Seattle's big zoo, with sensory tools to borrow (fidgets, noise-cancelling headphones, weighted lap blankets), a Sensory Map of quiet corners, social stories, Low Sensory Fridays in the Zoomazium indoor play space, and Low Sensory Nights at WildLanterns.
Open daily 9:30 am to 4:00 pm from September 8 2026 to April 30 2027, and 9:30 am to 6:00 pm from May 1 to September 6 2027. Hours may vary on special event days and holidays. During WildLanterns (November 13 2026 to January 17 2027) the daytime zoo closes at 3:00 pm and visitors are cleared off the grounds before the 4:00 pm event. Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 26 2026): the zoo closes early at 2:00 pm. Zoomazium: 9:30 am to 3:00 pm daily.
West Entrance: 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103 (South Entrance: 750 N. 50th Street, Seattle, WA 98103)
“You can borrow sensory tools (fidgets, noise-cancelling headphones, weighted lap blankets, pin-wheels, etc.) at Zoomazium and both Guest Services. Available on a first-come first-served basis, simply ask a staff member to check out an item.”
“See our Sensory Map as a guide to areas of the zoo which tend to be quiet and less crowded, are shady and cool, or have space to move and interpretive objects to touch.”
“On Fridays, Zoomazium provides modifications to reduce sensory stimulation to create a quieter and calmer environment for families looking for low-sensory experiences.” zoo.org
“On these evenings, we’ll lower the volume of music and sound effects, reduce flashing lights, and create a more peaceful atmosphere throughout the lantern displays.” zoo.org
Sensory tools are lent at Zoomazium and at both Guest Services (near the West and South Entrances), first-come, first-served. Give them back at Zoomazium or either Guest Services when you leave.
On Low Sensory Fridays, Zoomazium reduces background noise, closes the climbing tree, turns exhibit lights to lower settings and shows a still image on the mountain projectors instead of moving video. Zoomazium is for kids 8 and younger, grown-ups stay inside with them, and it is included with zoo tickets and memberships.
The zoo has a Whole Zoo Social Story (a choose-your-own-adventure guide with pages for each area and a sensory map), a Zoomazium social narrative, and a WildLanterns social narrative (updated November 2025). The WildLanterns one marks areas with strobing or flashing lights on a map, and recommends that guests with light sensitivities not walk through them; some areas may be dark, and some paths are gravel or woodchips.
Low Sensory Nights are WildLanterns evenings, so they need a WildLanterns ticket. One-to-one aides get free daytime admission, with the exception of ticketed events such as ZooTunes. For accommodations at any after-hours event, the zoo asks you to email zooinfo@zoo.org.
Zoo staff wear a green shirt or sweatshirt and tan pants, and may wear a green jacket; volunteers wear a tan vest with lots of pockets or a brown shirt. A child who is separated from you can go to Guest Services or any team member with a Woodland Park Zoo name tag; the zoo suggests choosing a meeting place ahead of time.
1899 Grove (the food pavilion), indoors (can be crowded and loud; outdoor areas are usually calmer, and lunch time can be noisy near the food pavilion)not stated
Historic Carousel (an indoor area with music, clanging bells, lights and crowd noise; it can be very loud)not stated
Humboldt penguins (especially noisy during feeding time programs)not stated
Zoomazium (lots of children run and yell while they play, so it may be very noisy; weekends and afternoons can be busiest, and the climbing tree can be dark, loud and busy)not stated
The Northern Trail building (can be very loud when there are lots of people; mornings are quieter)not stated
Tropical Rain Forest building (it can be crowded, and lemurs sometimes make loud barking noises)not stated
Quieter, in the zoo's words
Quiet Corners on the Sensory Mapquiet zone
The Tundra Center in Northern Trailquiet zone
Zoomazium's nursing nook, reading area by the tree bookshelf, and outdoor snack patioquiet zone
At WildLanterns: Zoomazium and the North Picnic Shelter near the Carouselquiet zone
Seattle Sensory Garden, in the Woodland Park Rose Garden next to the zooquiet zone
Daytime tickets: prices change by date and season, and you see each day's price when you pick a date on the zoo's ticket site. Full-priced general admission bought 4 or more days ahead gets 10% off (not with other discounts). Daytime discounts (not for separately ticketed events): $2 off for guests with disabilities (ask at a ticket window), free admission for one-to-one aides with no online ticket needed, 75% off with an Age Friendly Seattle Gold or FLASH card, $3 off for US military ID holders and up to six guests, the $5 Discover Ticket and the $40 Explorer Pass membership for Washington residents with EBT/Washington Quest, SUN Bucks, WIC, or foster or kinship verification (Discover Ticket limit six per family, with verification and a matching photo ID at entry), 10% off for groups of 20 or more, Seattle CityPASS and reciprocal zoos and aquariums.
