9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily; closed only Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
Admission today is only $5; some animals may not be on exhibit due to weather conditions.
The Kansas City Zoo is 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.
Click Tickets Above to Buy Online!
Inclement weather admission prices are only available at the Zoo and valid only Nov - Feb.
I love animals. I want to be a vet/zookeeper/biologist. Can I volunteer to work with animals? Unfortunately, we do not take volunteers in animal departments due to liability concerns. You can, however, become a Docent or Summer Docent and help educate our public on our collection, their care and conservation.
What is the materials fee for? The materials fee pays for your volunteer shirt, name badge, parking pass, training materials, update materials and other costs. The materials fee does not cover all our expenses, it just helps to offset them and provide you with more resources to use while volunteering.
Do you have something on a shorter time frame than the year-round programs? Our programs are designed to use sustained groups of volunteers and we invest substantial training in our volunteers. Our Summer Docent program allows for a 3 month period of volunteering. Special Events are another great option for someone who wants to volunteer on their own schedule and you can do as many special events as you want!
I want an internship at the Kansas City Zoo. Who do I contact? Our internships are handled through the employment link on our website. Any internships are posted in this section. The Kansas City Zoo takes a limited number of interns each year and each position is very selective. If you are interested in internships, please contact kczoojobs@fotzkc.org.
My company wants to volunteer at the Zoo. Do you have anything for us? We always have projects. Please contact the volunteer coordinator at volunteer@fotzkc.org to discuss your specific needs.
Why do I have to be 14 to volunteer? What can I do without my parents? 14 is the minimum age for employment in Missouri and it’s the baseline for volunteer programs. Youth ages 14-18 can become involved in Zoo Crew Explorer Post or ZooCorps without their parents. Youth can volunteer for Team Habitat or Special Events Core Team with their parents. Youth 10 and over can volunteer for Special Events with their parents.
Can I get volunteer credit for my school by volunteering at the Zoo? That’s up to your school, but we can provide the appropriate documentation if needed.
I need to do court appointed community service. What do you have available? We do not currently take court appointed community service volunteers.
I sent in my application. What should I expect? You will receive a call or email within two weeks of receipt of your application. The volunteer coordinator will be available to discuss your choices, give you more information if you need it and set up a timeframe to get you started volunteering.
What if I have other questions that aren’t answered here? Feel free to email the volunteer coordinator at volunteer@fotzkc.org. We’ll try to answer any questions you may have.
