Buy Tickets - Education

Being the second oldest zoo in the nation means there is no shortage of history and wild stories! Step back in time with former zookeeper and bird trainer, Gary Denzler, as he brings the past to life through a fun, informative and story-driven tour of our Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. With more than 50 years experience, Gary shares unbelievable tales of the aimals, people and moments that shaped the Zoo into what it is today.  Hear stories of alligators accidentally in Swam Lake on opening day, donkeys vs lions, animals arriving on zepplins and A LOT MORE! 

If the weather is nice, be ready to be on foot! This experience includes a short 30-minute indoor introduction to start, then the rest of the time is spent walking through the Zoo, so comfortable walking shoes are encouraged.  In the case of rain or inclement weather, the program moves fully indoors, where you'll enjoy a unique and equally incredible experience featureing fascinating historical photos that bring the Zoo's past to life.

Whether indoors or out, you're in for an unforgettable journey through our Zoo's history.

This program is geared towards participants 13 years and older.

Zoo lovers of all ages can join us each season for a special night hike around the Zoo.

June, July, & August: Hot Weathered Wildlife Different animals (including humans) have different strategies for staying cool in the summertime. Pigs wallow, goats get rid of heat through their ears and horns, snakes and lizards seek the shade and African penguins swim to keep cool! There are many ways to beat the heat in the summer! Join us as we learn about which animals enjoy the heat, and how they find ways to cool down.

Note: All attendees 3 years and above must register. At least one adult must register per group. Children under 3 years are free. Price is per person.

A truly one-of-a-kind experience, these overnights make a great date night, friend group outing, or (adult) family adventure!

An interactive social hour will start the night with two drink tickets, light bites, strange zoo games, and a visit from a unique animal. Then, we will break out into small tour groups led by Zoo Educators to traverse through Africa. On our Zoo safari, we will go behind the scenes of Hippo Cove and uncover the secrets of our world-famous bloat. We'll finish up our night at our Twiga Tents, gathered around a roaring campfire roasting s'mores. Then, this unique adventure ends with a relaxing night in our safari tents on cozy cots and waking up to breakfast overlooking Giraffe Ridge. And it doesn’t end there! One last special animal guest will join us in the morning to say goodbye.

Spend the Night at the Zoo!

Florida is full of diverse habitats that are bursting with thousands of animal species, from walking-on-water basilisks to slow-and-steady manatees. We’ll dive headfirst into the astonishing biodiversity of these habitats, centering around the lives of our resident manatees who are a part of a rehabilitation program. Throughout the night we’ll explore a few places in the Zoo, participate in fun, educational activities, get a behind-the-scenes sneak peek, including our amazing science and research center CREW, and meet some of our animal ambassadors up-close and personal! When the night ends, you’ll doze off at our Manatee Springs building in the big open-spaced exhibit area.

 

Note: All program attendees must be 5 years and older and be registered. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a registered adult. 

This program sleeps in the Manatee Springs building. This is a beautiful open-spaced room that will be shared with other families/groups. So you will be combined with other groups for the program and sleeping.