Today's Hours
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Please check this page often for updates.
We are excited to welcome you back to the Detroit Zoo! Our goal is to provide a great Zoo experience in an environment that is as safe as possible for all. To maintain the health and safety of our guests, staff and endangered animals, there are a few safety guidelines and updates we would like you to review prior to your arrival. Thank you for doing your part!
It is our goal to make the Zoo experience one that is safe for our visitors, staff and animals. Let’s work together. Please be respectful, help each other and help protect the endangered animals.
If you would like to purchase or renew a membership, click here. Please note: Temporarily, due to the pandemic and capacity limits within the Detroit Zoo, purchasing a membership does not guarantee you will be able to select any time and date to visit. While you may see openings for general admission tickets, membership slots may not be available for those same dates and times. General admission tickets are available in order to give people who may not be able to afford a membership a chance to visit. Please check back often, as we continue to open up date and time slots for members each day.
-All guests are required to schedule their time slot on our website prior to their visit so that we can maintain capacity limits and ensure touchless transactions. Reservations can be made up to two weeks in advance and can be booked here. In addition to member reservations, general visitor ticket reservations are also open. At this time, members will only be able to make reservations for the people currently listed on their membership. Due to limited capacity, we also ask that members only book a reservation once every two weeks for the time being to allow other members the opportunity to visit. A limited number of general admission tickets will also be available at the gate each day with pricing of $15 per child or senior, and $19 per adult.
-The DZS is limiting capacity at the Detroit Zoo over our 125 acres. We will be closely monitoring the situation and decide when to increase capacity limits in the days and weeks ahead.
-After scheduling your visit, you will receive an email with your digital ticket, safety details and a digital map, as the Zoo will not be providing paper maps. Please check your spam folder if you do not receive your tickets after making a reservation. While in the Zoo, you are expected to observe the DZS’s safety practices, which follow mandates and guidelines from the state, county, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and other experts. They are posted throughout the Zoo and include wearing face coverings, following posted routes of circulation, maintaining physical distancing and adhering to personal hygiene requirements.
-Please plan to show your ID, membership card (if applicable) and digital, or printed, timed ticket receipt and parking receipt at the Zoo admission booth.
-Due to the pandemic, the members-only entrance at Rackham Fountain is temporarily closed. All guests must enter through the main admission gates at the front of the Zoo.
-Parking is available in the surface lots and only the ground level of the parking structure so you won’t need to touch elevator controls or stair rails.
-When you arrive at the entry booths, expect single-line queuing with physical distancing markers. We ask that you maintain at least 6 feet between groups or individuals.
-Please show your ID and membership card (if applicable) before presenting your digital or printed timed ticket to the booth attendant, who will scan it.
-Enhanced cleaning procedures are in place. You may notice our Clean Team disinfecting areas regularly around the Zoo.
-Keep an eye out for visual markers to help you maintain the proper 6-foot distance from other individuals and groups at habitats, and other signage reminding you of safety guidelines.
-Utilize the accessible hand sanitizing and handwashing stations located at the entry booths and throughout the Zoo.
-Explore Zoo Treks for information about the animals and the habitats.
-Visitors are strictly prohibited from feeding any animal at the Detroit Zoo. Animals have specialized and nutritionally balanced diets, and throwing food and other objects into habitats risks their health and safety. Guests who violate this rule will be escorted from the Zoo.
-Please pay attention to the signs around the Zoo alerting you to any temporary closures as well as all the safety guidelines:
-Please dispose of your gloves, masks and other personal items in the proper waste receptacles.
Most public events are canceled or postponed for the time being. The Detroit Zoological Society is utilizing virtual opportunities for engaging the community, including virtual events and remote learning programs. Due to health concerns and limited staffing, Safari Camps are cancelled this year. To move a camp reservation to next year, donate a reservation to DZS or receive a full refund, contact Customer Care at info@dzs.org or 248-541-5717 ext. 3304. Check out Virtual Ventures for free self-paced virtual camps including exciting animal-related content, expert interviews, hands-on activities, and much more.
Knowledge regarding potential susceptibility of animals to COVID-19 continues to emerge, and DZS protocols adapt to include new information as it is available. We are taking proactive measures to limit any potential risk to animals who live at the Detroit Zoo as we continue to properly care for them. The DZS staff is wearing personal protective equipment while caring for certain species. It is now known that lions and tigers in one U.S. zoo have contracted COVID-19 infections. In addition, current understanding of potential susceptibility of other species in zoos to infection by COVID-19, based on a number of academic studies of this and related viruses, suggests that they may be susceptible. Guests may notice a few temporary barriers in areas that might present a risk of transmission of COVID-19 from a guest to an animal. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we work to keep the animals at the Zoo healthy.
The safety protocols and reopening information were developed after reviewing scientific data, consulting with health experts, local officials and other zoos around the world. As a visitor, you are required to follow all of the safety guidelines established by the Detroit Zoological Society. COVID-19 is a new disease that is highly contagious and can cause severe illness and even death. Older adults and people who have underlying illnesses may be at greater risk for severe illness if they contract COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is still a risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 while in outdoor areas with other people, though it has been established that viruses do not, in general, survive sunlight/UV radiation for very long. When you visit the grounds of the Detroit Zoo, or any other public place, you are accepting there is a risk of exposure to COVID-19.
To limit the spread of COVID-19, everyone must share the responsibility of following safety guidelines to help keep themselves and others safe. When you make the choice to visit the Detroit Zoo, you represent that you are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, have not tested positive for COVID-19 within the last two weeks and have not been in direct personal contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last two weeks. While in the Zoo, you are expected to observe the DZS’s safety guidelines that are derived from the CDC, WHO and other experts. They are outlined above and posted throughout the Zoo and include wearing face coverings, following posted routes of circulation, physical distancing and adhering to sanitization requirements.
The reopening information and detailed safety protocols listed here will be constantly reviewed and revised. Please check back often for updates. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to bring YOU back to the Zoo.