central park zoo tour

Central Park Zoo

You'll see on, central park bike tour.

Looking for a unique and unforgettable way to experience Central Park? Look no further than our highly-rated Central Park bike tour! Ranked as one of the top 5 things to do in Central Park by TripAdvisor, our bike ...

Central Park Pedicab Tour

Explore Central Park in style with our Central Park pedicab tour! TripAdvisor has ranked our tour as one of the top 5 things to do in Central Park. Our tour covers the entire length of Central Park, offering an ama...

• Central Park Zoo

Nov 6, 2021 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

https://centralparkzoo.com/shop/ticket-options

centralparkzoo.com

Snow Leopard

The central park zoo is currently open with new ticket requirements..

Explore the Wildlife Conservation Society's Central Park Zoo and the Tisch Children's Zoo!

The Central Park Zoo hosts over 130 different species ranging from Snow Leopards to Tropical Birds. It features a variety of habitats that recreate the natural environment of the animals they house.

Make sure to check out the newest exhibit featuring Grizzly Bears, as well as the Polar Circle that has four species of penguins including Gentoo, Chinstrap, Rockhopper and King Penguins.

All visitors must have a date-specific ticket to enter. Check the *KNOW BEFORE YOU GO* page from the zoo to get detailed information on what to expect and to buy tickets online.

*All visitors must reserve a date-specific ticket in advance*

Spring/Summer/Fall 2021

From March 27th to November 6th, 2021, the Zoo is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Saturday to Sunday from: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM.

Last entry is 30 minutes prior to closing.

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Winter 2021 - Spring 2022

Starting November 7th, 2021, the Zoo is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Saturday to Sunday from: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM.

Dates : November 7th to April 1st, 2022

Open Daily: 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Virtual Zoo Cam

Stuck at work or just want to check in on your favorite animal friends? Tune in to the Central Park Zoo cams for an adorable background to keep you company.

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You Won’t Find Alex the Lion at Central Park Zoo, But You Will Find the T-Rex at the American Museum of Natural History in New York

For many people Central Park is the place to visit in New York, followed by the American Museum of Natural History , so of course it was on our list of things to do.

Central Park was pretty - littered in bright white snow. Pretty and cold. We didn’t spend much time exploring the grounds, because of the bitter cold, however my kids are big fans of the movie, Madagascar. The animals in the movie are originally from Central Park Zoo in New York and so we were on our way to see Alex the Lion.

Central Park Zoo

We caught a taxi to the zoo from Penn Station, it wasn't far or much. The line to get into the zoo was long, but moved fairly fast. Entrance was US$18 for adults, under 2 free and 3 - 12 year olds $13.

The zoo was disappointing. It was small and there was no lions or zebras, I don’t recall hippos or giraffes either. Can you imagine the devastation of the little ones expecting to find Alex the Lion, luckily we could tell them he was living in Madagascar now… or is it the zoo? Maybe the circus. I can’t keep up, there’s too many sequels.

The majority of the visitors could be found in the tropical animal house, that was a warm welcome from the biting wind. The sealions at the centre of the zoo was entertaining, but after having recently been to Seaworld just a couple weeks prior, it wasn’t quite as good.

On our way from the zoo we were told our ticket included a children’s zoo. So we headed the short walk towards that.

By the time we reached it my son had fallen asleep, but my 4-year-old daughter loved it. I know he would have loved it too and it was the saving grace for the zoo.

We fed baby animals, crawled in turtle shells and through rabbit holes. It was a real little adventure that kept my daughter warm and on the go.

I can’t recommend the zoo, but I guess it’s one of those things you just have to do at least once.

American Museum of Natural History

We had meet Darcy and her twins at the Brooklyn Museum as a similar family who has dreams to travel the world with their kids. So when she invited us to the Museum of Natural History we were keen to meet up with her and the boys again. 

