Frequently
Asked Questions
 What’s
included in my admission price?
What does
my admission fee pay for?
Where
and what is White River Gardens?
Are
the Zoo and Gardens open on holidays?
Are
discounts available?
I’m a member at another zoo. Do I get in for free?
Can I bring a cooler/food and beverages into the Zoo?
Can
we leave to eat lunch and then return?
Do you rent strollers/wheelchairs/electric carts?
Are the Zoo and Gardens accessible to people with
disabilities?
Is that poison ivy I see all over Zoo grounds?
Are
all animals on exhibit at all times?
Can
we bring our dog with us to the Zoo?
Can I park at the Zoo if I’m not planning to go in?
I’m planning to stay overnight in Indianapolis. What hotels
are nearby?
Do you have
gift cards?
How do I request a donation from the
Zoo?
Your admission includes full access to the Indianapolis Zoo
and White River Gardens. This includes our keepers chats,
demonstrations and shows, like the daily Coca Cola Dolphin
Adventure Shows (requires a free ticket that you can get at the
gate). You can also enjoy the Kroger Splash Park and Family
Fitness Park presented by Community Health Network. Any public, non-fundraising events held at the
Zoo, like Zoopolis 500, summer concerts, ZooBoo and Christmas at
the Zoo, are also included. Not included with your admission
would be things like animal feedings, rides, concessions and
admission to fundraising events like Zoobilation. Find more
information on
admission prices.
The Indianapolis Zoo receives virtually no tax supported
revenue, so we must raise all our own operating costs and the
funds that support our renowned animal conservation mission.
Many different sources of income are all important to us,
including your admission cost, memberships, donations, grants,
and fundraising events. As a 501C3 non-profit, be assured
that your money is going to support a great cause!
White River Gardens is a botanic garden
that is part of the Indianapolis Zoo. It is located adjacent to
the Zoo and shares the same entrance and parking lot. The
Gardens features three acres of beautiful outdoor gardens as
well as the Hilbert Conservatory to both enjoy and inspire
gardeners with ideas.
During the warmer months, the Zoo is open daily, including
Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. The Zoo will be
closed the day of Zoobilation, however, which is always the
second Friday in June. When the weather gets
cooler, we will reduce our hours but we try to stay open as much
as possible. We are closed Mondays and Tuesdays
November-February as well as for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve,
Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Find more
information on
operating hours.
Community Tuesday presented by Community Health Network is
held the first Tuesday of each month, March through October, and
all guests get in for $8.00 each. It’s our deepest discount on
admission.
We also offer a 20 percent discount to all current and former
members of the military. AAA members also receive a 10 percent
discount. To receive these discounts, you must bring a valid ID,
and it’s good for up to four people.
If you’re looking to save money and you’re planning to visit the
Zoo or Gardens more than once this year, a membership is your
best value. We have several membership levels to help meet your
needs. Find more information about
memberships.
While we cannot honor memberships with other zoos and
attractions, we will offer a 10 percent discount to members of
other AZA accredited zoos, with a valid membership card. The
discount is good for up to four people.
For health and safety reasons, we do not allow coolers to be
carried into the Zoo. We also don’t food or drinks with
disposable lids and straws. You can carry in reusable water
bottles and we do sell refillable cups that you can bring back
and use multiple times for a small fee.
Zoo admission is good for a full day, and you are more than
welcome to go out of the Zoo to eat. Many of our guests simply
leave food items in their vehicles to retrieve quickly at lunch
time then return to the Zoo after they’ve eaten. You just need
to get hand stamps as you exit or save your receipt to re-enter
when you’re ready. We have multiple picnic areas in the Zoo's
Entry Plaza where you can bring snacks or a lunch to enjoy. Picnic
table seating is first come, first serve.
For a small fee, you can rent single strollers, double
strollers and electric carts for the day. These items are
available first come, first serve, and we do not take
reservations. The rental area is located just inside the gate.
Find more information on
rentals.
Both the Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens are fully
wheelchair accessible. Ramps are available at all our
attractions, including the platform for giraffe feedings
presented by Meijer and leading into the Marsh Dolphin Theater
and Underwater Dolphin Dome. At the Gardens, look for ramps into
the Schaefer Rotunda and from the Rotunda up to the main floor.
We also have an elevator near the steps to the Hulman Riverhouse
that takes visitors up to the mezzanine level in the Hilbert
Conservatory. Find more information about
services for people with disabilities.
It’s actually Virginia creeper, which can sometimes be
confused with poison ivy. Both have palmate compound leaves, but
Virginia creeper has five leaflets, while poison ivy has only
three. Hence the old adage: leaves of three, let it be!
The majority of animals will be out on a given day. Because
we are dealing with animals whose schedules can change daily, we
cannot guarantee that any particular animal will be on exhibit
when guests arrive. Animals sometimes have to go off exhibit for
routine health checks or when their enclosures are undergoing
maintenance. The number of animals on exhibit is also subject to
change based on the season. However, our keepers do their best
to have the animals out on exhibit as much as possible,
including rotating animals in and out throughout the day.
To ensure the health and safety of our animals, pets are not
allowed on Zoo grounds. We do make an exception for service
animals.
If you’re planning a day in downtown Indianapolis and you
don’t know where to park, you can use our lot. However, our
parking booths open at 8:30am and if you arrive during Zoo
hours, you’ll have to pay to park. And just a friendly reminder
to lock your vehicle.
There are plenty of great hotels in the area. We partner with
many hotels to offer packages that include discounts on Zoo
admission tickets. Depending on how long you plan to stay, we
also offer a
Family Fun Adventure Package that includes four
tickets to the Zoo, four tickets to the Children's Museum of
Indianapolis and an overnight stay at a participating hotel.
Find more information about
hotel accommodations.
We offer presale tickets, which you can buy online, or you
can purchase memberships as a gift. Memberships are available at
many different levels. Find more information about
memberships.
We are a private 501(c)(3) organization, so we cannot
accommodate all requests for donations. We do donate to a small
number of Indiana nonprofit organizations that are sponsoring a
fundraising activity. To have your request considered, it must
be submitted on the requesting nonprofit’s letterhead and be
received at the Zoo at least three months in advance of your
fundraiser. You may fax your request to 317-630-5153 or mail it
directly to the Zoo addressed to Community Donations,
Indianapolis Zoo, 1200 West Washington Street, Indianapolis
IN 46222.
Red panda photo by Jackie Curts
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