Tickets and memberships are nonrefundable. Unused daytime tickets can be rescheduled, subject to availability, up to 60 days after the original reservation through the link in your ticket email; there are no refunds if the new price is lower.
Parking: Lion, Penguin and Otter lots $10 for the first 2 hours, $2 each additional hour, $14 daily maximum; Flamingo and Bear lots $8 for the first 2 hours, $3 each additional hour, $12 daily maximum (plus taxes and fees). Pay with the QR codes in each lot; have your license plate number ready. Vehicles with a valid disabled parking placard park free in any zoo space. Overflow parking is in Lower Woodland Park at N. 50th and Aurora Ave. N., about 0.1 mile from the South Entrance. During WildLanterns evenings, from 3:30 pm: $15 in the Otter and Lion lots and $10 in other lots (plus taxes and fees); ADA stalls near the West Entrance tend to fill up, so come early.
Transit: Metro Bus #5 stops at Phinney Ave. N. and N. 55th St., by the West Entrance. All zoo ticket buyers, including event ticket buyers, get a free roundtrip fare on eligible Metro buses and Link light rail.
Food: you can bring outside food and non-alcoholic drinks; barbecues, disposable straws and disposable lids are not allowed. In Zoomazium, keep snacks in a cubby and eat them outside on the snack patio. At WildLanterns you can also bring your own food; outside alcohol is not allowed. Zoo dining is cashless (a Cash to Card Kiosk is inside 1899 Grove).
Not allowed: balloons, barbecues, balls, weapons, radios, skates, skateboards, bicycles, flying discs, scooters, drones, straws, lids or alcohol. No pets; fully trained service animals are welcome with extra steps (read the zoo's service animal guidelines and check in with staff when you arrive). Kids 12 and under must be with a responsible adult the whole visit. Costumes or disguises that conceal identity are not allowed for guests 13 and up.
Bathrooms: every restroom has an accessible stall. Family or all-gender restrooms are at the West Entrance (outside and inside the gates, north of the ZooStore), Cathy Herzig Basecamp Northwest on the Living Northwest Trail, and the Family Farm near the Contact Area, and Zoomazium has two family restrooms with changing tables. There is an adult-sized changing table in the family restroom near the West Guest Entry/ZooStore, and a private space with a medical bench at Guest Services near the South or West Entrance. A Mother's Room is at the Historic Carousel.
Rentals at Guest Services near the South and West Entrances, first-come, first-served and subject to availability: wagon $11, double stroller $10, manual wheelchair $10, ECV $25 (ECV needs a $200 refundable deposit and a valid driver's license; 18 and older, or 16 with parent or guardian permission; 400-pound limit). Washington EBT/Washington Quest, WIC, and foster and kinship families get 50% off manual wheelchairs with verification. During WildLanterns, rentals are only at West Guest Services, and strollers are allowed on the open paths.
Closed right now until further notice: Flamingle and Lorikeet Landing, because of avian influenza in wild birds nearby; the penguin feeding experience stays open. Part of the Otter parking lot is closed for the WildLanterns install, and parts of the South Entrance complex are fenced off for roofing work, but you can still enter and exit there.
Historic Carousel: tickets are separate (card only at the carousel). Riders under 42 inches must be held by an adult, who rides free. It closes for maintenance toward the end of each year; during WildLanterns it is open 4:00 to 8:30 pm.
First aid: Guest Services near the South or West Entrance; most security staff are EMTs. In an emergency on grounds, call 206.548.2595.
Email
zooinfo@zoo.orgQuestions and accommodation requests, including after-hours events