Not only that, but Darcy held a members card, which she extended to us to gain free entry. Entry is normally US$19 per adult & $10.50 per child. We meet them at Church in the city before heading to the museum.

Josh and I had been to the museum previously in 2007 and were just as in love with it this time showing the kids around.

The museum is huge and you really need to pick the things you want to see, because you can’t really complete the whole museum in one day. If you have younger kids I’d highly recommend bringing a pram to save some sanity.

On top of the lists of things to see were the majority of items you can see in the movie “A Night At The Museum”. We were after the dinosaurs and most of the stuffed animals. We also wanted to check out the Easter Island statue. Darcy also mentioned the gift store was worth doing since it covers a few floors and allowed the kids just to play for a little while.

The hall of dinosaur skeletons was definitely a highlight. We absolutely loved this museum and so did the kids. Without a doubt it’s one of the best museums we’ve visited anywhere in the world. It is totally worth visiting and if you really enjoyed the movie then finding the little characters throughout is a bonus, unlike the missing animals at Central Park Zoo.

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Reader Comments...

Hmm maybe need to see this museum great pics

I've been reading your blog for a while, and this post totally made me think of my oldest son (he's 6) who has his heart set on seeing the Museum of Natural History in New York. Some day we'll go... :)

I love the Museum of Natural History! You should note that there is a "suggested" donation to get in, meaning you could pay a penny if you wish! They believe it should be available to anyone :)

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Plan & Enhance Your Program Field Trip Tips

Helpful tips on planning a field trip.

Planning a field trip might seem like daunting task, but we’ve created some helpful tips in collaboration with our Teacher Advisory Councils!

Book Early – Classroom experiences and tours sell out early, especially in April and May. Book early to secure your desired program date. Calling 800-433-4149 will connect you to book a self-guided experience at all five of our parks as well as tours and classroom programs.

Visit During the Off-Season & Save! – WCS Parks are much quieter before April, and you can receive classroom program discounts if you visit before the busy season! In addition, most of our parks have indoor exhibits for you to warm up in while exploring animals. There’s no such thing as bad weather - only bad clothing!

Enhance Your Trip with an Education Experience – The parks offer classroom-based experiences for Pre-K to High School students which not only provide an experience for hands-on learning, but also an opportunity to explore exhibits and meet (and sometimes touch) animals! Highlight tours led by our adult volunteers are another wonderful way to enhance your park experience.

Pre-planning is Crucial – Check out the Central Park Zoo Map before your visit so you know your surroundings, including bathrooms! Make sure your chaperones have a map too and know their role for the day. If you’ve registered for a tour or classroom program, the staff or volunteers will reach out to you prior to your visit to ensure you know where to go and ask if you have any special requests or things you’d like to share. Provide directions for your bus driver and allow extra time for traffic or subway issues.

Expect the Unexpected – It’s great to have a plan for the day but the parks are comprised of living animals that can be unpredictable. An animal you planned to see may be off exhibit for the day or hard to find. Be sure to thoroughly look all over the exhibit before moving on. As is the nature of some animals they may be hiding, especially if your students are noisy. Staff and volunteers are always around to help you though!

Help your students become SCIENTISTS!

• Be patient and encourage students to use their observation skills. Animals are adapted to blend into their habitat, so some might be harder to spot than others. “I Spy” is a great way to keep students engaged a little bit longer and can even be scaled up to older students using graphics and scientific names.
• Stop and take some time to read the graphics. It might spark your interest, as well as your students!
• Ask the students questions to build on their observations and prior knowledge. Have you ever seen anything like this before? Tell me about it. What do you notice? What do you think? Why do you think that?
• Remember: it is OK to not have answers! We hope that our animals inspire a lot of questions and encourages everyone to find out more. If you don’t have the answer, take note of it and either ask a staff member or look it up as a group.
• Be fearless. Even if you have hesitations around certain animals, remember that your opinion can be passed on to students. Be open-minded, and hopefully, you’ll learn to appreciate those animals just as much as the students will!

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