Smithsonian's National Zoo

About

Smithsonian's National Zoo is in northwest Washington, with its main entrance on Connecticut Avenue. The grounds follow a long hill, so the Visitor Center is at the top of the park and Lion/Tiger Hill and the Harvard Street entrance are at the bottom.

Exhibit areas include the Asia Trail, home to giant pandas, sloth bears, red pandas, clouded leopards and fishing cats. Amazonia has electric eels, stingrays and arapaima. The Great Ape House and Think Tank hold gorillas and orangutans, and Kids' Farm has cows, alpacas, goats and chickens. The Reptile Discovery Center, the Small Mammal House and the Bird House round out the indoor buildings. Keepers hold daily animal demonstrations. Parts of the Zoo, including the Africa Trail, are under renovation.

Admission is free, but everyone needs a free entry pass, including infants. Book online ahead of time; a limited number of walk-up passes are handed out each day. Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last entry at 3 p.m., and the animal buildings open 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Zoo is open every day, rain or shine, except December 25. Plan on two to three hours to see the whole park.

Parking needs a paid Parking Pass, which costs $30 per vehicle bought at least a day ahead or $40 on the day of your visit, cashless only. Spaces often sell out on weekends and holidays, and cars without a pass may be turned away. All cars must enter from Connecticut Avenue. The Zoo also has walk-in access from the Harvard Street bridge. Labor Day through Easter, outside the winter holidays, is the quietest time of year.

Accessibility

Smithsonian's National Zoo is wheelchair accessible, with one caveat the Zoo states up front: the terrain is hilly. Every exhibit can be reached by escalators, elevators and ramps, and benches are placed throughout the park indoors and out.

Accessible parking is in Lots A, B and D, first come, first served, and you still need a paid Parking Pass. Refer to the Zoo map for entrances and pathways. Since the Visitor Center is at the top of the hill and Lion/Tiger Hill is at the bottom, plan your route so you are not climbing at the end of the day.

Manual wheelchairs are free to borrow at the Visitor Center retail kiosk or the Information Station near Lion/Tiger Hill. Single-seat scooters rent for $40, and Zoo members get 15 percent off rentals. All rentals need a U.S. or home-country photo ID or driver's license; passports are not accepted. Scooter operators must be 18 or older. You can bring your own mobility device.

All restrooms are accessible and have automatic flushing. They are at the Visitor Center, Panda Plaza, Elephant Outpost and Conservation Pavilion, and a wheelchair lift reaches the Visitor Center restrooms. Family restrooms are at the Visitor Center, Elephant Outpost and Conservation Pavilion.

Sign language interpretation, CART and audio description are available with two weeks' notice through the Zoo's accessibility request form, and the Aira app works on site. Tactile elements are placed throughout the park. Social narratives describe animal areas, quiet spots and activities before your visit. Light, noise and crowds vary a lot between exhibits. Service dogs are welcome, but emotional support animals are not.

Checked by Accessible America, September 2026. Report a change

More accessible places in Washington, DC

• National Air and Space Museum (Washington)
• National Museum of African American History and Culture (Washington)
• National Museum of Natural History (Washington)
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (Washington)
• Washington Monument (Washington)
• Lincoln Memorial (Washington)

Photo credits

• The Connecticut Avenue entrance to the National Zoo with gardens, banners and a paved walkway.: Quadell, CC BY-SA 3.0 (source)
• The arched brick entrance of the Reptile Discovery Center at the National Zoo.: Sarah Stierch, CC BY 4.0 (source)
• A maned wolf walks across its snowy habitat at the National Zoo.: Rick Wagner from Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, CC BY 2.0 (source)