9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. weekdays; 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekends. Call 816.513.5800 for more information.
Zoological District Resident (Jackson/Clay County MO) pricing is only $5 Adults, $4.50 Seniors, $4.00 children 3-11. Regular Pricing $11.50 Adults; $10.50 Seniors; $8.50 Children ages 3-11. 2 and under are free.
Located in Swope Park at 6800 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, Missouri. Just off I-435 and US-71 highway, the Zoo is easily accessible from any part of the metropolitan area. 816.513.5800
Click Tickets Above to Buy Online! Tickets with Rides, Gift Certificates and Discounted Tickets must be purchased on-site at the Zoo's Admission windows. Thank you for your understanding.
The mission of the Kansas City Zoo is to conserve and provide experiences with wildlife in order to entertain and educate our audiences and to instill a lifelong respect for nature.
The vision of the Kansas City Zoo is to be the most family-friendly Zoo in the country anchoring Kansas City as the kid "edu-tainment" capital of the Midwest.
In order to fullfill our mission and avchieve our vision we will:
• Offer outstanding, year-round, affordable guest experiences that build attendance and memberships and engage and compel our guests toward a greater understanding of our natural world; • Transform our zoological park into three zoo experiences, each with unique themes, animal exhibits, and events along with supporting and convenient amentities and concessions (enterprise zones); • Demonstrate the diversity of wildlife while enhancing their care and survival through research and conservation; • Enhance the education of our audiences and our region through programs and partnerships with school districts and colleges; • Operate a financially sound zoological park; • Offer our employees a fun, rewarding work environment; • Achieve full community support through success in all aspects of our mission and gain recognition as one of the nation's best zoos.
The Kansas City Zoo is ... • a private non-profit • an accredited member of the AZA (American Zoo & Aquarium Association) • operated in agreement with the Kansas City, Missouri, Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners.
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Swope Park Located in the historic and beautiful SwopePark, the Kansas City Zoo's 202 acres are nestled inside valleys and rolling hills and is home to more than 1,000 animals.
In 1896, Thomas Swope donated 1,334 acres to the city of Kansas City, Missouri for use as a public park. With property acquisitions made over the years, the park has over 1,805 acres and is one of the largest city parks in the United States. It includes picnic areas, an outdoor theatre - Starlight Theatre, two golf courses, swimming and fishing.
Kansas City Zoo The Zoo is divided into several sections:
Australia; Tiger Trail (Asia); Tropics, an indoor rainforest; KidZone, which includes the Discovery Barn, Peek-A-Boo Tree and an Endangered Species Carousel; and a 100 acre-African Plains. The new Tropics, an indoor rainforest, opened in 2009 in the orignal Zoo building and polar bears will return in 2010.
Three historic features within the Zoo are:
The 1909 Zoo Building: Opened as the first building in the Zoo, the Bird and Carnivora House housed the entire animal collection. Altered in 1969 and again 1974, it housed traveling exhibits and education programs. Rennovated with city bond money, it re-opened as the Tropics, an indoor rainforest in 2009.
Suspension Bridge: Built in 1907 by the Midland Bridge Company, this bridge was originally meant to span a nearly inaccessible area of dense underbrush and to connect the Grand Entrance with a proposed athletic field. It was rennovated in the 1990s. The 227 foot long bridge connects the African plains area of the Zoo to the Congo area.
Lagoon and Boathouse: The lagoon once was on Wildcat Hollow Road and Lewis Road, sat near the Swope Park swimming pool. In 1912 the first boat was allowed and a boathouse was built on the west bank. In 1922 a beach area opened near the original boathouse; in 1949 a new boathouse was built on the beach and the original boathouse was torn down. In 1994, the lagoon became a focal point for the African plains exhibit.
The Kansas City Zoo was one of sixty Zoos honored in “America’s Best Zoos 2008,” and was ranked number one in the nation for “African Animals and Exhibits,” andranked among the top 10 in the nation for “Australian Animals and Exhibits” and for “Pachyderms: Elephants, Rhinos, Hippos.”
Additionally, famed ape expert Jane Goodall’s complimented that Kansas City has “one of the finest chimpanzee exhibits in North America.” In fact, “America’s Best Zoos 2008” ranks the Kansas City Zoo as the number one zoo in the nation to see both chimpanzees and kangaroos.
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Hone your photography skills and help the Kansas City Zoo by becoming a member of the Kansas City Zoo Photo Club. The Photo Club meets at the Zoo at 7 p.m. the third Monday of each month (except December). Find more information at the Photo Club's Web site: Kansas City Zoo Photo Club.
Yawning or Belching?
What's this hippo trying to say? Is she belching or looking for a snack?
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