Plan Your Visit

Pick up a Zoo map for the latest schedule of cool stuff going on this week!

School Field Trip Season

The Maryland Zoo is a popular field trip destination, especially in April, May and early June.  If you want to avoid the field trip crowds, plan your visit for Mondays or Tuesdays when there are generally less school groups.  Alternatively, most groups leave the Zoo around 1:00pm or 1:30 pm, so you might want to visit in the Spring afternoons which are less crowded.

Giraffe Feeding Station
Open every day 10:30 am – 3:00 pm (weather permitting) They are ready for their close-ups! Stand eye-to-eye as you feed a giraffe at the Zoo’s new Giraffe Feeding Station. Weather permitting. $2 per branch of leafy browse. Click here to read more.

Kid Zone
10:30 am – 3:30 pm
Stop by the Kid Zone to brush African Pygmy and Nubian goats!  (Maryland Wilderness Farmyard)

*The tractor interactive area is currently undergoing maintenance and will reopen soon.

Creature Encounters

Daily 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Just after you get off the tram, stop by our Creature Encounter center to see live Animal Ambassadors, investigate animal artifacts, and learn more about wildlife. (Animal Ambassadors 10:00am – 1:00pm)

WILD Encounters – Elephant Yard
Tuesdays,  Fridays and Saturdays – 11:00am
Interpreters in African Journey share fascinating facts about African elephants and efforts to conserve them in the wild. Join us daily for an in-depth on site experience.

Scavenger Hunt

Make your day at the Zoo a little more fun (and challenging)!  Take our Zoo Scavenger Hunt along with you.  See how many questions you can find the answer to. It’s a great way to get involved and make your visit even more educational.  Click here to download and print the Zoo Scavenger Hunt form.

 

Walk on the Wild Side

Select Saturdays & Sundays – 11:00am. Join a Zoo educator for a fun and informative walk through a featured area of the Zoo, exploring a new topic or zone each week. Limit of 20 people. Please gather at Base Camp Discovery by 10:45. First come, first served! Free with regular Zoo admission. Check the current Walk on the Wild Side dates by clicking here.

Keeper Chats
Ask questions about the animals or just chat with one of our expert keepers. (Chats last approximately 15 minutes)

Saturdays & Sundays 11:00 am Polar Bear Watch Saturdays 11:00 am Otter Sundays 11:00 am Marsh Aviary Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays 12:00pm Cheetah Mondays-Thurdays & Sundays 1:30pm African Watering Hole Fridays & Saturdays 1:30pm Leopard Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays 2:00pm Okapi Saturdays & Sundays 2:30pm Chimpanzee

Please note:  Due to the needs of our animals and the work required to care for them, keeper chats and wild encounters may not start precisely on time.  Every effort is made to ensure these programs begin on schedule.  All activities are weather and staff permitting and are subject to change or cancellation without notice.