The National Zoo is open every day of the year except December 25. ADMISSION IS FREE!
| Hours (2007-2008)* | |||
| Grounds | |
Buildings | |
| Mar 15 | Open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
|
Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.** |
| Apr | |||
| May | |||
| Jun | |||
| Jul | |||
| Aug | |||
| Sep | |||
| Oct 31 | |||
|
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| Nov 1 | 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
May 11: The Zoo will close early for Guppy Gala on May 11. The area of the Zoo from the Small Mammal House down to Kids' Farm (including the Great Ape House, Reptile Discovery Center, Invertebrate Exhibit, Think Tank, and Amazonia) will close
at 12 p.m. The entire Zoo will close at 4 p.m.
May 17: The Zoo will close early for ZooFari on May 17. The area of the Zoo from the Small Mammal House down to Kids' Farm (including the Great Ape House, Reptile Discovery Center, Invertebrate Exhibit, Think Tank, and Amazonia) will close at 12 p.m. The entire Zoo will close at 2 p.m.
** The last admission to buildings is at 5:45 p.m.
The Zoo's Bat Cave has been permanently closed. Bats are no longer exhibited at the Zoo.
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 early in the day, between 8 and 10 a.m., or later in the afternoon, after 2 p.m. The animals are generally more active at these times, too, and lines to see the giant pandas are more likely to be short. For tour bus groups, we offer special programs early and late in the day. See Group Packages.
