A small zoo (under five acres) in Brandywine Park, Wilmington, KultureCity certified, with free sensory bags and weighted lap pads (leave an ID), named headphone zones at Nature Play and the Barn Yard, and free admission December to February except during special events.
Sensory supports. KultureCity bags, headphone zones, free in winter.
Hours
Open daily, 10 am to 4 pm (last admission 3:30 pm). Closed on Christmas Day; may close for bad weather or construction projects, and may close early for special evening events. New Year's Eve (Thursday, Dec 31 2026): open 10 am to 4 pm, with the ticketed Zoo Year's Eve event from 10 am to noon.
“Brandywine Zoo has partnered with KultureCity® to enhance our ability to assist and accommodate guests with sensory needs.”
“KultureCity® Sensory bags contain special KCVIP badges, feeling thermometer, fidget tools, and noise-canceling headphones are available for checkout (at no cost by leaving an ID) at our ticket window or the Administrative office.”
“Weighted lap pads are available upon request (at no cost by leaving an ID) at our ticket window or the Administrative office.”
“Headphone zones (loud areas) are located at Nature Play and Barn Yard.”
“Fall, winter and cloudy days are a good time to visit the Zoo because it is less crowded and many of the animals are more active.”
The zoo's staff get annual KultureCity training. Its social story lives on its KultureCity page, linked from the accessibility page: buying tickets before going in, borrowing a sensory bag at the entrance, volunteers in shirts that say Zoo Docent or Zoo Volunteer, animals that may be taking a break, stronger smells in some areas, restrooms around the zoo, and a possible crowd on the way out.
The zoo held Sensory Hour mornings in 2026 (9 to 10 am, a quieter, less crowded hour with advance registration) and says to check back in the spring for more dates.
In winter these animals may not be visible: Eastern Box Turtle, Golden Lion Tamarin, lemurs, Radiated Tortoise, Saki Monkeys and Scarlet Ibis. You can watch the lemurs forage for their morning meal at the Madagascar exhibit daily at 10:30 am, but they may be out later or not at all on colder days.
For lost children, lost items or an emergency, go to the Admissions Building and Zootique Gift Shop; for phone inquiries, call 302-571-7788. The zoo map marks first aid.
Nature Play (headphone zone) (one of the zoo's two headphone zones (loud areas))not stated
Barn Yard (headphone zone) (one of the zoo's two headphone zones (loud areas))not stated
Quieter, in the zoo's words
Spots signed Quiet Areaquiet zone
Admission in November: adults (18 to 61) $7, seniors (62 and up) $6, youth (3 to 17) $5; members and children under 3 free. December to February: free, except for special events (the zoo is free through February 28, excluding events). In April, $7, $6 and $5; May to October, $9, $8 and $7. For March, the zoo's ticket site lists $5, $4 and $3, sold on site only, while its visit page lists $7, $6 and $5. Children under 16 must be with an adult. The zoo offers no refunds or rain checks; online tickets are non-refundable, and to reschedule, contact the zoo.
Discounts: Library Pass (2 adults and up to 4 children, from select libraries in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey; not accepted at special ticketed events); WHYY (one child free with a regular-priced adult ticket); ACCESS Delaware ($2 a person for up to 4 people with a Delaware EBT card or Art-Reach ACCESS card and photo ID at the admissions desk; not at special ticketed events; Pennsylvania cards not accepted); Wilmington and Brandywine Valley Discount Pass ($1 off one adult ticket); Explore and Save ($2 off each adult ticket with a membership card from a participating organization).
Winter events with their own tickets: Santa at the Zoo, Saturday and Sunday, Dec 5 and 6 2026, 10 am to 12:30 pm (members $4 and must register, non-members $8, under 3 free; everyone arriving before 12:30 pm must be registered; library and guest passes not accepted). After Santa on both days, the zoo stays open with free admission from 12:30 to 4 pm (last admission 3:30 pm). But Saturday, Dec 5 2026, 12:30 to 4 pm is also Winter Wonderland, with live music at the Wildlife Amphitheater, so Brandywine Zoo gives two answers for that afternoon: free admission after Santa, or Winter Wonderland tickets on sale at the ticket window after 12:30 pm (members free, non-members $5, 2 and under free). Call 302-571-7788 to check before you go. Zoo Year's Eve, Dec 31 2026, 10 am to noon, with a countdown and ball drop at noon: anyone visiting then needs an event ticket (members free but must register online, non-members $5, 2 and under free; tickets on sale Dec 1 2026, online registration highly recommended); the zoo is free 12:30 to 4 pm.
Parking is free, mostly in the Brandywine River lot across from the zoo, with a few spaces next to the Education Building on Van Buren Street. GPS can send you to the wrong place: the zoo gives 39.754299, -75.548705 for the lot. There are a few free accessible spaces, and guests with limited mobility can be dropped off right in front to avoid the hill. DART First State bus routes 2, 11 and 35 serve the zoo.
Food and drinks are allowed, but no plastic lids or straws, glass containers or alcohol; the snack bar is closed January to mid-March, when you are welcome to bring food. Also not allowed: grills, balloons, radios, skateboards, wheeled shoes, Frisbees, bikes and other sports equipment, and pets (service dogs are welcome on a 6-foot non-retractable leash, but not in the goat contact yard; emotional support animals are not permitted).
Bring a stroller: the zoo doesn't rent them. A limited number of manual wheelchairs are loaned free, first come, first served, at the ticket window (leave an ID). Accessible restrooms are near the front entrance.
The zoo asks visitors to speak softly, since loud noises or sudden moves can startle the animals, and not to climb on railings, rocks or walls.
