Primate Curator | Great Ape House
• Meet a Panamanian Golden Frog | Amazonia
• Meet a Reptile | Reptile Discovery Center

1 p.m.

• Electric Fishes Keeper Talk and Feeding | Amazonia Field Station
• Gorilla Keeper Chat | Great Ape House

1:15 p.m.

• Giant Panda Enrichment | Giant Panda House

1:30 p.m.

• Great Ape Research Talk | Think Tank
• Keeper's Choice | American Trail (check the sign by the tide pool for the exact location)
• Meet a Kids' Farm Keeper | Kids' Farm
• Meet a Vulture | Cheetah Conservation Station
• Sloth Bear Feeding | Asia Trail*
• Small Mammal Enrichment | Small Mammal House

2 p.m.

• Amazon Fish Feeding | Amazonia Fish Pools
• Clouded Leopard Chat | Asia Trail
• Meet a Great Cats Keeper | Great Cats Circle, between the two yards to the right of the carousel*
• Meet a Lemur Keeper | Lemur Island
• Meet a Reptile | Reptile Discovery Center
• Meet a Naked Mole-rat | Small Mammal House
• Meet a Zebra | Cheetah Conservation Station

3 p.m.

• Meet a Kudu/Hornbill | Cheetah Conservation Station
• Sea Lion Demosntration | American Trail

4 p.m.

• Elephant Keeper Chat | Elephant Community Center

*Weather permitting

Best Time to Visit

Spring Break and Easter Monday are the busiest times at the zoo and parking lots fill quickly. Once parking is filled, the gates will be closed to further vehicular traffic.

During peak visitation days at the Zoo, you may be greeted upon entry by one of the security personnel who will conduct a thorough but speedy hand-check of all bags, strollers, briefcases, purses and containers. You may also be hand-screened with an electronic wand. 

Because of the security measures, the lines for entry to the Zoo may be longer than usual during peak seasons and holidays. We ask for your patience, cooperation and assistance in keeping everyone safe.

Parking, Drop-off and Shuttles

Parking

Designated accessible parking spaces are located in Parking Lots A, B and D on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, including information on how to purchase reserved parking, see the parking and directions page.

Accessible Drop-off and Pick-up Areas

The Zoo’s Panda Plaza Bus Lot serves as an accessible drop-off and pick-up area.

Shuttles

The Zoo operates a wheelchair accessible guest shuttle that runs on a continuous loop from the Panda Plaza Bus Lot/Accessible Drop-off to the lower entrance of the Zoo and back. The shuttle takes 15-20 minutes to complete the loop and does not stop at Parking Lot C. 

Wheelchair and Electronic Vehicle Rental

All Zoo pathways are wheelchair accessible. Please note that the Zoo’s main pathway is located on a hill with a significant decline from top to bottom.

Wheelchairs and electronic vehicles are available on a first-come, first-served basis during Zoo hours.

Manual wheelchairs are available from the information booths at the Visitor Center (parking lot A and metro riders), Panda Plaza (parking lots A and B) and Lion-Tiger Hill (parking lot D).

Cost: Free

Electronic convenience vehicles are available for rent from the information booths at the Visitor Center (parking lot A and metro riders), Panda Plaza (parking lots A and B) and Lion-Tiger Hill (parking lot D). Please note: A state-issued driver's license or ID card is required to rent and operate an electronic convenience vehicle.

Cost: $25 for members, $30 for non-members

Accessible Restrooms

Restrooms are located at the Visitor Center, Panda Plaza, Elephant Outpost and Conservation Pavilion. All restrooms throughout the Zoo are accessible. The Visitor Center’s restrooms, water fountains and Asia Trail gift shop are accessible via wheelchair lift.

Family restrooms are located in the Visitor Center, Elephant Outpost and Conservation Pavilion. All restrooms at the Zoo have automatic flushing mechanisms.

Aira Services for Blind/Low-Vision

Access to free Aira services are available while visiting the Zoo through use of the Aira app. More information about Aira.

Deaf/Hearing Impaired

ASL sign-language interpretation provided for the 12:30 p.m. featured talk: "Earth Day and Earth Optimism: The Case for Positivity for the Planet."

Sensory Information

Prepare for your visit by downloading the sensory-friendly tip sheet with information on different sensory experiences at Easter Monday and Earth Optimism event. A social narrative for visiting the Zoo during Spring Break is also available for the event.

Sensory-friendly Kits

Sensory-friendly kits are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests can check out kits at the information booths at the Visitor Center, Panda Plaza, and Lion-Tiger Hill. Guests must provide a valid ID, which will be held until the kit is returned. Each kit includes noise reducing headphones, earplugs, small fidget toys, a weighted comfort item and a sensory tip sheet for Easter Monday and Earth Optimism event.

Quieter spaces to take a break during the event

There are several spaces that are quieter and less crowded within the event site:

• Behind Reptile Discovery Center
  From Olmsted Walk, head toward the entrance path to the Think Tank exhibit. Instead of going into the exhibit, bear left to follow the path behind the Reptile building. This is where the Komodo dragon, Murphy, lives. It is also home to some of the Zoo's crocodilian species.
• Think Tank
  From Olmsted Walk, head toward the entrance path to the Think Tank exhibit, which is between Reptile Discovery Center and the Speedwell Conservation Carousel/Lemur Island. Head up the path past the Carousel and Lemur Island. The inside of this building is often quiet, and has many interactive components and puzzles inside!
• Small Mammal House boardwalk
  Small Mammal House is directly on Olmsted Walk below the Elephant Community Center and Great Ape House. There is an anteater statue in front of the building. Instead of going into Small Mammal House, turn left at the anteater statue and walk down the boardwalk to the back of the exhibit. This space is often quiet and is home to the white-nosed coatis.

For additional information on access services at the Zoo, please contact Guest Services at 202-633-4480.